Magnitude 3.957 Apparent magnitude (V) 3.957 | Constellation Auriga | |
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Similar Zeta Aurigae, Epsilon Aurigae, Delta Aurigae, UU Aurigae, Theta Aurigae | ||
Nu Aurigae (ν Aur, ν Aurigae) is the Bayer designation for a star in the northern constellation of Auriga. It is visible to the naked eye with an apparent visual magnitude of 3.96 and is approximately 220 light-years (67 parsecs) distant from the Earth. This is an evolved giant star with a stellar classification of G9.5 III. It is a red clump star, which indicates that it is generating energy through the fusion of helium at its core. The outer envelope has expanded to 19 times the radius of the Sun and cooled to 4,571 K, giving it the characteristic yellow-hued glow of a G-type star. It shines with 135 times the luminosity of the Sun.
This is an astrometric binary with a suspected white dwarf companion. A 10th magnitude star 54.6 arcseconds away is an optical companion.