Lambda Aurigae
Encyclopedia
Lambda Aurigae (λ Aur, λ Aurigae) is a binary star
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...

 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....

 Auriga
Auriga (constellation)
Auriga is a constellation in the northern sky. Its name is Latin for 'charioteer' and its stars form a shape that has been associated with the pointed helmet of a charioteer. It was one of the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd century astronomer Ptolemy, and remains among the 88 modern...

. It is approximately 41.2 light-years from Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...

.

The primary component, λ Aurigae A, is a yellow G-type
Stellar classification
In astronomy, stellar classification is a classification of stars based on their spectral characteristics. The spectral class of a star is a designated class of a star describing the ionization of its chromosphere, what atomic excitations are most prominent in the light, giving an objective measure...

 subgiant with an apparent magnitude
Apparent magnitude
The apparent magnitude of a celestial body is a measure of its brightness as seen by an observer on Earth, adjusted to the value it would have in the absence of the atmosphere...

 of +4.69. Its companion, λ Aurigae B, is 29 arcseconds away and has an apparent magnitude of +13.4. The binary star also has two optical companion
Double 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...

s, the 12th magnitude λ Aurigae C at 42 arcseconds and the magnitude +8.6 λ Aurigae D, 146 arcseconds from the primary.

Name

Sometimes, this star is called by the name Al Hurr, meaning the fawn in Arabic.

This star, along with μ Aur
Mu Aurigae
Mu Aurigae is a star in the constellation Auriga.μ Aurigae is a white A-type main sequence dwarf with an apparent magnitude of +4.82. It is approximately 162 light-years from Earth.-Name:...

 and ρ Aur
Rho Aurigae
Rho Aurigae is a star in the constellation Auriga, spectroscopic binary.ρ Aurigae is a blue-white B-type main sequence dwarf with an apparent magnitude of +5.22. It is approximately 642 light-years from Earth.-Name:...

, were Kazwini's Al Ḣibāʽ (ألحباع), the Tent.. According to the catalogue of stars in the Technical Memorandum 33-507 - A Reduced Star Catalog Containing 537 Named Stars, Al Ḣibāʽ were the title for three stars : λ Aur as Al Ḣibāʽ I, μ Aur
Mu Aurigae
Mu Aurigae is a star in the constellation Auriga.μ Aurigae is a white A-type main sequence dwarf with an apparent magnitude of +4.82. It is approximately 162 light-years from Earth.-Name:...

 as Al Ḣibāʽ II and ρ Aur
Rho Aurigae
Rho Aurigae is a star in the constellation Auriga, spectroscopic binary.ρ Aurigae is a blue-white B-type main sequence dwarf with an apparent magnitude of +5.22. It is approximately 642 light-years from Earth.-Name:...

 as Al Ḣibāʽ III

In Chinese
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...

, , meaning Pool of Harmony
Net (Chinese constellation)
The Net mansion is one of the Twenty-eight mansions of the Chinese constellations. It is one of the western mansions of the White Tiger.-Asterisms:...

, refers to an asterism consisting of λ Aurigae, ρ Aurigae
Rho Aurigae
Rho Aurigae is a star in the constellation Auriga, spectroscopic binary.ρ Aurigae is a blue-white B-type main sequence dwarf with an apparent magnitude of +5.22. It is approximately 642 light-years from Earth.-Name:...

 and HD 36041
HD 36041
HD 36041 is star in double system.-References:* * *...

. Consequently, λ Aurigae itself is known as

Components

NAME Right ascension
Right ascension
Right ascension is the astronomical term for one of the two coordinates of a point on the celestial sphere when using the equatorial coordinate system. The other coordinate is the declination.-Explanation:...

 
Declination
Declination
In astronomy, declination is one of the two coordinates of the equatorial coordinate system, the other being either right ascension or hour angle. Declination in astronomy is comparable to geographic latitude, but projected onto the celestial sphere. Declination is measured in degrees north and...

 
Apparent magnitude
Apparent magnitude
The apparent magnitude of a celestial body is a measure of its brightness as seen by an observer on Earth, adjusted to the value it would have in the absence of the atmosphere...

 (V)
Spectral type Database references
ADS 3886 B (BD+39 1248B ) 05h 19m 03.6s +40° 06' 32 13.4 Simbad
ADS 3886 C (BD+39 1248C) 05h 19m 02.5s +40° 06' 28 12.1 Simbad
ADS 3886 D (BD+39 1248D) 05h 19m 06.3s +40° 07' 15 8.6 Simbad
ADS 3886 E (BD+39 1248E) 05h 19m30s +40° 09' 00 Simbad


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