Eta Virginis
 Location of η Virginis (circled) |
|
| Observation data Epoch J2000 Equinox J2000 |
|
|---|---|
| Constellation | Virgo |
| Right ascension | 12h 19m 54.35783s[1] |
| Declination | –00° 40′ 00.5095″[1] |
| Apparent magnitude (V) | 3.890[2] |
| Characteristics | |
| Spectral type | A2 V[3] |
| U−B color index | +0.055[2] |
| B−V color index | +0.029[2] |
| Astrometry | |
| Radial velocity (Rv) | +2.3[4] km/s |
| Proper motion (μ) | RA: –57.58[1] mas/yr Dec.: –25.19[1] mas/yr |
| Parallax (π) | 12.29 ± 0.45[1] mas |
| Distance | 265 ± 10 ly (81 ± 3 pc) |
| Orbit[5] | |
| Primary | η Vir Aa |
| Companion | η Vir Ab |
| Period (P) | 71.7919 ± 0.0009 days |
| Eccentricity (e) | 0.2519 ± 0.0040 |
| Inclination (i) | 45.5 ± 0.9° |
| Periastron epoch (T) | 54403.6116 ± 0.3406 |
| Argument of periastron (ω) (secondary) |
197.21 ± 1.74° |
| Semi-amplitude (K1) (primary) |
26.606 ± 0.198 km/s |
| Semi-amplitude (K2) (secondary) |
35.236 ± 0.273 km/s |
| Details | |
| η Vir Aa | |
| Mass | 2.5039 ± 0.1246[5] M☉ |
| Surface gravity (log g) | 3.0[6] cgs |
| Temperature | 9,333[6] K |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | +0.11[6] dex |
| Rotational velocity (v sin i) | 18[7] km/s |
| η Vir Ab | |
| Mass | 1.8907 ± 0.0932 M☉ |
| Other designations | |
Eta Virginis (η Vir, η Virginis) is a multiple star system in the zodiac constellation of Virgo. It has the traditional name Zaniah /zəˈnaɪ.ə/. From parallax measurements, the distance to this star was found to be roughly 265 light-years (81 parsecs). It has an apparent visual magnitude of 3.89,[2] which is bright enough for the system to be seen with the naked eye in dark skies.
Although the star looks single, lunar occultations have shown this star to be a very close triple star system consisting of two stars only 0.5 AU apart with a third slightly more distant star.[citation needed] The inner pair is a spectroscopic binary that completes an orbit with a period of 72 days. The inclination of this orbit was determined through interferometer observations to be 45.5°, which allowed the individual masses of the two stars to be estimated. The primary star, η Vir Aa, has a mass of about 2.5 times the Sun's mass, while the secondary, η Vir Ab, has 1.9 solar masses. The faint tertiary star, η Vir B, orbits the inner group in a wider orbit over a period of 13.1 years.[5]
Because Zaniah is near the ecliptic, it can be occulted by the Moon and (very rarely) by planets. On October 12, 272 BC, the ancient Greek astronomer Timocharis observed a conjunction of the star with Venus.[9][10] The last occultation by a planet took place on September 27, 1843, also by Venus, which will occult it again on November 19, 2445.[citation needed]
Etymology
The medieval name Zaniah is from the Arabic زاوية zāwiyah "corner", the same source as Zavijava.
In the catalogue of stars in the Calendarium of Al Achsasi Al Mouakket, this star was designated Thanih al Aoua, which was translated into Latin as Secunda Latratoris, meaning the second barker.[11] This star, along with β Vir (Zavijava), γ Vir (Porrima), δ Vir (Auva) and ε Vir (Vindemiatrix), were Al ʽAwwāʼ, the Barker.[12]
In Chinese, 太微左垣 (Tài Wēi Zuǒ Yuán), meaning Left Wall of Supreme Palace Enclosure, refers to an asterism consisting of η Virginis, γ Virginis, δ Virginis, ε Virginis and α Comae Berenices.[13] Consequently, η Virginis itself is known as 太微左垣一 (Tài Wēi Zuǒ Yuán yī, English: the First Star of Left Wall of Supreme Palace Enclosure.),[14] representing 左執法 (Zuǒzhífǎ), meaning The Left Law Administrator.[15] 左執法 (Zuǒzhífǎ), spelled Tso Chih Fa by R.H. Allen, means "the Left-hand Maintainer of Law" [16]
References
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- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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- ↑ (Chinese) 中國星座神話, written by 陳久金. Published by 台灣書房出版有限公司, 2005, ISBN 978-986-7332-25-7.
- ↑ (Chinese) 香港太空館 - 研究資源 - 亮星中英對照表, Hong Kong Space Museum. Accessed on line November 23, 2010.
- ↑ (Chinese) English-Chinese Glossary of Chinese Star Regions, Asterisms and Star Name, Hong Kong Space Museum. Accessed on line November 23, 2010.
- ↑ Richard Hinckley Allen: Star Names — Their Lore and Meaning: Virgo
