Pi Capricorni

Pi Capricorni
Location of π Capricorni (circled)
Observation data
Epoch J2000.0      Equinox J2000.0 (ICRS)
Constellation Capricornus
Right ascension 20h 27m 19.21088s
Declination −18° 12 42.1980
Apparent magnitude (V) +5.096
Characteristics
Spectral type B8 II-III or B3-5 V
U−B color index −0.311
B−V color index +0.013
Astrometry
Radial velocity (Rv)−13 km/s
Proper motion (μ) RA: +16.914 mas/yr
Dec.: −16.983 mas/yr
Parallax (π)4.9614±0.3495 mas
Distance660 ± 50 ly
(200 ± 10 pc)
Absolute magnitude (MV)−1.01
Details
π Cap Aa
Mass5.9±0.1 M
Luminosity238 L
Temperature9,623 K
Rotational velocity (v sin i)30 km/s
Age43.4±7.8 Myr
Other designations
Okul, π Cap, 10 Cap, ADS 13860, BD−18°5685, HD 194636, HIP 100881, HR 7814, SAO 163592, WDS J20273-1813AB
Database references
SIMBADdata

Pi Capricorni, Latinized from π Capricorni, is a triple star system in the southern constellation of Capricornus. It has the traditional star name Okul or Oculus (meaning eye in Latin). This system appears blue-white in hue and is visible to the naked eye as a 5th magnitude star. It is located approximately 660 light years distant from the Sun based on parallax, but is drifting closer with a radial velocity of −13 km/s.

In Chinese, 牛宿 (Niú Su), meaning Ox (asterism), refers to an asterism consisting of π Capricorni, β Capricorni, α2 Capricorni, ξ2 Capricorni, ο Capricorni and ρ Capricorni. Consequently, the Chinese name for π Capricorni itself is 牛宿四 (Niú Su sì, English: the Fourth Star of Ox.)

The primary member, component A, is a spectroscopic binary whose two components are separated by 0.1 arcseconds. The brighter of the two, component Aa, is a blue-white B-type bright giant or main sequence star with an apparent magnitude of +5.08. It is around 43 million years old with six times the mass of the Sun. The star is radiating 238 times the Sun's luminosity from its photosphere at an effective temperature of 9,623 K. The third member, component B, is an eighth magnitude star at an angular separation of 3.4 from the primary.