Alpha Reticuli
Encyclopedia
Alpha Reticuli (Alpha Ret, α Reticuli, α Ret) is a G-type bright giant
star
. It is the brightest star in the constellation
of Reticulum and has an apparent visual magnitude of approximately 3.343.
, CCDM J04144-6228B, of apparent visual magnitude 12.0 and located approximately 48 arcseconds away. Since the two stars have the same proper motion
, they are believed to form a binary system
, with a period of revolution of at least 60,000 years.
Bright giant
The luminosity class II in the Yerkes spectral classification is given to bright giants. These are stars which straddle the boundary between giants and supergiants, and the classification is in general given to giant stars with exceptionally high luminosity, but which are not sufficiently bright...
star
Star
A star is a massive, luminous sphere of plasma held together by gravity. At the end of its lifetime, a star can also contain a proportion of degenerate matter. The nearest star to Earth is the Sun, which is the source of most of the energy on Earth...
. It is the brightest star in the constellation
Constellation
In modern astronomy, a constellation is an internationally defined area of the celestial sphere. These areas are grouped around asterisms, patterns formed by prominent stars within apparent proximity to one another on Earth's night sky....
of Reticulum and has an apparent visual magnitude of approximately 3.343.
Visual companion
α Reticuli has a visual companionDouble star
In observational astronomy, a double star is a pair of stars that appear close to each other in the sky as seen from Earth when viewed through an optical telescope. This can happen either because the pair forms a binary star, i.e...
, CCDM J04144-6228B, of apparent visual magnitude 12.0 and located approximately 48 arcseconds away. Since the two stars have the same proper motion
Proper motion
The proper motion of a star is its angular change in position over time as seen from the center of mass of the solar system. It is measured in seconds of arc per year, arcsec/yr, where 3600 arcseconds equal one degree. This contrasts with radial velocity, which is the time rate of change in...
, they are believed to form a binary system
Binary star
A binary star is a star system consisting of two stars orbiting around their common center of mass. The brighter star is called the primary and the other is its companion star, comes, or secondary...
, with a period of revolution of at least 60,000 years.