Eta Leonis Explained

Eta Leonis (η Leo, η Leonis) is a third-magnitude blue supergiant star in the constellation Leo, about away.

Properties

Eta Leonis is a blue supergiant with the stellar classification A0Ib. Since 1943, the spectrum of this star has served as one of the stable anchor points by which other stars are classified.[1] Though its apparent magnitude is 3.5, making it a relatively dim star to the naked eye, it is nearly 20,000 times more luminous than the Sun, with an absolute magnitude of -5.60. The Hipparcos astrometric data has estimated the distance of Eta Leonis to be roughly 390 parsecs from Earth, or 1,270 light years away. It is believed to be in a blue loop phase.

Eta Leonis is apparently a multiple star system, but the number of components and their separation is uncertain.[2]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Garrison . R. F. . Anchor Points for the MK System of Spectral Classification . Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society . 25 . 1319 . December 1993 . 1993AAS...183.1710G.
  2. 1996AJ....112.2260M . ICCD Speckle Observations of Binary Stars.XV.An Investigation of Lunar Occultation Systems . The Astronomical Journal . 112 . 2260 . Mason . Brian D. . 1996 . 10.1086/118179 .