Omicron1 Centauri Explained

Omicron¹ Centauri (ο¹ Cen, ο¹ Centauri) is a star in the constellation Centaurus. It is approximately 10,000 light years from Earth.

ο¹ Centauri is a yellow G-type supergiant or hypergiant with a mean apparent magnitude of +5.13. It is classified as a semiregular variable star and its brightness varies from magnitude +5.8 to +6.6 with a period of 200 days. Other studies have reported only small brightness variations. It is the MK spectral standard for class G3 O-Ia, indicating a highly luminous mass-losing hypergiant star. It has also be classified as F8 Ia0 and F7 Ia/ab. The size, luminosity, and distance are equally uncertain.

ο¹ Cen forms a very close naked eye double star with ο² Centauri, a hotter supergiant that may be physically associated. ο¹ Cen also has an 11th magnitude companion only 13.5" distant, Although it appears to be a foreground star unrelated to the other two.