Omicron2 Centauri Explained

Omicron² Centauri (ο² Cen, ο² Centauri) is a star in the constellation Centaurus.

ο² Centauri is a white A-type supergiant with a mean apparent magnitude of +5.12. It is approximately 7,000 light years from Earth. It is classified as an Alpha Cygni type variable star and its brightness varies from magnitude +5.12 to +5.22 with a period of 46.3 days.

In 1996, Kaufer and colleagues calculated Omicron² Centauri to be around 136,000 times as luminous, 18 times as massive and have 131 times the diameter of the Sun.^[1]

ο² Cen forms a close naked eye pair with ο¹ Cen, another 5th magnitude supergiant.

Notes and References

1. Kaufer, A. . Stahl, O. . Wolf, B. . Gaeng, T. . Gummersbach, C. A. . Kovacs, J. . Mandel, H. . Szeifert, T. . 1996. Long-term spectroscopic monitoring of BA-type supergiants. I. Halpha_ line-profile variability.. Astronomy and Astrophysics. 305. 887–901 . 1996A&A...305..887K.