Nu Andromedae

Nu Andromedae
Location of ν Andromedae (circled)
Observation data
Epoch J2000      Equinox J2000
Constellation Andromeda
Right ascension 00h 49m 48.846s
Declination +41° 04 44.08
Apparent magnitude (V) 4.522
Characteristics
Spectral type B4/5 V + F8 V
U−B color index –0.573
B−V color index –0.136
Astrometry
Radial velocity (Rv)–23.9 km/s
Proper motion (μ) RA: +21.711 mas/yr
Dec.: –18.694 mas/yr
Parallax (π)5.7868±0.1857 mas
Distance560 ± 20 ly
(173 ± 6 pc)
Absolute magnitude (MV)−1.85
Orbit
Period (P)4.2827 d
Eccentricity (e)0.03
Longitude of the node (Ω)25.°
Periastron epoch (T)18,155.67
Semi-amplitude (K1)
(primary)
71.7 km/s
Semi-amplitude (K2)
(secondary)
101.9 km/s
Details
ν And A
Mass5.9±0.2 M
Radius3.4 R
Luminosity1,104 L
Surface gravity (log g)4.12±0.43 cgs
Temperature14,851±396 K
Metallicity [Fe/H]+0.14±0.17 dex
Rotational velocity (v sin i)20 km/s
Age63.1±17.9 Myr
Other designations
ν Andromedae, ν And, Nu And, 35 Andromedae, 35 And, BD+40 171, FK5 1021, HD 4727, HIP 3881, HR 226, SAO 36699, PPM 43365
Database references
SIMBADdata

Nu Andromedae is a binary star system in the constellation Andromeda. Its Bayer designation is Latinized from ν Andromedae, and abbreviated Nu And or ν And, respectively. The system has an apparent visual magnitude of 4.5, which is bright enough to be seen with the naked eye. Based on parallax measurements, it is located at a distance of approximately 560 light-years (170 parsecs) from Earth. The pair are drifting closer with a heliocentric radial velocity of –24 km/s. Situated just over a degree to the west of this star is the Andromeda Galaxy.

Nu Andromedae is close spectroscopic binary system with a period of 4.2828 days and a nearly circular orbit. The primary component is a B-type main sequence star with a stellar classification of B5 V. The fainter secondary has a classification of F8 V, which makes it an F-type main sequence star. The pair is about 63 million years old.

The pair have a peculiar velocity of 22.16±0.87 km/s relative to neighboring stars, which doesn't qualify it to be a runaway star system but does suggest it escaped its star cluster of origin. The trajectory indicates it may have left the NGC 6405 cluster some 25 million years ago.