Beta Camelopardalis

"Beta Cam" redirects here. For the video technology, see Betacam.

Beta Camelopardalis is the brightest star in the northern constellation of Camelopardalis. Its name is a Bayer designation that is Latinised from β Camelopardalis, and abbreviated Beta Cam or β Cam. This star is bright enough to be faintly visible to the naked eye, having an apparent visual magnitude of 4.02.^[2] Based upon an annual parallax shift of 3.74 mas as seen from Earth, it is located at a distance of approximately 840 light-years (260 pc) from the Sun. It is moving closer with a radial velocity of −1.90 km/s^[4] and is most likely a single^[10] star.

β Camelopardalis

Location of β Cam (circled)
Observation data Epoch J2000      Equinox J2000
Constellation	Camelopardalis
Right ascension	05h 03m 25.091s[1]
Declination	+60° 26′ 32.08″[1]
Apparent magnitude (V)	4.02[2]
Characteristics
Spectral type	G1Ib–IIa[3]
U−B color index	+0.62[2]
B−V color index	+0.93[2]
R−I color index	+0.49[2]
Astrometry
Radial velocity (Rv)	−1.90[4] km/s
Proper motion (μ)	RA: −5.561 mas/yr[1] Dec.: −14.400 mas/yr[1]
Parallax (π)	3.8800±0.1635 mas[1]
Distance	840 ± 40 ly (260 ± 10 pc)
Absolute magnitude (MV)	−3.1[5]
Details
Mass	6.5[3] M☉
Radius	58±13[6] R☉
Luminosity	1,592[7] L☉
Surface gravity (log g)	1.79[3] cgs
Temperature	5,300[3] K
Metallicity [Fe/H]	−0.06[8] dex
Rotational velocity (v sin i)	11.7[9] km/s
Age	53[3] Myr
Other designations
β Cam, 10 Camelopardalis, 10 Cam, BD+60°856, FK5 182, GC 6136, HD 31910, HIP 23522, HR 1603, SAO 13351, ADS 3615 A, WDS J05034+6027
Database references
SIMBAD	data
Data sources:
Hipparcos Catalogue, CCDM (2002), Bright Star Catalogue (5th rev. ed.)

This is a yellow-hued G-type supergiant/bright giant with a stellar classification of G1 Ib–IIa.^[3] It is an estimated 60 million years old and is spinning with a projected rotational velocity of 11.7 km/s.^[9] This is an unusually high rate of rotation for an evolved star of this type. One possible explanation is that it may have engulfed a nearby giant planet, such as a hot Jupiter.^[11]

Beta Camelopardalis has 6.5 times the mass of the Sun^[3] and has expanded to around 58 the Sun's radius.^[6] The star is radiating 1,592 times the Sun's luminosity from its enlarged photosphere^[7] at an effective temperature of 5,300 K.^[3] It is a source of X-ray emission.^[12]

β Cam has two visual^[10] companions: a 7th-magnitude A5-class star at an angular separation of 84 arcseconds; and a 12th-magnitude star at 15 arcseconds.^[13]