Magnitude 4.29 Apparent magnitude (V) 4.29 | Constellation Cepheus | |
Similar Beta Cephei, Gamma Cephei, Alpha Cephei, Lambda Cephei, Kappa Boötis | ||
Xi Cephei (ξ Cephei, abbreviated Xi Cep, ξ Cep), also named Kurhah, is a binary star in the constellation of Cepheus. It is approximately 86 light years from Earth.
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Nomenclature
ξ Cephei (Latinised to Xi Cephei) is the system's Bayer designation.
It bore the traditional names Kurhah, Alkirdah or Al Kirduh, the name coming from Qazvini who gave Al Ḳurḥaḥ (القرحة al-qurhah), an Arabic word Ideler translated as a white spot, or blaze, in the face of a horse. Allen indicates that Ideler felt this was not a proper name for a star, and suggested the name Al Ḳirdah (ألقردة al qírada "the Ape"). In 2016, the International Astronomical Union organized a Working Group on Star Names (WGSN) to catalogue and standardize proper names for stars. The WGSN approved the name Kurhah for this star on 12 September 2016 and it is now so entered in the IAU Catalog of Star Names.
In Chinese, 天鈎 (Tiān Gōu), meaning Celestial Hook, refers to an asterism consisting of Xi Cephei, 4 Cephei, HD 194298, Eta Cephei, Theta Cephei, Alpha Cephei, 26 Cephei, Iota Cephei and Omicron Cephei. Consequently, Xi Cephei itself is known as 天鈎六 (Tiān Gōu liù, English: the Sixth Star of Celestial Hook.).
Properties
ξ Cephei A belongs to spectral class A3/6Vm and has apparent magnitude +4.29. It is a spectroscopic binary. Eight arc seconds away, ξ Cep B is another spectroscopic binary. There is a 13th magnitude star nearly two arc minutes away that has been listed as component C of the system.