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Beta Librae

Beta Librae
Diagram showing star positions and boundaries of the Libra constellation and its surroundings
Cercle rouge 100%.svg

The position of β Librae (circled)
Observation data
Epoch J2000      Equinox J2000
Constellation Libra
Right ascension 15h 17m 00.41382s
Declination −09° 22′ 58.4919″
Apparent magnitude (V) 2.61
Characteristics
Spectral type B8 V
U−B color index −0.359
B−V color index −0.106
Variable type Suspected
Astrometry
Radial velocity (Rv) −35.2 km/s
Proper motion (μ) RA: −98.10 mas/yr
Dec.: −19.65 mas/yr
Parallax (π) 17.62 ± 0.16mas
Distance 185 ± 2 ly
(56.8 ± 0.5 pc)
Details
Mass 3.5+0.3
−0.2
 M
Radius 4.9 R
Luminosity 130 L
Temperature 12300 K
Metallicity [Fe/H] 0.33 dex
Rotational velocity (v sin i) 250 km/s
Age 80+50
−40
 Myr
Other designations
Zubeneschamali, Lanx Borealis, 27 Librae, BD-08° 3935, FK5 564, HD 135742, HIP 74785, HR 5685, NSV 7009, SAO 140430.
Database references
SIMBAD data

Beta Librae (β Librae, abbreviated Beta Lib, β Lib), also named Zubeneschamali, is (despite its 'beta' designation) the brightest star in the zodiac constellation of Libra. From parallax measurements, its distance can be estimated as 185 light-years (57 parsecs) from the Sun.

The apparent visual magnitude of this star is 2.6. According to Eratosthenes Beta Librae was observed to be brighter than Antares. Ptolemy, 350 years later, said it was as bright as Antares. The discrepancy may be due to Antares becoming brighter, but this is not known for certain. It could simply be caused by Beta Librae being a variable star, showing a present-day variability of 0.03 of a magnitude.

β Librae (Latinised to Beta Librae) is the star's Bayer designation.

It bore the traditional name Zubeneschamali /ˌzbənˌɛʃəˈmli/ (less common renderings, or corruptions, are Zuben Eschamali, Zuben el Chamali, Zubenesch, Zubenelg) derived from the Arabic ّالزُبَانَى الشَمَالِي (al-zubānā al-šamāliyy) meaning "The Northern Claw". There was also Kiffa Borealis, from the Arabic al-kiffah aš-šamāliyy "the northern pan (of the scales)" and the Latin equivalent Lanx Borealis. In 2016, the International Astronomical Union organized a Working Group on Star Names (WGSN) to catalogue and standardize proper names for stars. The WGSN approved the name Zubeneschamali for this star on 21 August 2016 and it is now so entered in the IAU Catalog of Star Names.


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Wikipedia

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