Magnitude 5.19 Apparent magnitude (V) 5.19 | Constellation Andromeda | |
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Rho Andromedae (ρ And, ρ Andromedae) is the Bayer designation for a star in the northern constellation of Andromeda. It has an apparent visual magnitude of +5.19, which, according to the Bortle Dark-Sky Scale, is bright enough to be seen with the naked eye from dark suburban skies. Based upon parallax measurements, this star is at a distance of approximately 158 light-years (48 parsecs) from Earth.
The stellar classification of this star is F5 III, indicating that it is in the giant stage of its stellar evolution. However, some sources list a classification of F5 IV, suggesting that it may still be in the subgiant stage. The interferometry-measured angular diameter of this star is 0.626 mas, which, at its estimated distance, equates to a physical radius of around 3.3 times the radius of the Sun. The outer envelope is radiating around 20 times the luminosity of the Sun into space at an effective temperature of 6,471 K, giving it the yellow-white hue of an F-type star. It is about 1.3 billion years old.
X-ray emissions were detected from this star during the EXOSAT mission.
Naming
In Chinese, 天廄 (Tiān Jiù), meaning Celestial Stable, refers to an asterism consisting of ρ Andromedae, θ Andromedae and σ Andromedae. Consequently, ρ Andromedae itself is known as 天廄二 (Tiān Jiù èr, English: the Second Star of Celestial Stable.)