Tau3 Serpentis

τ3 Serpentis
Observation data
Epoch J2000.0      Equinox J2000.0 (ICRS)
Constellation Serpens
Right ascension 15h 35m 33.230s
Declination +17° 39 20.00
Apparent magnitude (V) 6.10
Characteristics
Spectral type G8III:
B−V color index +0.975±0.006
Astrometry
Radial velocity (Rv)−22.3±2.9 km/s
Proper motion (μ) RA: −77.745 mas/yr
Dec.: −13.437 mas/yr
Parallax (π)9.1014±0.0329 mas
Distance358 ± 1 ly
(109.9 ± 0.4 pc)
Absolute magnitude (MV)+0.78
Details
Mass2.703+0.107
−0.040
 M
Radius9.68+0.20
−0.19
 R
Luminosity47.28+0.33
−0.31
 L
Surface gravity (log g)2.478±0.005 cgs
Temperature4,864±1 K
Age502+51
−69
 Myr
Other designations
τ3 Ser, 15 Serpentis, BD+18°3044, FK5 3230, GC 20962, HD 139074, HIP 76337, HR 5795, SAO 101631, PPM 131527
Database references
SIMBADdata

Tau3 Serpentis, Latinized from τ3 Serpentis, is a giant star in the constellation of Serpens. It has an apparent visual magnitude of approximately 6.11, which is bright enough to be dimly visible to the naked eye under favorable viewing conditions. The distance to this star is approximately 358 light years based on parallax measurements, but it is drifting closer with a heliocentric radial velocity of −22 km/s.

The stellar classification of this star is G8III:, which matches a G-type giant star. However, the trailing colon ':' indicates some uncertainty in the classification. About 500 million years old and with 2.7 times the mass of the Sun, Tau3 Serpentis has expanded to 9.7 times the Sun's radius, and is radiating 47 times the luminosity of the Sun from its photosphere at an effective temperature of 4,864 K.