Nu Mensae

ν Mensae
Location of ν Mensae (circled)
Observation data
Epoch J2000      Equinox J2000
Constellation Mensa
Right ascension 04h 20m 58.0721s
Declination −81° 34 47.719
Apparent magnitude (V) 5.76±0.01
Characteristics
Spectral type F0/2 III
U−B color index +0.05
B−V color index +0.35
Astrometry
Radial velocity (Rv)9.1±2.8 km/s
Proper motion (μ) RA: +10.182 mas/yr
Dec.: +125.469 mas/yr
Parallax (π)18.4754±0.0273 mas
Distance176.5 ± 0.3 ly
(54.13 ± 0.08 pc)
Absolute magnitude (MV)+2.13
Details
Mass1.69 M
Radius2.3 R
Luminosity11.5 L
Surface gravity (log g)3.94 cgs
Temperature6,921±139 K
Metallicity [Fe/H]−0.08 dex
Rotational velocity (v sin i)108±5 km/s
Age1.7 Gyr
Other designations
ν Mensae, 8 G. Mensae, CPD−81°115, GC 5418, HD 29116, HIP 20297, HR 1456, SAO 258378
Database references
SIMBADdata

Nu Mensae, Latinized from ν Mensae, is a solitary star situated in the southern circumpolar constellation Mensa. It has an apparent magnitude of 5.76, making it faintly visible to the naked eye. The star is relatively close at a distance of 176 light years but is receding with a heliocentric radial velocity of 9.1 km/s.

Nu Mensae has a stellar classification of F0/2 III, indicating that it is a giant star with a spectrum intermediate between that of an F0 and F2 star. The star has an angular diameter of 0.41±0.03 mas, and a radius 2.39 times that of the Sun at its estimated distance. At present it has 169% the mass of the Sun and shines at 11.5 times the luminosity of the Sun at an effective temperature of 6,921 K, giving it a white glow with a yellow tint. Despite an age of 1.7 billion years, Nu Mensae spins rapidly with a projected rotational velocity of 108 km/s and is slightly metal deficient relative to the Sun.