Astronomy and Space

Epsilon Columbae

Epsilon Columbae is a star in the southern constellation of Columba. Its name is a Bayer designation that is Latinized from ε Columbae, and abbreviated Epsilon Col or ε Col. This star is visible to the naked eye, having an apparent visual magnitude of 3.87. Based upon an annual parallax shift of 11.73 mas, it is located approximately 278 light-years (85.3 pc) distant from the Sun. The star is drifting closer with a radial velocity of −5 km/s. This is an orange-hued K-type giant star with a stellar classification of K1 II/III. At the age of 1.5 billion years old, it has exhausted the supply of hydrogen at its core then cooled and expanded off the main sequence. Epsilon Columbae has 2.5 times the mass and 25 times the radius of the Sun. The star radiates 251 times the solar luminosity from its enlarged photosphere at an effective temperature of 4,575 K. It has a peculiar velocity of 30.0±3.9 km/s, making it a candidate runaway star system. Based upon changes in the star's movement, it has an orbiting stellar companion of unknown type.

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See also

• ▸Intergalactic star
• ▸Autoclave
• ▸Explorer 54

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