Companion p Eridani B Rotation 30 days | Magnitude 5.76 Eccentricity 0.5344 | |
Constellation Eridanus in Chinese astronomy People also search for HR 1614, Delta Eridani, 58 Eridani | ||
p Eridani (6 Eri, DUN 5) is a binary star system in the constellation of Eridanus (the River) whose distance is approximately 26 light-years. It was found to be a double star in December 1825 by James Dunlop in Australia at his home at Paramatta, now spelt Parramatta.
Naming
The name "p Eridani", according to Nature, p. 589 (19 April 1883) has been:
"... occasionally miscalled 6 Eridani, which would imply that it was one of Flamsteed's stars. Flamsteed, it is true has a star which he calls 6 Eridani. The designated letter 'p' was attached to a star by Lacaille in the catalogue at the end of his Coelum Australe Stelliferum. The number '6' is merely borrowed from Bode."
The use of Bode numbers was commonly used in the early 19th century, but this antiquated system has now fallen into disuse for more than a century.