Beta Volantis

Beta Volantis, Latinized from β Volantis, is the second-brightest star of the southern constellation of Volans, after Gamma2 Volantis. It has an apparent visual magnitude of 3.75,^[2] which is sufficiently bright to allow it to be viewed with the naked eye. Based upon an annual parallax shift of 30.33 mas as seen from Earth, its distance can be estimated as 107.5 light years from the Sun. The star is moving away from the Sun with a radial velocity of +27 km/s.^[5]

Beta Volantis

Location of β Volantis.
Observation data Epoch J2000      Equinox J2000
Constellation	Volans
Right ascension	08h 25m 44.19472s[1]
Declination	−66° 08′ 12.8050″[1]
Apparent magnitude (V)	3.75[2]
Characteristics
Evolutionary stage	horizontal branch[3]
Spectral type	K2 III[4]
B−V color index	+1.13[2]
Astrometry
Radial velocity (Rv)	+27.4±0.7[5] km/s
Proper motion (μ)	RA: −35.74±0.10[1] mas/yr Dec.: −152.22±0.10[1] mas/yr
Parallax (π)	30.33±0.10 mas[1]
Distance	107.5 ± 0.4 ly (33.0 ± 0.1 pc)
Absolute magnitude (MV)	+1.18[6]
Details
Mass	1.62±0.20[7] M☉
Radius	10.32[7][a] R☉
Luminosity	41±3[7] L☉
Temperature	4,546[7] K
Metallicity [Fe/H]	−0.01[8] dex
Other designations
β Vol, CD−65°648, GJ 3499, HD 71878, HIP 41312, HR 3347, SAO 250228[9]
Database references
SIMBAD	data

This is a single,^[10] orange-hued star with a stellar classification of K2 III,^[4] indicating it is an evolved K-type giant star. It is a red clump star,^[3] which means it is on the horizontal branch and is generating energy through helium fusion at its core. The stellar mass has been estimated via astroseismology, giving a value of 1.6 times the mass of the Sun.^[7] It has expanded to 10.3 times the radius of the Sun^[a] and is radiating about 41 times the Sun's luminosity from its enlarged photosphere at an effective temperature of 4,546 K.^[7]

Notes

1. Calculated, using the Stefan-Boltzmann law and the star's effective temperature and luminosity, with respect to the solar nominal effective temperature of 5,772 K:$${\displaystyle {\sqrt {{\biggl (}{\frac {5,772}{4,546}}{\biggr )}^{4}\cdot 41}}=10.32\ R_{\odot }.}$$