Epsilon Carinae
| Observation data Epoch J2000 Equinox J2000 | |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Carina |
| Right ascension | 08h 22m 30.83526s |
| Declination | −59° 30′ 34.1431″ |
| Apparent magnitude (V) | 1.86 (2.01 + 3.85) |
| Characteristics | |
| Spectral type | K3 III + B2 Vp |
| U−B color index | +0.19 |
| B−V color index | +1.27 |
| Variable type | Eclipsing (suspected) LPV (A) SBP or α2 CVn (B) |
| Astrometry | |
| Radial velocity (Rv) | +11.6 km/s |
| Proper motion (μ) | RA: −25.52 mas/yr Dec.: 22.72 mas/yr |
| Parallax (π) | 5.39±0.42 mas |
| Distance | 610 ± 50 ly (190 ± 10 pc) |
| Absolute magnitude (MV) | −4.47 (−4.3, −1.8, −1.7) |
| Details | |
| ε Car A | |
| Mass | 10.5 M☉ |
| Radius | 151 ± 14 R☉ |
| Luminosity | 8,128 L☉ |
| Temperature | 4,460±90 K |
| Age | 31.2±10.1 Myr |
| ε Car B | |
| Mass | 7.30 M☉ |
| Temperature | 20,417 K |
| Age | 20 Myr |
| Other designations | |
| Avior, CD−59°1032, FK5 315, HIP 41037, HR 3307, SAO 235932 | |
| A: HD 71129 | |
| B: HD 71130 | |
| Database references | |
| SIMBAD | ε Carinae |
| A | |
| B | |
Epsilon Carinae is a binary star in the southern constellation of Carina. It has the official proper name Avior, pronounced /ˈeɪvjər/; Epsilon Carinae is its Bayer designation. At apparent magnitude +1.86 it is one of the brightest stars in the night sky, but is not visible from most of the Northern Hemisphere. The False Cross is an asterism formed of Delta Velorum, Kappa Velorum, Iota Carinae and ε Carinae. It is so called because it is sometimes mistaken for the Southern Cross, causing errors in astronavigation.