{{Short description|Suspected astrometric binary star system in the constellation Centaurus}} {{For|'''f Centauri'''|HD 113703}} {{Starbox begin}} {{Starbox observe | epoch = J2000.0 | constell = [[Centaurus]]<ref name=Anderson2012/> | ra = {{RA|12|18|59.76635}}<ref name=GaiaDR2/> | dec = {{DEC|−55|08|34.7346}}<ref name=GaiaDR2/> | appmag_v = +5.01<ref name=Anderson2012/> }} {{Starbox character | class = M1III<ref name=houk1979/> | b-v = {{Val|1.600|0.008}}<ref name=Anderson2012/> | u-b = | variable = suspected<ref name=Samus2017/> }} {{Starbox astrometry | radial_v = {{Val|−7.1|2.8}}<ref name=Anderson2012/> | prop_mo_ra = -79.258<ref name=GaiaDR2/> | prop_mo_dec = -15.215<ref name=GaiaDR2/> | parallax = 7.3256 | p_error = 0.1919 | parallax_footnote = <ref name=GaiaDR2/> | absmag_v = −0.87<ref name=Anderson2012/> }} {{Starbox detail | source = | mass = | radius = {{Val|47.9|3.9|6.3}}<ref name=GaiaDR2/> | luminosity = {{Val|502|15}}<ref name=GaiaDR2/> | temperature = {{Val|3948|287|151|fmt=commas}}<ref name=GaiaDR2/> | metal_fe = | gravity = | rotational_velocity = | age_myr = }} {{Starbox catalog | names = {{odlist | B=F Cen | NSV=5544 | CP=−54°5113 | FK5=2985 | HD=107079 | HIP=60059 | HR=4682 | SAO=239838 | GC=16792 | CCDM=J12190-5509 }}<ref name=SIMBAD/> }} {{Starbox reference | Simbad = F+Cen }} {{Starbox end}}
'''F Centauri''' is a suspected [[astrometric binary]]<ref name=Eggleton2008/> [[star]] system in the southern [[constellation]] of [[Centaurus]]. It has a reddish hue and is visible to the naked eye with an [[apparent visual magnitude]] that fluctuates around +5.01.<ref name=Anderson2012/> The system is located at a distance of approximately 450 [[light year]]s from the [[Sun]] based on [[stellar parallax|parallax]], and it has an [[absolute magnitude]] of −0.87.<ref name=Anderson2012/> [[Olin J. Eggen|O. J. Eggen]] flagged this star as a member of the [[Hyades Supercluster]].<ref name=Eggen1983/>
The visible component is an aging [[red giant]] star on the [[asymptotic giant branch]]<ref name=Eggen1992/> with a [[stellar classification]] of M1III,<ref name=houk1979/> indicating it has exhausted the supply of both hydrogen and helium at its [[stellar core|core]] and is cooling and expanding. It is a suspected [[variable star]] of unknown type that has been measured ranging in brightness from visual magnitude 4.94 down to 5.07.<ref name=Samus2017/> At present it has 48 times the [[radius of the Sun]]. It is radiating 502 times the [[Sun's luminosity]] from its enlarged [[photosphere]] at an [[effective temperature]] of 3,948 K.<ref name=GaiaDR2/>
== References == {{Reflist|colwidth=30em|refs=
<ref name=GaiaDR2>{{cite DR2|6075953898506794496}}</ref>
<ref name=SIMBAD>{{cite simbad | title=F Cen | access-date=2020-03-03}}</ref>
<ref name=Anderson2012>{{cite XHIP|60059}}</ref>
<ref name=Eggleton2008>{{citation | last1=Eggleton | first1=P. P. | last2=Tokovinin | first2=A. A. | title=A catalogue of multiplicity among bright stellar systems | journal=Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society | volume=389 | issue=2 | pages=869–879 | date=September 2008 | bibcode=2008MNRAS.389..869E | arxiv=0806.2878 | doi=10.1111/j.1365-2966.2008.13596.x | doi-access=free | s2cid=14878976 | postscript=. }}</ref>
<ref name=houk1979>{{citation | postscript=. | last1=Houk | first1=Nancy | last2=Cowley | first2=A. P. | title=Michigan catalogue of two-dimensional spectral types for the HD stars | location=Ann Arbor, Michigan | publisher=Dept. of Astronomy, University of Michigan | year=1979 | volume=1 | bibcode=1978mcts.book.....H }}</ref>
<ref name=Samus2017>{{citation | display-authors=1 | last1=Samus | first1=N. N. | last2=Kazarovets | first2=E. V. | last3=Durlevich | first3=O. V. | last4=Kireeva | first4=N. N. | last5=Pastukhova | first5=E. N. | title=General Catalogue of Variable Stars | version=5.1 | journal=Astronomy Reports | year=2017 | volume=61 | issue=1 | pages=80–88 | bibcode=2017ARep...61...80S | postscript=. | doi=10.1134/S1063772917010085 | s2cid=125853869 }}</ref>
<ref name=Eggen1992>{{citation | last1=Eggen | first1=Olin J. | title=Asymptotic giant branch stars near the sun | journal=Astronomical Journal | postscript=. | volume=104 | issue=1 | pages=275–313 | date=July 1992 | doi=10.1086/116239 | bibcode=1992AJ....104..275E }}</ref>
<ref name=Eggen1983>{{citation | title=NGC 2423 and the red giants of the Hyades supercluster | last=Eggen | first=O. J. | postscript=. | journal=Astronomical Journal | volume=88 | page=190-196 | date=February 1983 | doi=10.1086/113305 | bibcode=1983AJ.....88..190E }}</ref>
}}
{{Stars of Centaurus}} <!-- Properties --> {{DEFAULTSORT:F Centauri}} [[Category:M-type giants]] [[Category:Asymptotic-giant-branch stars]] [[Category:Suspected variables]] [[Category:Astrometric binaries]] <!-- Identifiers --> [[Category:Centaurus]] [[Category:Bayer objects|Centauri, F]] [[Category:Durchmusterung objects]] [[Category:Henry Draper Catalogue objects|107079]] [[Category:Hipparcos objects|60059]] [[Category:Bright Star Catalogue objects|4682]]