f Eridani

f Eridani
Location of f Eridani (circled)
Observation data
Epoch J2000      Equinox J2000
Constellation Eridanus
HD 24072
Right ascension 03h 48m 35.87402s
Declination −37° 37′ 12.5158″
Apparent magnitude (V) 4.721±0.009
HD 24071
Right ascension 03h 48m 35.47769s
Declination −37° 37′ 19.2124″
Apparent magnitude (V) 5.246±0.009
Characteristics
HD 24072
Evolutionary stage main sequence
Spectral type B9.5 Van
HD 24071
Evolutionary stage main sequence
Spectral type A1 Va
Variable type suspected
Astrometry
HD 24072
Proper motion (μ) RA: +81.136 mas/yr
Dec.: −6.795 mas/yr
Parallax (π)18.8093±0.2220 mas
Distance173 ± 2 ly
(53.2 ± 0.6 pc)
Absolute magnitude (MV)1.194±0.190
HD 24071
Proper motion (μ) RA: +63.372 mas/yr
Dec.: −8.121 mas/yr
Parallax (π)18.7976±0.0582 mas
Distance173.5 ± 0.5 ly
(53.2 ± 0.2 pc)
Absolute magnitude (MV)1.719±0.190
Details
HD 24072
Mass2.6 M
Radius2.0 R
Luminosity35 L
Surface gravity (log g)4.26 cgs
Temperature10,046 K
Metallicity [Fe/H]−0.49 dex
Rotational velocity (v sin i)225 km/s
Age45±4 Myr
HD 24071
Mass2.1 M
Radius1.7 R
Luminosity20 L
Surface gravity (log g)4.16 cgs
Temperature9,503 K
Metallicity [Fe/H]−0.54 dex
Rotational velocity (v sin i)39 km/s
Age45±4 Myr
Other designations
f Eridani, CD−38 1297, HIP 17797, WDS J03486-3737
A: HD 24072, HR 1190, SAO 194551
B: HD 24071, HR 1189, SAO 194550
Database references
SIMBADdata
HD 24072
HD 24071

f Eridani is a binary, or possibly a triple, star system in the equatorial constellation of Eridanus, consisting of stars HD 24071 and HD 24072. They share a single Hipparcos catalogue entry, HIP 17797, but have separate Bright Star Catalogue listings, HR 1189 and 1190. f Eridani is the Bayer designation of the pair.

f Eridani is visible to the naked eye as a single star with a magnitude of 4.25. HD 24071 has an apparent visual magnitude of 5.25 and HD 24072 a magnitude of 4.72. As of 2009, the pair had an angular separation of 8.40 along a position angle of 216°. Both stars have an annual parallax shift 18.8 mas, which provides a distance estimate to the system of 173 light years. The pair are members of the Tucana-Horologium moving group, a 45 million year old set of stars that share a common motion through space.

The brighter component, HD 24072, is a B-type main-sequence star with a classification of B9.5 Van. The n suffix indicates "nebulous" absorption lines which are caused by its rapid rotation. It has a projected rotational velocity of 225 km/s.

HD 24071 may itself be a spectroscopic binary. The visible component is an A-type main-sequence star with a stellar classification of A1 Va. It is a suspected variable star of unknown type showing an amplitude of 0.05 magnitude, and is a source of X-ray emission, which may originate from a companion of class G2-5V.