Eta Delphini

η Delphini
Location of η Delphini (circled)
Observation data
Epoch J2000.0      Equinox J2000.0 (ICRS)
Constellation Delphinus
Right ascension 20h 33m 57.04099s
Declination +13° 01 38.1437
Apparent magnitude (V) 5.38
Characteristics
Spectral type A3 IVs
U−B color index +0.05
B−V color index +0.08
Astrometry
Radial velocity (Rv)−25.00±4.2 km/s
Proper motion (μ) RA: +73.15 mas/yr
Dec.: +24.66 mas/yr
Parallax (π)13.81±1.17 mas
Distance240 ± 20 ly
(72 ± 6 pc)
Absolute magnitude (MV)+1.11
Details
Mass2.12 M
Radius2.2 R
Luminosity35 L
Surface gravity (log g)4.38 cgs
Temperature9,355±318 K
Metallicity [Fe/H]+0.56 dex
Rotational velocity (v sin i)65 km/s
Age309 Myr
Other designations
η Del, 3 Del, BD+12°4378, GC 28617, HD 195943, HIP 101483, HR 7858, SAO 106248
Database references
SIMBADdata

Eta Delphini, Latinized from η Delphini, is a candidate astrometric binary star system in the northern constellation of Delphinus. It has an apparent magnitude of about 5.4, meaning that it is faintly visible to the naked eye. Based upon a parallax measurement of 13.81 mas made by the Hipparcos spacecraft, this star is around 240 light years away from the Sun. It is advancing in general direction of the Earth with a radial velocity of −25 km/s.

The stellar classification of the visible component is A3 IVs, which matches an A-type subgiant star with narrow absorption lines. It is a suspected chemically peculiar star that is about 64.3%±9.2% of the way through its main sequence lifetime. SIMBAD lists this star as a variable star, although it is not catalogued as such in the GCVS. It has more than double the mass and radius of the Sun, and is radiating 35 times the Sun's luminosity from its photosphere at an effective temperature of around 9,355 K.