Omicron Tauri

Omicron Tauri
Location of ο Tauri (circled)
Observation data
Epoch J2000.0      Equinox J2000.0
Constellation Taurus
Right ascension 03h 24m 48.79832s
Declination +09° 01 43.9306
Apparent magnitude (V) 3.61
Characteristics
Spectral type G6 III
B−V color index +0.887±0.019
Astrometry
Radial velocity (Rv)−19.79±0.06 km/s
Proper motion (μ) RA: −67.04 mas/yr
Dec.: −78.04 mas/yr
Parallax (π)12.11±0.87 mas
Distance270 ± 20 ly
(83 ± 6 pc)
Absolute magnitude (MV)−1.23
Orbit
Period (P)1654.9 d
Eccentricity (e)0.26
Periastron epoch (T)2429974.34 JD
Argument of periastron (ω)
(secondary)
155.6°
Semi-amplitude (K1)
(primary)
4.4 km/s
Details
ο Tauri A
Mass3.21±0.12 M
Radius20.28±3.66 R
Luminosity302 L
Surface gravity (log g)2.43±0.06 cgs
Temperature5,094±15 K
Metallicity [Fe/H]−0.13±0.02 dex
Rotational velocity (v sin i)3.29±0.61 km/s
Age324+39
−35
 Myr
Other designations
ο Tau, 1 Tauri, BD+08°511, FK5 121, HD 21120, HIP 15900, HR 1030, SAO 111172
Database references
SIMBADdata

ο Tauri, Latinized as Omicron Tauri, is a binary star system in the constellation Taurus, near the constellation border with Cetus. It has a yellow hue and is visible to the naked eye with an apparent visual magnitude of 3.61. It is approximately 270 light years from the Sun based on parallax, but is drifting closer with a radial velocity of −20 km/s. As the westernmost bright point of light in Taurus, this system has the Flamsteed designation 1 Tauri; Omicron Tauri is the Bayer designation.

This is a single-lined spectroscopic binary system with the two components orbiting each other over a period of 4.53 years with an eccentricity of 0.263. The visible component is an aging G-type giant with a stellar classification of G6 III. This star has three times the mass of the Sun and 20–18 times the Sun's radius. Based on the latter, interferometry-measured radius, it is rotating once every 533 days. It is radiating 302 times the luminosity of the Sun from its photosphere at an effective temperature of 5,094 K.