| Observation data Epoch J2000.0 Equinox J2000.0 |
|
|---|---|
| Constellation | Virgo |
| Right ascension | 12h 19m 54.4s |
| Declination | −0° 40' 01" |
| Apparent magnitude (V) | +3.89 |
| Distance | 250 ± 16 ly (77 ± 5 pc) |
| Spectral type | A2IV |
| Other designations | |
Eta Virginis (η Vir / η Virginis) is a star in the constellation Virgo. It has the traditional name Zaniah.
Zaniah is about 204 light years distant from the Sun, and has apparent magnitude +3.9 and is of spectral type A2IV.
Although the star looks single in any telescope 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.
Because Zaniah is near the ecliptic, it can be occulted by the Moon and (very rarely) by planets. On September 1, 329 BCE, the ancient Greek astronomer Timocharis observed the passage of this star by Venus. At this time planet came within an arc minute of the star.[1] The last occultation by a planet took place on September 27, 1843 by Venus, which will occult it again on November 19, 2445.
Etymology
The medieval name Zaniah is from the Arabic زاوية zāwiyah "corner", the same source as Zavijava.
References
- ^ Fomenko, A. T.; Vi︠a︡cheslavovich, Vladimir Kalashnikov; Nosovskiĭ, Gleb Vladimirovich (1993). Geometrical and statistical methods of analysis of star configurations: dating Ptolemy's Almagest. CRC Press. p. 215. ISBN 0849344832.
External links
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