Vindemiatrix is agiant star with astellar classification of G8 III.[4] With 2.7[5] times the mass of the Sun and at an age of 700 million years,[3] it has reached a stage in itsevolution where the hydrogen fuel in its core is exhausted. It is believed to be ared clump star; ared giant star fusing helium into carbon in its core surrounded by a shell fusing hydrogen into helium. As a result, it has expanded to 12 times the Sun's size and is now radiating around 82 times as much luminosity as the Sun. This energy is being emitted from itsouter atmosphere at aneffective temperature of 5,020 K,[7] which gives it the yellow-hued glow of aG-type star. Since 1943, thespectrum of this star has served as one of the stable anchor points by which other stars are classified.[13]
This star is a likely member of thethin disk population and the orbit departs by no more than 60 pc (200 ly) from thegalactic plane.[14]
It bore the traditional namesVindemiatrix andVindemiator, which come fromGreek through theLatinvindēmiātrix, vindēmiātor meaning 'the grape-harvestress'. Additional medieval names areAlmuredin/ælˈmjʊərədɪn/,[15]Alaraph,Provindemiator,Protrigetrix andProtrygetor.[16] In 2016, theInternational Astronomical Union organized aWorking Group on Star Names (WGSN)[17] to catalog and standardize proper names for stars. The WGSN's first bulletin of July 2016[18] included a table of the first two batches of names approved by the WGSN; which includedVindemiatrix for this star.
InChinese,太微左垣 (Tài Wēi Zuǒ Yuán), meaningLeft Wall of Supreme Palace Enclosure, refers to an asterism consisting of Epsilon Virginis,Eta Virginis,Gamma Virginis,Delta Virginis andAlpha Comae Berenices.[20] Consequently, theChinese name for Epsilon Virginis itself is太微左垣四 (Tài Wēi Zuǒ Yuán sì, English:the Fourth Star of Left Wall of Supreme Palace Enclosure.),[21] representing東次將 (Dōngcìjiāng), meaningThe Second Eastern General.[22] 東次將 (Dōngcìjiāng), westernized intoTsze Tseang by R.H. Allen and the meaning is "the Second General".[16]
^abcdGutierrez-Moreno, Adelina; et al. (1966), "A System of photometric standards",Publications of the Department of Astronomy University of Chile,1, Publicaciones Universidad de Chile, Department de Astronomy:1–17,Bibcode:1966PDAUC...1....1G
^Setiawan, J.; et al. (July 2004), "Precise radial velocity measurements of G and K giants. Multiple systems and variability trend along the Red Giant Branch",Astronomy and Astrophysics,421:241–254,Bibcode:2004A&A...421..241S,doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20041042-1
^Kunitzsch, Paul; Smart, Tim (2006).A Dictionary of Modern star Names: A Short Guide to 254 Star Names and Their Derivations (2nd rev. ed.). Cambridge, Massachusetts: Sky Pub.ISBN978-1-931559-44-7.
