Alexander W. Roberts discovered this star in 1894, and from 267 visual observations he determined is period of variation.[11] V Centauri varies regularly betweenvisual magnitudes 6.42 and 7.22 every 5.5 days. It is classified as aCepheid variable on the basis of its light variations, with the brightness increase from minimum to maximum taking only a third of the time of the decrease from maximum to minimum. Cepheids arepulsating variable stars and V Centauri expands and contracts over its pulsation cycle as well as changing temperature.[3]
According to the South African Astronomical Observatory, the chemical composition was derived as being high in sodium (Na) and aluminium (Al) and low in magnesium (Mg).[12] Following a normal composition for a Cepheid star, V Cen does not have any unusual characteristics. V Centauri's composition was observed alongside six other Classical Cepheid variable stars with the support of Russian, Chilean, and Ukrainian observatories.[12]
^abcSamus, N. N.; Durlevich, O. V.; et al. (2009). "VizieR Online Data Catalog: General Catalogue of Variable Stars (Samus+ 2007-2013)".VizieR On-line Data Catalog: B/GCVS. Originally Published in: 2009yCat....102025S.1: B/gcvs.Bibcode:2009yCat....102025S.
^Houk, N.; Cowley, A. P. (1975). "University of Michigan Catalogue of two-dimensional spectral types for the HD stars. Volume I. Declinations -90°.0 to -53°.0".Michigan Catalogue of Two-dimensional Spectral Types for the HD Stars.1.Bibcode:1975mcts.book.....H.
^abUsenko, I. A.; Kniazev, A. Yu; Berdnikov, L. N.; Kravtsov, V. V.; Fokin, A. B. (2013-07-01). "Spectroscopic studies of southern-hemisphere Cepheids: Six objects in Centaurus (V Cen, V737 Cen) and Sagittarius (BB Sgr, W Sgr, X Sgr, Y Sgr)".Astronomy Letters.39 (7):432–445.Bibcode:2013AstL...39..432U.doi:10.1134/S1063773713070074.ISSN1063-7737.S2CID121213614.
