HD 63032

c Puppis

The field of cluster NGC 2451; c Puppis is the brightest star in the frame
Observation data
Epoch J2000      Equinox J2000
Constellation Puppis
Right ascension 07h 45m 15.29613s
Declination −37° 58 06.9069
Apparent magnitude (V) 3.61
Characteristics
Spectral type K2.5Ib-IIa(K5IIa) + B9V
Apparent magnitude (U) 7.06
Apparent magnitude (B) 5.34
Apparent magnitude (R) 2.26
Apparent magnitude (I) 1.26
Apparent magnitude (J) 0.68
Apparent magnitude (H) -0.075 ± 0.220
Apparent magnitude (K) -0.47
U−B color index 1.72
B−V color index 1.73
Astrometry
Radial velocity (Rv)16.83 ± 0.14 km/s
Proper motion (μ) RA: −10.54 mas/yr
Dec.: 5.584 mas/yr
Parallax (π)2.9460±0.1482 mas
Distance1,114+66.9
−34.2
 ly
(341.7+20.5
−19.5
 pc)
Details
A
Mass12.1±1.2 M
Radius274±14  301 R
Luminosity15,152 L
Temperature3,781 K
Age15.8±0.4 Myr
B
Radius2.0±0.3 R
Temperature10,200 ± 300 K
Other designations
CD37 3863, CPD37 1558, HD 63032, HIP 37819, HR 3017, SAO 198398
Database references
SIMBADdata

c Puppis, also known as HD 63032 and HR 3017, is a spectroscopic binary star in the constellation Puppis. Its apparent magnitude is of 3.61, making it the eight-brightest star in Puppis. The system is the brightest member of the open cluster NGC 2451, over two magnitudes brighter than every other star in the cluster. As the turnoff point of the cluster is currently around B7, the parameters of the system fit with cluster membership.

The primary component of the system is a red supergiant or bright giant of spectral classification K2.5Ib-IIa. It is twelve times more massive than the Sun, and is estimated 16 million years old. At this evolutionary stage, it has expanded to 280 times the size of the Sun and is 15,000 more luminous. Its surface has cooled to an effective temperature of 3,781 K, giving it a red-orange hue. The secondary component is a late B-type star, about two times the size of the Sun. c Puppis was first discovered to be a spectroscopic binary in 1982, by D. Groote and D. Reimers.