Rho Fornacis

Rho Fornacis

Location of ρ Fornacis (bottom star inside circle)
Observation data Epoch J2000.0      Equinox J2000.0
Constellation	Fornax
Right ascension	03^h 47^m 56.040^s[1]
Declination	−30° 10′ 4.38″[1]
Apparent magnitude (V)	+5.54[2]
Characteristics
Spectral type	G6III[1]
B−V color index	0.98[2]
Astrometry
Radial velocity (Rv)	52.6 km/s
Proper motion (μ)	RA: +28[2] mas/yr Dec.: –230[2] mas/yr
Parallax (π)	11.5326 ± 0.0512 mas[1]
Distance	283 ± 1 ly (86.7 ± 0.4 pc)
Absolute magnitude (MV)	+0.85
Other designations
ρ For, CD−30°1497, FK5 2272, HD 23940, HIP 17738, HR 1184, SAO 194535[1]
Database references
SIMBAD	data

Rho Fornacis (ρ For)^[1] is a star of apparent magnitude +5.54 in the constellation of Fornax, the furnace. It is found, according to the new reduction of the parallax data from Hipparcos, to 269 light years of the Solar System.

Rho Fornacis is a yellow-orange giant of spectral type G6III^[1][3] with an effective temperature of 4884 K.^[4] It is similar, though somewhat hotter, than β Fornacis and π Fornacis, stars also in Fornax. The diameter of Rho Fornacis is 9.9 times larger than the solar diameter but its mass is barely 1% greater than that of the Sun. Its age is estimated at 5180 ± 3170 million years.

Rho Fornacis is a thick disk star, unlike most stars in our environment. Arcturus (α Boötis) and ε Fornacis, the latter in this same constellation, are examples of thick disk stars. The eccentricity of its orbit around the Galactic Center (e = 0.56) is considerably greater than that of the Sun (e = 0.16), star of the thin disk.^[5] Consequently, it shows a low metallicity—relative abundance of elements heavier than helium—, less than half that of the solar ([Fe/H] = -0 ,35).^[4] Elements such as aluminum, calcium and sodium are equally deficient. As in other similar stars, the oxygen/iron ratio is higher than in the Sun ([O/H] = 0.33).^[6]

References

1. =submit+id rho For -- Variable Star (SIMBAD)
2. "ρ Fornacis (rho Fornacis)". The Sky Live. Retrieved 28 September 2023.
3. "Rho Fornacis (Alcyone)". March 4, 2016. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved March 27, 2012.
4. da Silva, L.; Girardi, L. ; Pasquini, L. ; Setiawan, J.; von der Lühe, O.; de Medeiros, J. R. ; Hatzes, A. ; Döllinger, M.P.; Weiss, A. (1999). (2007). "Basic physical parameters of a selected sample of evolved stars". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 458 (2): 609. arXiv:astro-ph/0608160. Bibcode:2006A&A...458..609D. doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20065105. pp. 609-623.
5. Rho Fornacis (Ashland Astronomy Studio)^{[permanent dead link‍]}
6. Alves-Brito, A.; Melendez, J.; Asplund , M. ; Ramirez, I.; Yong, D. (1999). (2010). Chemical similarities between the Galactic bulge and local thick disk red giants: O, Na, Mg, Al, Si, Ca, and Ti. Astronomy and Astrophysics. Vol. 513. pp. A35. arXiv:1001.2521. Bibcode:2010A&A...513A..35A. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/200913444. A3.