Nu Fornacis

Nu Fornacis

A light curve for Nu Fornacis plotted from TESS data
Observation data
Epoch J2000      Equinox J2000
Constellation Fornax
Right ascension 02h 04m 29.43861s
Declination −29° 17 48.5477
Apparent magnitude (V) 4.69 (4.68 – 4.73)
Characteristics
Spectral type B9.5IIIspSi
U−B color index −0.51
B−V color index −0.17
Variable type α2 CVn
Astrometry
Radial velocity (Rv)+18.50 km/s
Proper motion (μ) RA: +12.79 mas/yr
Dec.: +8.48 mas/yr
Parallax (π)8.79±0.26 mas
Distance370 ± 10 ly
(114 ± 3 pc)
Absolute magnitude (MV)−0.60
Details
Mass3.65±0.18 M
Radius3.44 R
Luminosity245 L
Temperature13,400 K
Rotation1.89 d
Rotational velocity (v sin i)50±5 km/s
Other designations
ν For, CD−29°706, FK5 1055, GC 2506, HD 12767, HIP 9677, HR 612, SAO 167532
Database references
SIMBADdata

Nu Fornacis, Latinized from ν Fornacis, is a single, variable star in the southern constellation of Fornax. It is blue-white in hue and faintly visible to the naked eye with an apparent visual magnitude that fluctuates around 4.69. This body is located approximately 370 light years distant from the Sun based on parallax, and is drifting further away with a radial velocity of +18.5 km/s. It is a candidate member of the Pisces-Eridanus stellar stream, which suggests an age of 120 million years or less.

This object is an Ap star with a stellar classification of B9.5IIIspSi matching a late B-type giant star. The 'Si' suffix indicates an abundance anomaly of silicon. It is an Alpha2 Canum Venaticorum variable that ranges from magnitude 4.68 down to 4.73 with a period of 1.89 days – the same as its rotational period. It is 3.65 times as massive and 245 times as luminous as the Sun, with 3.44 times the Sun's diameter.