Definition Kappa Andromedae (κ Andromedae) is a star located in the constellation Andromeda.
Overview Kappa Andromedae is a main-sequence or evolved star situated in the northern constellation Andromeda, which is part of the larger region of the sky traditionally associated with the mythological figure Andromeda in Greek mythology. It is visible to the naked eye under suitable observing conditions and has been cataloged in various stellar databases.
Etymology/Origin The designation "Kappa Andromedae" follows the Bayer naming convention, in which a Greek letter (in this case, kappa, "κ") is combined with the genitive form of the constellation name ("Andromedae") to identify a star within the constellation. The name does not carry independent mythological or linguistic meaning beyond its positional labeling in the star catalog established by Johann Bayer in the early 17th century.
Characteristics Kappa Andromedae is classified as a B-type or possibly A-type star, suggesting it is hotter and more massive than the Sun. Estimates of its spectral type vary across sources, but it is generally considered a blue-white star. It has an apparent visual magnitude of approximately +4.1, making it moderately bright as seen from Earth. The star is located at a distance of roughly 168 light-years from the Sun, based on parallax measurements from the Gaia spacecraft.
Notably, in 2012, a substellar companion—designated Kappa Andromedae b—was discovered via direct imaging. This companion is considered a directly imaged exoplanet or a low-mass brown dwarf, with a mass estimated at around 13 times that of Jupiter, placing it near the deuterium-burning limit that distinguishes planets from brown dwarfs. The object orbits its host star at a projected separation of about 55 astronomical units (AU), similar to the distance of Neptune from the Sun.
Related Topics
- Andromeda (constellation)
- Bayer designation
- Exoplanet detection methods
- Direct imaging (astronomy)
- Brown dwarfs
- Stellar classification
- Kappa Andromedae b (exoplanet candidate)
- Gaia (spacecraft)