  | |
| Observation data Epoch J2000 Equinox J2000 | |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Virgo |
| Right ascension | 13h 34m 41.591s[1] |
| Declination | −00° 35′ 44.95″[1] |
| Apparent magnitude (V) | +3.376[2] |
| Characteristics | |
| Spectral type | A3 V[3] |
| U−Bcolor index | +0.141[2] |
| B−Vcolor index | +0.114[2] |
| Astrometry | |
| Radial velocity (Rv) | −13.2[2] km/s |
| Proper motion (μ) | RA: −280.48±0.17[1]mas/yr Dec.: +49.05±0.12[1]mas/yr |
| Parallax (π) | 44.03±0.19 mas[1] |
| Distance | 74.1 ± 0.3 ly (22.71 ± 0.10 pc) |
| Absolute magnitude (MV) | 1.64±0.05[4] |
| Details | |
| ζ Vir A | |
| Mass | 2.041±0.024[4] M☉ |
| Radius | 2.079±0.025[5] R☉ |
| Luminosity | 17.885±0.252[5] L☉ |
| Surface gravity (log g) | 4.12 cgs |
| Temperature | 8247±52[5] K |
| Rotational velocity (v sin i) | 222[6] km/s |
| Age | 0.51[7] Gyr |
| ζ Vir B | |
| Mass | 0.168+0.012 −0.016[4] M☉ |
| Other designations | |
| Heze,ζ Vir,79 Vir,BD+00°3076,FK5 501,GJ 3792,HD 118098,HIP 66249,HR 5107,SAO 139420,WDS J13347-0036, NT3, NGCA-V98[8] | |
| Database references | |
| SIMBAD | data |
Zeta Virginis (ζ Virginis, abbreviatedZeta Vir,ζ Vir) is abinary star in thezodiacconstellation ofVirgo. It is visible to the naked eye with anapparent visual magnitude of +3.376 and is located about a half degree south of thecelestial equator. Based onparallax measurements obtained during theHipparcos mission, it is about 74light-years (23parsecs) distant from theSun.
The two components are designated Zeta Virginis A (officially namedHeze/ˈhiːziː/, a mid-20th-century name for the system)[9][10] and B.
ζ Virginis (Latinised toZeta Virginis) is the system'sBayer designation. The designations of the two components asZeta Virginis A andB derive from the convention used by the Washington Multiplicity Catalog (WMC) formultiple star systems, and adopted by theInternational Astronomical Union (IAU).[11]
Zeta Virginis bore the nameHeze in a 1951 publication,Atlas Coeli (Skalnate Pleso Atlas of the Heavens), by Czech astronomerAntonín Bečvář. Its origin is unknown.[12] In 2016, the IAU organized aWorking Group on Star Names (WGSN)[13] to catalog and standardize proper names for stars. The WGSN decided to attribute proper names to individual stars rather than entiremultiple systems.[14] It approved the nameHeze for the component Zeta Virginis A on 1 June 2018 and it is now so included in the List of IAU-approved Star Names.[10]
InChinese,角宿 (Jiǎo Xiù), meaningHorn (asterism), refers to an asterism consisting of ζ Virginis andSpica.[15] Consequently, theChinese name for ζ Virginis is角宿二 (Jiǎo Xiù èr, English:the Second Star of Horn).[16]
In traditionalIndian astronomy, the star Āpa is described as being 6° to the north of Āpaṃvatsa (74 Virginis), so 11° north of Chitra (Spica), as first attested in the textSūryasiddhānta. This position corresponds to ζ Virginis.[17]
The primary, ζ Virginis A, is amain sequence star with aspectral class A3 V,[12] indicating that it is generating energy through thenuclear fusion of hydrogen at its core. This energy is being radiated from its outer envelope at aneffective temperature of 8,247 K,[5] giving it the white hue of anA-type star.[18] It has twice the massof the Sun and double theSun's radius and is about a half billion years old.[4][5][7]
The star was confirmed by Jan Ovidiu Tercu and Gabriel Cristian Neagu as a variable of DSCT type. The variability has an amplitude of 0.009 magnitudes and a main period of 0.097112 d. Other observed periods are 0.439, 1.069, 0.07691 and 0.07433 d. The variability was discovered during the datamining activity with the goal of increasing the student's investigative competences.[8]
In 2010, a low mass stellar companion was discovered - Zeta Virginis B. Though it has not been under observation for a sufficient length of time to determine accurate orbital elements, it is estimated to beorbiting at an average separation of at least 24.9 AU with anorbital eccentricity of 0.16 or more andorbital period of a minimum of 124 years. This companion is ared dwarf star, which would explain the observedX-ray flux from this system.[4]
