HD 40873

HD 40873 is a star in the northern constellation of Auriga, a few degrees to the south of Delta Aurigae. Located around 455 light-years distant,^[2] it shines with a luminosity approximately 38 times that of the Sun and has an effective temperature of 7,753 K.^[6] It is a suspected variable star^[3] and has a fairly rapid rotation rate, showing a projected rotational velocity of 134 km/s.^[7] Eggen (1985) suggested it is a probable member of the Hyades Supercluster.^[8]

HD 40873

Location of HD 40873 (circled)
Observation data Epoch J2000      Equinox J2000
Constellation	Auriga[1]
Right ascension	06h 04m 29.11992s[2]
Declination	+51° 34′ 24.1921″[2]
Apparent magnitude (V)	6.45[3]
Characteristics
Spectral type	A7 V[4] or A7 III[5]
U−B color index	+0.16[3]
B−V color index	+0.196±0.007[1]
Astrometry
Radial velocity (Rv)	19.6±2.9[1] km/s
Proper motion (μ)	RA: +1.850[2] mas/yr Dec.: −41.692[2] mas/yr
Parallax (π)	7.1678±0.0962 mas[2]
Distance	455 ± 6 ly (140 ± 2 pc)
Absolute magnitude (MV)	0.76[1]
Details
Luminosity	38[6] L☉
Temperature	7,753[6] K
Rotational velocity (v sin i)	134[7] km/s
Other designations
35 Camelopardalis, NSV 2804, BD+51°1146, FK5 2463, HD 40873, HIP 28765, HR 2123, SAO 25548
Database references
SIMBAD	data

Samuel Molyneux named this star Telescopica in Auriga.^[9] Flamsteed catalogued it as 35 Camelopardalis Heveliana, which is the name James Bradley continued to use, although it is within the borders of the modern constellation Auriga.^[10] Francis Baily reclassified it to Auriga as star 1924 in the British Association's 1845 Catalogue of 8377 Stars.^[11]

HD 40873 is considered to be an Am star, a chemically peculiar star with unusually strong absorption lines of metals.^[12] It has been given a spectral type of kA5mA7IV,^[13] although other catalogues have given more normal classifications such as A7 V or A7 III.^[4][5]

Components

HD 40873 has a 9th magnitude class A5 companion about half an arc-minute away. It is designated as SAO 25549.^[14] The companion is itself a pair of stars, each of similar brightness, separated by 0.6".^[15]