W Orionis

W Orionis

The visual band light curve for W Orionis, plotted from ASAS data
Observation data
Epoch J2000      Equinox J2000
Constellation Orion
Right ascension 05h 05m 23.72142s
Declination +01° 10 39.4512
Apparent magnitude (V) 4.4 - 6.9
Characteristics
Evolutionary stage AGB
Spectral type C-N5 C25.5 (C5,4(N5))
U−B color index +6.84
B−V color index +3.42
Variable type SRb
Astrometry
Radial velocity (Rv)+16.50 km/s
Proper motion (μ) RA: +7.5 mas/yr
Dec.: -1.4 mas/yr
Parallax (π)2.65±0.95 mas
Distanceapprox. 1,200 ly
(approx. 400 pc)
Absolute magnitude (MV)5.76
Details
Mass1-2 M
Radius406 R
Luminosity6,761 L
Surface gravity (log g)0.60 cgs
Temperature2,600 K
Metallicity [Fe/H]0.0 dex
Other designations
W Ori, BD+00°939, HD 32736, HIP 23680
Database references
SIMBADdata

W Orionis is a carbon star in the constellation Orion, approximately 400 parsecs (1,300 ly) away. It varies regularly in brightness between extremes of magnitude 4.4 and 6.9 roughly every 7 months. When it is near its maximum brightness, it is faintly visible to the naked eye of an observer with good observing conditions.