Omicron2 Canis Majoris

ο2 Canis Majoris
Location of ο2 CMa (circled)
Observation data
Epoch J2000      Equinox J2000
Constellation Canis Major
Right ascension 07h 03m 01.47134s
Declination −23° 49′ 59.8583″
Apparent magnitude (V) +2.93 to +3.08
Characteristics
Spectral type B3 Ia
U−B color index −0.778
B−V color index −0.107
Variable type α Cyg
Astrometry
Radial velocity (Rv)53.88±4.04 km/s
Proper motion (μ) RA: −1.335 mas/yr
Dec.: +3.803 mas/yr
Parallax (π)0.8715±0.3319 mas
Distance3,700 ± 820 ly
(1,135±250 pc)
Absolute magnitude (MV)−7.3
Details
Mass24 M
Radius65 R
Luminosity220,000 L
Surface gravity (log g)2.15 cgs
Temperature15,400 K
Rotational velocity (v sin i)35 km/s
Age7.4±1.0 Myr
Other designations
ο2 Canis Majoris, 24 Canis Majoris, CD−23°4797, FK5 270, HD 53138, HIP 33977, HR 2653, SAO 172839
Database references
SIMBADdata

Omicron2 Canis Majoris is a massive variable star in the constellation Canis Major. Its name is a Bayer designation that is Latinized from ο2 Canis Majoris, and abbreviated Omicron2 CMa or ο2 CMa. This star has an apparent visual magnitude around 3, making it visible to the naked eye and the sixth-to-seventh brightest star of the constellation, tied with Zeta Canis Majoris. Based upon a distance modulus of 10.2, it is about 3,600 light-years from Earth. It is drifting further away with a line of sight velocity of +55 km/s. Since 1943, the spectrum of this star has served as one of the stable anchor points by which other stars are classified.