Alpha Piscium

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α Piscium
Observation data
Epoch J2000.0      Equinox J2000.0
Constellation Pisces
Right ascension 02h 02m 02.81972s[1]
Declination +02° 45′ 49.5410″[1]
Apparent magnitude (V) 3.82[2] (+4.33 + 5.23)[3]
Distance 139 ± 1.6 ly
(46.2 ± 0.5[1] pc)
Spectral type A0pSiSr + A3m[3]
Other designations
Alrischa, Alrescha, Kaitain, Okda, 113 Psc, BD+02 317, HD 12447/12446, HIP 9487, HR 595/596, SAO 110291.[2]

Alpha Piscium (α Psc, α Piscium) is the Bayer designation for a star in the equatorial constellation of Pisces. It has the traditional name Alrescha (Al Rescha, Alrischa, Alrisha), from the Arabic الرشآء al-rišā’ "the well rope". Less common names are Kaitain and Okda, the latter from the Arabic عقدة ‘uqdah "knot".[4]

The distance to α Psc is about 139 light years. The system comprises a close double star with angular separation of presently 1.8" between the components. The main star is of magnitude +4.33 and spectral type A0p, while the companion is magnitude 5.23 and belongs to spectral class A3m. The two stars take more than 700 years to orbit one another and they will make their closest approach to each other around 2060. One or both of the stars may be a spectroscopic binary as well. The stars have masses of 2.3 and 1.8 solar masses respectively and shine with a total luminosity of 31 and 12 times that of the Sun.[5]

References

  1. ^ a b c van Leeuwen, F. (November 2007). "Validation of the new Hipparcos reduction". Astronomy and Astrophysics 474 (2): 653–664. Bibcode 2007A&A...474..653V. doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20078357. 
  2. ^ a b "alf Psc -- Variable Star of alpha2 CVn type", SIMBAD Astronomical Object Database (Centre de Données astronomiques de Strasbourg), http://simbad.u-strasbg.fr/simbad/sim-id?Ident=Alpha+Piscium. 
  3. ^ a b Cowley, A. et al. (April 1969), "A study of the bright A stars. I. A catalogue of spectral classifications", Astronomical Journal 74: 375–406, Bibcode 1969AJ.....74..375C, doi:10.1086/110819. 
  4. ^ Allen, Richard Hinckley (1899), Star-names and their meanings, G. E. Stechert, p. 506, http://books.google.com/books?id=5xQuAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA506. 
  5. ^ Kaler, James B., "ALRESCHA (Alpha Piscium)", Stars (University of Illinois), http://stars.astro.illinois.edu/sow/alrescha.html, retrieved 2012-04-06. 

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