Kappa Fornacis

Kappa Fornacis
Location of κ Fornacis (circled)
Observation data
Epoch J2000.0      Equinox J2000.0
Constellation Fornax
Right ascension 02h 22m 32.60343s
Declination −23° 48 00.4878
Apparent magnitude (V) 5.3187±0.0005
Characteristics
κ For A
Spectral type G1V-IV
B−V color index 0.608±0.017 (system total)
Kappa Fornacis Bab
Spectral type ~M0V / ~M0V
Astrometry
κ For A
Radial velocity (Rv)16.67±0.06 km/s
Proper motion (μ) RA: 150.725 mas/yr
Dec.: 5.364 mas/yr
Parallax (π)44.0905±0.2799 mas
Distance74.0 ± 0.5 ly
(22.7 ± 0.1 pc)
Absolute magnitude (MV)+3.48
κ For Bab
Orbit
Primaryκ For A
Companionκ For Bab
Period (P)25.81±0.15 years
Semi-major axis (a)0.521 ± 0.004″
Eccentricity (e)0.339±0.013
Inclination (i)50.4±0.5°
Longitude of the node (Ω)139.8±1.4°
Periastron epoch (T)1988.89±0.17
Argument of periastron (ω)
(secondary)
266.3±1.0°
Semi-amplitude (K1)
(primary)
5.23±0.13 km/s
Orbit
Primaryκ For Ba
Companionκ For Bb
Period (P)approx. 3.666 days
Eccentricity (e)0 (assumed)
Semi-amplitude (K1)
(primary)
approx. 83 km/s
Semi-amplitude (K2)
(secondary)
approx. 83 km/s
Details
κ For A
Mass1.20±0.05 M
Surface gravity (log g)3.99±0.15 cgs
Temperature5,853±49 K
Metallicity [Fe/H]−0.06±0.05 dex
Age5.7±0.6 Gyr
κ For Bab
Mass1.05±0.18 (subsystem total)M
approx. 0.53±0.09 / 0.53±0.09 M
Other designations
CD−24°1038, GJ 97, HD 14802, HIP 11072, HR 695, SAO 167736
Database references
SIMBADdata

Kappa Fornacis (κ For) is a star system that lies approximately 72 light-years away. The system consists of a somewhat evolved primary orbited by a massive, 'dark' secondary that is actually itself a close red dwarf binary, making a hierarchal triple system.