Zeta Sculptoris

ζ Sculptoris
Location of ζ Sculptoris (circled)
Observation data
Epoch J2000      Equinox J2000
Constellation Sculptor
Right ascension 00h 02m 19.92035s
Declination −29° 43 13.4873
Apparent magnitude (V) 5.04
Characteristics
Spectral type B5 V
U−B color index -0.55
B−V color index -0.16
Astrometry
Radial velocity (Rv)+8.6±1.6 km/s
Proper motion (μ) RA: +9.34 mas/yr
Dec.: +14.50 mas/yr
Parallax (π)6.49±0.25 mas
Distance500 ± 20 ly
(154 ± 6 pc)
Absolute magnitude (MV)−0.89
Orbit
Period (P)1,740±22 d
Eccentricity (e)0.316±0.043
Periastron epoch (T)2453381 ± 37 JD
Argument of periastron (ω)
(secondary)
43.5±6.9°
Semi-amplitude (K1)
(primary)
12.4±0.6 km/s
Details
Mass5.5 M
Luminosity496 L
Temperature16,100 K
Metallicity [Fe/H]0.00 dex
Rotation1.75222 d
Rotational velocity (v sin i)15 km/s
Other designations
ζ Scl, CD−30°19790, FK5 3932, GC 33337, HD 224990, HIP 183, HR 9091, SAO 135551, CCDM J00023-2943AB, WDS J00023-2943AB, GSC 06418-01221
Database references
SIMBADdata

Zeta Sculptoris, Latinized from ζ Sculptoris, is a multiple star system in the constellation Sculptor. It is faintly visible to the naked eye with an apparent magnitude of 5.04. The annual parallax shift is 6.49 mas, which yields a distance estimate of about 500 light years from the Sun. It is moving further away with a radial velocity of +8.6 km/s. Zeta Sculptoris is near the Blanco 1 cluster as viewed from Earth, although parallax measurements indicate it to be substantially closer.

The primary component, designated Zeta Sculptoris A, is a single-lined, low amplitude spectroscopic binary system with an orbital period of 4.8 years and an eccentricity of 0.32. The visible member of this pair is a B-type main-sequence star with a stellar classification of B5 V. It has a 13th magnitude companion, Zeta Sculptoris B, at an angular separation of 3 arcseconds along a position angle of 330° (as of 1927). According to Eggleton and Tokovinin (2008), it is most likely gravitationally bound to the primary component.