Lambda Aurigae, a yellow main-sequence star in Auriga
Lambda Aurigae is a yellow main-sequence star in the constellation Auriga. At 41 light years away, it shines at an apparent visual magnitude of 4.69.
Lambda Aurigae (HIP 24813)
Lambda Aurigae is a yellow main-sequence star in the constellation Auriga. At 41 light years away, it shines at an apparent visual magnitude of 4.69. Lambda Aurigae is the primary component of a multiple-star system. The star's age is estimated to be 5.2 billion years but is certainly no less than 3.8 billion years and no greater than 6.5 billion years. The iron abundance of Lambda Aurigae is +0.05 (112.2% of the Sun). It is moving through the Galaxy at a speed of 83.5 km/s relative to the Sun. Its projected Galactic orbit carries it between 14,900 and 29,200 light years from the center of the Galaxy. It came closest to the Sun 118,000 years ago when it had brightened to magnitude 3.60 from a distance of 24.9 light years.
Sky position: RA 5h 19.1m, Dec +40° 6'
Common designations: Lambda Aurigae, 15 Aurigae, HIP 24813, HD 34411, Gliese 197
Learn how to find naked-eye stars with:
Stars of the Northern Hemisphere
Deluxe Astronomy Poster
Brightest stars in Auriga:
(list all)
| Rank | Mag. | Star |
| 5 | 3.03 | Al Anz |
| 6 | 3.18 | Hoedus II |
| 7 | 3.69 | Hoedus I |
| 8 | 3.72 | Delta Aurigae |
| 9 | 3.97 | Nu Aurigae |
| 10 | 4.30 | Pi Aurigae |
| 11 | 4.32 | Kappa Aurigae |
| 12 | 4.51 | Tau Aurigae |
| 13 | 4.54 | 16 Aurigae |
14
| 4.69
) Lambda Aurigae
| Rank | Mag. | Star |
| 15 | 4.71 | Chi Aurigae |
| 16 | 4.72 | Upsilon Aurigae |
| 17 | 4.79 | 2 Aurigae |
| 18 | 4.80 | Psi-2 Aurigae |
| 19 | 4.82 | Mu Aurigae |
| 20 | 4.91 | 63 Aurigae |
| 21 | 4.92 | Psi-1 Aurigae |
Hover over other bright stars to identify or click to jump.
Galactic Orbit of Lambda Aurigae
(compared to the Sun)
E
ccentricity: 32.3% vs. 16.0%Angle φ : -124.5°vs. 26.0°
Semi-major axis : 6,763 pc vs. 8,686 pc
Semi-minor axis: 6,401 pc vs. 8,574 pc
Focus-to-center
: 2,183 pcvs. 1,388 pcSemilatus rectum : 6,058 pc vs. 8,464 pc
Perigalacticon: 4,580 pc vs. 7,297 pc
Apogalacticon
: 8,946 pcvs. 10,074 pcSome Tabulated XHIP Data for Lambda Aurigae
(see also: SIMBAD)
Astrometry
2007A&A...474..653V
| Position | Proper Motion | |
| Right Ascension: | 79.78366010° ±0.24 mas | 518.99 ±0.26 mas/yr. |
| Declination: | 40.10066720° ±0.13 mas | -665.06 ±0.13 mas/yr. |
| Galactic Longitude: | 167.67793888° | 842.47 mas/yr. |
| Galactic Latitude: | 1.54082262° | 43.55 mas/yr. |
Parallax: 79.17 ± 0.28 mas
Spectrography
Spectral Type: G1V 2003AJ....126.2048G.
Radial Velocity: 66.51 ±0.10 km/s [A rating] 2002ApJS..141..503N, 2005ApJS..159..141V.
Iron Abundance [Fe/H]:
0.05 ±0.01 dex
2011A&A...530A.138C, 2011A&A...525A..71W, 2007ApJS..169..430R, 2007A&A...465..271R, 2006ApJ...652.1604B, 2006AJ....131.3069L, 2005PASJ...57...27T, 2005ApJS..161..444T, 2005ApJS..159..141V, 2005AJ....129.1063L, 2004ARep...48..492G, 2004A&A...420..183A, 2004A&A...418..551M, 2000Priv.C........F, 2000A&AS..141..491C, 1996A&A...314..191G, 1993A&A...275..101E, 1992ApJ...387..170F, 1990ApJS...74.1075M.
Photometry
| band | magnitude | Abs. Mag. |
| U | ||
| B | 5.32 | 4.81 |
| V | 4.69 | 4.18 |
| R | 4.30 | 3.79 |
| I | 4.00 | 3.49 |
| J | 3.40 | 2.89 |
| H | 3.15 | 2.65 |
| K | 3.04 | 2.53 |
B-V: +0.63 V-I: +0.69
Derivations
Heliocentric distance: 12.63 pc (0.4% margin of error)
Galactocentric distance: 7,412 pc
Transverse velocity: 50.5 km/s
3D heliocentric position and motion:
|
toward: |
Galactic center | Galactic rotation | North Galactic Pole |
| Position ( X, Y, Z) | -12.3 pc | 2.7 pc | 0.3 pc |
| Velocity (U, V, W) | -75.7 km/s | -35.1 km/s | 4.4 km/s |