Saiph

Saiph
Location of Saiph (circled)
Observation data
Epoch J2000      Equinox J2000
Constellation Orion
Right ascension 05h 47m 45.38884s
Declination −09° 40 10.5777
Apparent magnitude (V) 2.09
Characteristics
Evolutionary stage Blue supergiant
Spectral type B0.5 Ia
U−B color index −1.02
B−V color index −0.18
Variable type Suspected
Astrometry
Radial velocity (Rv)+20.5 km/s
Proper motion (μ) RA: +1.46 mas/yr
Dec.: −1.28 mas/yr
Parallax (π)5.04±0.22 mas
Distance650 ± 30 ly
(198 ± 9 pc)
Absolute magnitude (MV)−6.1
Details
Mass15.5±1.25 or 21.1 M
Radius13–14 R
Luminosity60,300+10,500
−9,000
 L
Surface gravity (log g)2.70±0.05 cgs
Temperature25,700±260 K
Rotational velocity (v sin i)83 km/s
Age11.1±0.5 or 5.6 Myr
Other designations
κ Orionis, 53 Orionis, 141 G. Orionis, BD−09 1235, FK5 220, HD 38771, HIP 27366, HR 2004, SAO 132542.
Database references
SIMBADdata

Saiph /ˈsf/, designation Kappa Orionis (κ Orionis, abbreviated Kappa Ori, κ Ori) and 53 Orionis (53 Ori), is a blue supergiant star and the sixth-brightest star in the constellation of Orion. Of the four bright stars that compose Orion's main quadrangle, it is the star at the south-eastern corner. A northern-hemisphere observer facing south would see it at the lower left of Orion, and a southern-hemisphere observer facing north would see it at the upper right. Parallax measurements yield an estimated distance of 650 light-years (200 parsecs) from the Sun. It is smaller, less luminous but hotter at its surface than Rigel with an apparent visual magnitude of 2.1. The luminosity of this star changes slightly, varying by 0.04 magnitudes.