Zeta Corvi

ζ Corvi
Location of ζ Corvi (circled)
Observation data
Epoch J2000.0      Equinox J2000.0
Constellation Corvus
Right ascension 12h 20m 33.64200s
Declination −22° 12′ 57.2410″
Apparent magnitude (V) 5.21
Characteristics
Evolutionary stage Be star
Spectral type B8V
U−B color index −0.39
B−V color index −0.11
Astrometry
Radial velocity (Rv)−6.40±4.2 km/s
Proper motion (μ) RA: −108.97 mas/yr
Dec.: −27.31 mas/yr
Parallax (π)7.85±0.22 mas
Distance420 ± 10 ly
(127 ± 4 pc)
Absolute magnitude (MV)−0.32
Details
Mass3.39±0.04 M
Radius4.57±0.09 R
Luminosity200 L
Surface gravity (log g)2.26±0.02 cgs
Temperature11,561 K
Rotational velocity (v sin i)259 km/s
Other designations
ζ Crv, 5 Crv, BD−21°3514, HD 107348, HIP 60189, HR 4696, SAO 180700
Database references
SIMBADdata

Zeta Corvi, Latinised from ζ Corvi, is a star in the constellation Corvus. It is a blue-white main-sequence star of apparent magnitude 5.21. Around 420 light-years distant, it shines with a luminosity approximately 154 times that of the Sun and has a surface temperature of 10,695 K. It is a Be star, the presence of hydrogen emission lines in its spectrum indicating it has a circumstellar disk. It is separated by 7 arcminutes from the star HR 4691. The two may be an optical double or a true multiple star system, with a separation of at least 50,000 astronomical units and the stars taking 3.5 million years to orbit each other. HR 4691 is itself double, composed of an ageing yellow-orange giant whose spectral type has been calculated at K0 or G3, and an F-type main-sequence star.

In Chinese astronomy, this star is named Changsha (simplified Chinese: 长沙; traditional Chinese: 長沙). This was translated by R. H. Allen as "a Long Sand-bank", but according to Ian Ridpath it represents a coffin. Changsha is the capital of Hunan province in China.