Beta Canis Majoris
 Location of Β Canis Majoris (circled) |
|
| Observation data Epoch J2000 Equinox J2000 |
|
|---|---|
| Constellation | Canis Major |
| Right ascension | 06h 22m 41.98535s |
| Declination | −17° 57′ 21.3073″ |
| Apparent magnitude (V) | 1.985(1.97 - 2.01) |
| Characteristics | |
| Spectral type | B1 II-III |
| U−B color index | −0.99 |
| B−V color index | −0.235 |
| Variable type | β Cep |
| Astrometry | |
| Radial velocity (Rv) | +33.7 km/s |
| Proper motion (μ) |
RA: −3.23 mas/yr Dec.: −0.78 mas/yr |
| Parallax (π) | 6.62 ± 0.22mas |
| Distance | 490 ± 20 ly (151 ± 5 pc) |
| Absolute magnitude (MV) | −4.1 |
| Details | |
| Mass | 13.5 ± 0.5 M☉ |
| Radius | 9.7 ± 1.3 R☉ |
| Luminosity | 26600 L☉ |
| Surface gravity (log g) | 3.79 ± 0.20 cgs |
| Temperature | 23,150 K |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.04 ± 0.10 dex |
| Rotational velocity (v sin i) | 31 ± 5 km/s |
| Age | 12.4 ± 0.7 Myr |
| Other designations | |
| Database references | |
| SIMBAD | data |
Beta Canis Majoris (β Canis Majoris, abbreviated Beta CMa, β CMa), also named Mirzam, is a star in the southern constellation of Canis Major (Latin for 'greater dog'), located at a distance of about 500 light-years (150 parsecs) from the Sun. In the modern constellation it lies at the position of the dog's front leg.
Beta Canis Majoris is the star's Bayer designation. The traditional names Mirzam, Al-Murzim or Murzim, derive from the Arabic (مرزم) for 'The Herald', and probably refers to its position, heralding (i.e., rising before) Sirius in the night sky. 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 Mirzam for this star.
In Chinese, 軍市 (Jūn Shì), meaning 'Market for Soldiers', refers to an asterism consisting of β Canis Majoris, Nu3 Canis Majoris, 15 Canis Majoris, Pi Canis Majoris, Omicron1 Canis Majoris and Xi1 Canis Majoris. Consequently, β Canis Majoris itself is known as 軍市一 (Jūn Shì yī, English: the First Star of Market for Soldiers). From this Chinese name arose the name Kuen She.
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