Alpha Aquarii

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Template:Short description

Alpha Aquarii
Template:Location mark
Location of α Aquarii (circled)
Observation data
Epoch J2000.0      Equinox J2000.0 (ICRS)
Constellation Aquarius
Right ascension Template:RA[1]
Declination Template:DEC[1]
Apparent magnitude (V) 2.942[2]
Characteristics
Evolutionary stage Yellow supergiant
Spectral type G2 Ib[3]
U−B Template:Engvar +0.699[2]
B−V Template:Engvar +0.971[2]
R−I Template:Engvar +0.49[2]
Astrometry
Radial velocity (Rv)7.5[4] km/s
Proper motion (μ) RA: +18.59 mas/yr[1]
Dec.: Script error: No such module "val". mas/yr[1]
Parallax (π)4.9451±0.4296 mas[1]
DistanceScript error: No such module "val". ly
(Script error: No such module "val". pc)[5]
Absolute magnitude (MV)Script error: No such module "val".[6]
Details
Mass6.31[7] Template:Solar mass
RadiusTemplate:Solar radius calculator[8] Template:Solar radius
Luminosity3,917[7] Template:Solar luminosity
Surface gravity (log g)1.4[7] cgs
TemperatureScript error: No such module "val".[9] K
Metallicity [Fe/H]+0.17[6] dex
Rotational velocity (v sin i)Script error: No such module "val".[10] km/s
Age53[3] Myr
Metallicity [Fe/H]{{{metal_fe2}}} dex
Other designations
Template:Odlist[11][12][13][14]
Database references
SIMBADdata

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Alpha Aquarii is a yellow supergiant star in the constellation of Aquarius. Its identifier is a Bayer designation that is Latinized from α Aquarii, and is abbreviated Alf Aqr or α Aqr, respectively. This star has the official name Sadalmelik, pronounced Template:IPAc-en.[15] At an apparent visual magnitude of 2.94,[2] it is the second-brightest star in Aquarius, just marginally fainter than Beta Aquarii. Based upon parallax measurements made by the Gaia spacecraft, it is located at a distance of roughly Script error: No such module "convert"..[5] It is drifting further away from the Sun with a radial velocity of 7.5 km/s.[4]

Nomenclature

α Aquarii (Latinised to Alpha Aquarii) is the star's Bayer designation. WDS J22058-0019 A is its designation in the Washington Double Star Catalog.

It bore the traditional name Sadalmelik, which derived from an Arabic expression سعد الملك (sa‘d al-malik), meaning "Luck of the king" or “arm/support of God”. The name Rucbah had also been applied to this star; though it shared that name with Delta Cassiopeiae.[14] It is only one of two stars with ancient proper names to lie within a degree of the celestial equator. The origin of the Arabic name is lost to history.[16] In 2016, the International Astronomical Union organized a Working Group on Star Names (WGSN)[17] to catalogue and standardize proper names for stars. The WGSN approved the name Sadalmelik for Alpha Aquarii (WDS J22058-0019 A) on 21 August 2016, and it is now so included in the List of IAU-approved Star Names (Delta Cassiopeiae was given the name Ruchbah).[15]

In Chinese, Script error: No such module "Lang". (Script error: No such module "Lang".), meaning Rooftop (asterism), refers to an asterism consisting of Alpha Aquarii, Theta Pegasi and Epsilon Pegasi.[18] Consequently, the Chinese name for Alpha Aquarii itself is Script error: No such module "Lang". (Script error: No such module "Lang"., Template:Langx).[19]

Properties

With an age of 53 million years,[3] Alpha Aquarii has evolved into a supergiant with a stellar classification of G2 Ib.[3] It lies within the Cepheid instability strip of the Hertzsprung–Russell diagram, near the red (cooler) edge, but is not classified as a variable star. However, variable cores have been detected in the hydrogen lines, which are originating in a circumstellar envelope.[9] The star has a massive stellar wind that reaches supersonic velocity in the chromosphere.[20]

There is some uncertainty about Alpha Aquarii's distance. The original Hipparcos catalog gave a parallax of Script error: No such module "val"., which translates to a distance of Script error: No such module "val"., or 760 light-years.[21] However, the 2007 Hipparcos reduction give a parallax that implies a distance of Script error: No such module "val"., or 520 light-years.[22] The third Gaia data release (Gaia DR3) give a parallax of Script error: No such module "val"., translating to a distance of Script error: No such module "val"., or 660 light-years.[1]

Alpha Aquarii's angular diameter has been measured at Script error: No such module "val"..[23] This diameter, at its estimated distance,[5] translates to a radius of Template:Solar radius calculator times the radius of the Sun.[8] With insufficient mass to explode as a supernova, it will most likely become a massive white dwarf similar to Sirius B.[16] It is radiating 3,900 times as much luminosity as the Sun from its outer atmosphere[7] at an effective temperature of Script error: No such module "val"..[9] At this heat, the star glows with the yellow hue of a G-type star.[24] Examination of this star with the Chandra X-ray Observatory shows it to be significantly X-ray deficient compared to G-type main-sequence stars. This deficit is a common feature of early G-type giant stars.[10]

Alpha Aquarii has a visual companion, UCAC2 31789179, of magnitude 12.2. It is at an angular separation of 110.4 arcseconds from Alpha Aquarii along a position angle of 40°.[13] However, the pair is only a visual double, with UCAC2 31789179 being a background star.[25]

References

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  1. a b c d e Template:Cite DR3
  2. a b c d e Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  3. a b c d Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  4. a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  5. a b c Script error: No such module "citation/CS1". Data about this star can be seen here.
  6. a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  7. a b c d Script error: No such module "citation/CS1". Alpha Aquarii's database entry at VizieR.
  8. a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".. The radius (R*) is given by:
    2R*=(211.93.066103) AU0.0046491 AU/R140R
  9. a b c Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  10. a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  11. Script error: No such module "citation/CS1". ID V/50. Accessed on line October 3, 2008.
  12. Template:Cite simbad
  13. a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  14. a b pp. 51, 148, Star-names and Their Meanings, Richard Hinckley Allen, New York: G. E. Stechert, 1899.
  15. a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  16. a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  17. Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  18. Template:In lang 中國星座神話, written by 陳久金. Published by 台灣書房出版有限公司, 2005, Template:ISBN.
  19. Template:In lang 香港太空館 - 研究資源 - 亮星中英對照表 Template:Webarchive, Hong Kong Space Museum. Accessed on line November 23, 2010.
  20. Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  21. Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  22. Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  23. Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  24. Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  25. Template:Cite simbad

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External links

Template:Sky Template:Stars of Aquarius