Psi1 Aurigae
| Observation data Epoch J2000 Equinox J2000 | |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Auriga |
| Right ascension | 06h 24m 53.90155s |
| Declination | +49° 17′ 16.4112″ |
| Apparent magnitude (V) | 4.91 |
| Characteristics | |
| Evolutionary stage | Red supergiant |
| Spectral type | K5-M1Iab-Ib |
| U−B color index | +2.29 |
| B−V color index | +1.97 |
| R−I color index | 1.07 |
| Variable type | LC |
| Astrometry | |
| Radial velocity (Rv) | +4.7 km/s |
| Proper motion (μ) | RA: −0.155 mas/yr Dec.: −2.131 mas/yr |
| Parallax (π) | 0.4426±0.1103 mas |
| Distance | 6,590+1,382 −1,174 ly (2,021.5+424 −360 pc) |
| Absolute magnitude (MV) | −5.53 |
| Details | |
| Mass | 14.4±0.8 M☉ |
| Radius | 934 R☉ 1,004 R☉ |
| Luminosity | 170,400 L☉ |
| Temperature | 3,790 K |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | +0.08 dex |
| Age | 12.3±0.4 Myr |
| Other designations | |
| ψ1 Aurigae, 46 Aurigae, BD+49 1488, FK5 242, GC 8235, HD 44537, HIP 30520, HR 2289, SAO 41076, PPM 49029 | |
| Database references | |
| SIMBAD | data |
Psi1 Aurigae is a star in the northern constellation of Auriga. It name is a Bayer designation that is Latinized from ψ1 Aurigae, and abbreviated Psi1 Aur or ψ1 Aur. This star is faintly visible to the naked eye with an apparent visual magnitude of 4.91. Based upon a measured annual parallax shift of 0.44 mas, it is approximately 7,500 light-years (2,300 parsecs) distant from the Earth. It is receding from the Sun with a radial velocity of +4.7 km/s.
This is a massive supergiant star with a stellar classification of K5-M1Iab-Ib. It is a slow irregular variable of the LC type, with its brightness varying in magnitude by 0.44. The star is more than 14 times as massive as the Sun, over 900 times larger, and is blazing with 170,000 times the Sun's luminosity. It is one of the largest stars known, even larger and more luminous than well-known red supergiants Betelgeuse and Antares. This energy is being radiated into outer space from its outer atmosphere at an effective temperature of 3,790 K, giving it the orange-red hue of a cool M-type star.