Alpha Ceti
 Location of α Ceti(circled) |
|
| Observation data Epoch J2000 Equinox J2000 |
|
|---|---|
| Constellation | Cetus |
| Right ascension | 03h 02m 16.77307s |
| Declination | +04° 05′ 23.0596″ |
| Apparent magnitude (V) | 2.53 |
| Characteristics | |
| Spectral type | M1.5 IIIa |
| U−B color index | +1.93 |
| B−V color index | +1.64 |
| Variable type | None |
| Astrometry | |
| Radial velocity (Rv) | –26.08 ± 0.02 km/s |
| Proper motion (μ) |
RA: -10.41 ± 0.51 mas/yr Dec.: -76.85 ± 0.36 mas/yr |
| Parallax (π) | 13.09 ± 0.44mas |
| Distance | 249 ± 8 ly (76 ± 3 pc) |
| Absolute magnitude (MV) | –3.2 ± 0.3 |
| Details | |
| Mass | 2.3 ± 0.2 M☉ |
| Radius | 89 ± 5 R☉ |
| Luminosity | 1455 ± 328 L☉ |
| Surface gravity (log g) | 0.9 ± 0.1 cgs |
| Temperature | 3,795 ± 70 K |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.00 ± 0.30 dex |
| Rotational velocity (v sin i) | 6.9 km/s |
| Other designations | |
| Database references | |
| SIMBAD | data |
Alpha Ceti (α Ceti, abbreviated Alpha Cet, α Cet), also named Menkar, is the second-brightest star in the constellation of Cetus.
Alpha Ceti is the star's Bayer designation. It has the traditional names Menkar or Menkab, the former deriving from the Arabic word منخر manħar "nostril" (of Cetus). In 2016, the International Astronomical Union organized a Working Group on Star Names (WGSN) to catalog and standardize proper names for stars. The WGSN's first bulletin of July 2016 included a table of the first two batches of names approved by the WGSN; which included Menkar for this star.
This star, along with γ Cet (Kaffaljidhma), δ Cet, λ Cet (also Menkar), μ Cet, ξ1 Cet and ξ2 Cet were Al Kaff al Jidhmah, "the Part of a Hand".
In Chinese, 天囷 (Tiān Qūn), meaning Circular Celestial Granary, refers to an asterism consisting of α Ceti, κ1 Ceti, λ Ceti, μ Ceti, ξ1 Ceti, ξ2 Ceti, ν Ceti, γ Ceti, δ Ceti, 75 Ceti, 70 Ceti, 63 Ceti and 66 Ceti. Consequently, α Ceti itself is known as 天囷一 (Tiān Qūn yī, English: the First Star of Circular Celestial Granary.)
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