Gamma Lupi
| Observation data Epoch J2000.0 Equinox J2000.0 | |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Lupus |
| Right ascension | 15h 35m 08.44835s |
| Declination | −41° 10′ 00.3247″ |
| Apparent magnitude (V) | 2.77 |
| Characteristics | |
| Spectral type | B2 IV |
| U−B color index | −0.82 |
| B−V color index | −0.20 |
| Astrometry | |
| Radial velocity (Rv) | +2.3 km/s |
| Proper motion (μ) | RA: −15.62 mas/yr Dec.: −25.43 mas/yr |
| Parallax (π) | 7.75±0.50 mas |
| Distance | 420 ± 30 ly (129 ± 8 pc) |
| Absolute magnitude (MV) | −2.4 |
| Orbit | |
| Primary | Aa |
| Companion | Ab |
| Period (P) | 2.85 days |
| Semi-major axis (a) | 16.0–19.3 R☉ |
| Eccentricity (e) | 0 |
| Semi-amplitude (K1) (primary) | 26.7±1.0 km/s |
| Orbit | |
| Primary | A |
| Companion | B |
| Period (P) | 167.3+21.5 −7.2 yr |
| Semi-major axis (a) | 0.970″+0.343″ −0.240″" (125 AU) |
| Eccentricity (e) | 0.826+0.082 −0.181 |
| Inclination (i) | 93.04+1.45 −0.89° |
| Longitude of the node (Ω) | 91.20+0.52 −0.35° |
| Periastron epoch (T) | 1885.7+2.9 −4.0 |
| Argument of periastron (ω) (secondary) | 286.9+12.0 −5.9° |
| Details | |
| γ Lup Aa | |
| Mass | 6–10 M☉ |
| Radius | 3.92–5.39 R☉ |
| Luminosity | 2,570–4,700 L☉ |
| Surface gravity (log g) | 3.867–4.130 cgs |
| Temperature | 20,900 K |
| Rotational velocity (v sin i) | 270 km/s |
| Age | 16.7+5.0 −6.6 Myr |
| γ Lup Ab | |
| Mass | 0.72–1.93 M☉ |
| Radius | 2.00–3.47 R☉ |
| Luminosity | 2.39–10.7 L☉ |
| Surface gravity (log g) | 3.515–3.803 cgs |
| Temperature | 4,140–7,210 K |
| Other designations | |
| γ Lup, CD−40°9760, HD 138690, HIP 76297, HR 5776, SAO 225938 | |
| Database references | |
| SIMBAD | data |
Gamma Lupi, Latinized from γ Lupi, is a triple star system in the constellation of Lupus. It is easily visible to the naked eye, having an apparent magnitude of 2.77. It is also known in ancient Chinese astronomy as 騎官一 or "the 1st (star) of the Cavalry Officer". With a telescope, Gamma Lupi can be resolved into a binary star system in close orbit. This is known as the Gamma Lupi AB system, often abbreviated as γ Lupi AB or γ Lup AB.
The system has a hierarchical architecture. The primary, Gamma Lupi A is itself a spectroscopic binary with an orbital period of 2.849769 days. Although the system does not show eclipses, the hotter star of the pair heats the side of the cooler star that faces it, and as they orbit each other the combined starlight varies in brightness by about 0.02 magnitudes, as seen from the Earth. The outer component, Gamma Lupi B, is widely-separated (125 astronomical units) and has an orbital period of 170 years.
This star is a proper motion member of the Upper Centaurus–Lupus sub-group in the Scorpius–Centaurus OB association, the nearest such co-moving association of massive stars to the Sun.