Magnitude 4.677 Apparent magnitude (V) 4.677 | Constellation Cetus | |
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People also search for 63 Ceti, Rho Ceti, Nu Ceti, Phi1 Ceti | ||
Lambda Ceti (λ Cet, λ Ceti) is Class B star of fifth-magnitude star located in the constellation Cetus. Historically, the star bore the traditional name Menkar, although today that name is more commonly associated with α Ceti.
This star, along with α Cet (Menkar), γ Cet (Kaffaljidhma), δ Cet, μ Cet, ξ1 Cet and ξ2 Cet were Al Kaff al Jidhmah, "the Part of a Hand".
In Chinese, 天囷 (Tiān Qūn), meaning Circular Celestial Granary, refers to an asterism consisting of λ Ceti, α Ceti, κ1 Ceti, μ Ceti, ξ1 Ceti, ξ2 Ceti, ν Ceti, γ Ceti, δ Ceti, 75 Ceti, 70 Ceti, 63 Ceti and 66 Ceti. Consequently, λ Ceti itself is known as 天囷三 (Tiān Qūn sān, English: the Third Star of Circular Celestial Granary.)
Properties
Lambda Ceti is a blue giant star with stellar classification B6III. With a mass between 4.5-4.8 M☉ and an estimated radius that is 5.4 R☉, the star radiates a bolometric luminosity of about 920 L☉. In 1997 the Hipparcos satellite estimated its parallax at 7.69 ± 0.76 milliarcseconds yielding a distance from Earth of about 130 ± 10 parsecs or 420 ± 40 light years. However recent astrometric calculations by van Leeuwen have placed the distance much farther at about 177 ± 7 pc or 580 ± 20 ly—a revaluation which significantly altered other stellar parameters. Its apparent magnitude has been recently recalibrated at 4.6767 yielding an absolute magnitude of -1.56, almost as bright as its neighbor Alpha Ceti at -1.62.