C3 Centauri

C³ Centauri is a suspected astrometric binary^[8] star system in the southern constellation of Centaurus. It has an orange hue and is dimly visible to the naked eye with an apparent visual magnitude of +5.46.^[2] The distance to this object is approximately 342 light years based on parallax.^[1] It is a member of the Hyades Stream of co-moving stars.^[9]

For other star systems with this Bayer designation, see C Centauri.

C³ Centauri

Observation data Epoch J2000.0      Equinox J2000.0
Constellation	Centaurus
Right ascension	11h 37m 33.98833s[1]
Declination	−47° 44′ 50.2343″[1]
Apparent magnitude (V)	+5.46[2]
Characteristics
Spectral type	K2 III[3]
B−V color index	+1.23±0.01[2]
Astrometry
Radial velocity (Rv)	−0.18±0.40[1] km/s
Proper motion (μ)	RA: -68.956[1] mas/yr Dec.: 16.362[1] mas/yr
Parallax (π)	9.5467±0.1227 mas[1]
Distance	342 ± 4 ly (105 ± 1 pc)
Details
Mass	2.16[4] M☉
Radius	15.85+0.30 −0.44[1] R☉
Luminosity	95.8±1.5[1] L☉
Surface gravity (log g)	2.12[5] cgs
Temperature	4,535+174 −43[1] K
Metallicity [Fe/H]	0.10[4] dex
Rotational velocity (v sin i)	>1.0[6] km/s
Other designations
C3 Cen, CD−47°6997, HD 101067, HIP 56700, HR 4476, SAO 222917[7]
Database references
SIMBAD	data

The visible component of this system is an aging giant star with a stellar classification of K2 III,^[3] which indicates it has exhausted the supply of hydrogen at its core then cooled and expanded off the main sequence. At present it has nearly sixteen^[1] times the girth of the Sun. It is radiating 96^[1] times the luminosity of the Sun from its swollen photosphere at an effective temperature of 4,535 K.^[1]