Mu Arae

Mu Arae / Cervantes
The location of μ Arae (circled)
Observation data
Epoch J2000.0      Equinox J2000.0
Constellation Ara
Right ascension 17h 44m 08.70314s
Declination −51° 50 02.5916
Apparent magnitude (V) 5.15
Characteristics
Spectral type G3IV–V
Apparent magnitude (V) 5.15±0.01
Apparent magnitude (G) 4.943±0.003
Apparent magnitude (K) 3.68±0.25
U−B color index +0.24
B−V color index +0.70
Astrometry
Radial velocity (Rv)−9.54±0.13 km/s
Proper motion (μ) RA: −15.034 mas/yr
Dec.: −190.901 mas/yr
Parallax (π)64.0853±0.0904 mas
Distance50.89 ± 0.07 ly
(15.60 ± 0.02 pc)
Absolute magnitude (MV)+4.17
Details
Mass1.10±0.01 M
Radius1.280±0.025 R
Luminosity1.879±0.019 L
Surface gravity (log g)4.30±0.03 cgs
Temperature5,974±61 K
Metallicity200±5%
Metallicity [Fe/H]0.29±0.01 dex
Rotational velocity (v sin i)3.1±0.5 km/s
Age6.34±0.40 Gyr
Other designations
Cervantes, μ Arae, CD−51°11094, FK5 662, GC 24024, GJ 691, HD 160691, HIP 86796, HR 6585, SAO 244981, PPM 346258, LTT 7053
Database references
SIMBADdata
Exoplanet Archivedata
ARICNSdata

Mu Arae is a single star with a planetary system in the constellation of Ara. Its name is a Bayer designation that is Latinized from μ Arae, and abbreviated Mu Ara or μ Ara. This star is officially named Cervantes, pronounced /sɜːrˈvæntz/ or sur-VAN-teez, and is often designated HD 160691. With an apparent visual magnitude of 5.15, it is faintly visible to the naked eye. Based on parallax measurements it is located approximately 51 light-years (16 pc) away from the Sun. It is drifting closer with a radial velocity of −10 km/s.

Cervantes is similar to the Sun, but is older, 10% more massive, and slightly evolved. It has four known extrasolar planets designated Mu Arae b, c, d and e; later named Quijote, Dulcinea, Rocinante and Sancho, respectively. Three of them have masses comparable with that of Jupiter. Mu Arae c, the innermost, was the first hot Neptune or super-Earth discovered.