Xi Orionis, a blue main-sequence star in Orion
Xi Orionis is a blue main-sequence star in the constellation Orion. At 606 light years away, it shines at an apparent visual magnitude of 4.45.
Xi Orionis (HIP 29426)
Xi Orionis is a blue main-sequence star in the constellation Orion. At 606 light years away, it shines at an apparent visual magnitude of 4.45. Xi Orionis is the primary component of a multiple-star system. It is moving through the Galaxy at a speed of 26.2 km/s relative to the Sun. Its projected Galactic orbit carries it between 23,200 and 24,700 light years from the center of the Galaxy. It came closest to the Sun 5.1 million years ago when it had brightened to magnitude 3.60 from a distance of 410 light years.
Sky position: RA 6h 11.9m, Dec +14° 12.6'
Common designations: Xi Orionis, 70 Orionis, HIP 29426, HD 42560
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Brightest stars in Orion:
(list all)
| Rank | Mag. | Star |
| 16 | 4.06 | Omicron-2 Orionis |
| 17 | 4.09 | Phi-2 Orionis |
| 18 | 4.12 | Mu Orionis |
| 19 | 4.13 | 29 Orionis |
| 20 | 4.20 | A Orionis |
| 21 | 4.35 | Pi-2 Orionis |
| 22 | 4.39 | Phi-1 Orionis |
| 23 | 4.39 | Chi-1 Orionis |
| 24 | 4.42 | Nu Orionis |
25
| 4.45
) Xi Orionis
| Rank | Mag. | Star |
| 26 | 4.46 | Rho Orionis |
| 27 | 4.47 | Pi-6 Orionis |
| 28 | 4.50 | Omega Orionis |
| 29 | 4.53 | HR 2113 |
| 30 | 4.58 | 42 Orionis |
| 31 | 4.59 | Psi Orionis |
| 32 | 4.62 | Thabit |
Hover over other bright stars to identify or click to jump.
Galactic Orbit of Xi Orionis
(compared to the Sun)
E
ccentricity: 3.2% vs. 16.0%Angle φ : 169.9°vs. 26.0°
Semi-major axis : 7,351 pc vs. 8,686 pc
Semi-minor axis: 7,348 pc vs. 8,574 pc
Focus-to-center
: 231 pcvs. 1,388 pcSemilatus rectum : 7,344 pc vs. 8,464 pc
Perigalacticon: 7,120 pc vs. 7,297 pc
Apogalacticon
: 7,583 pcvs. 10,074 pcSome Tabulated XHIP Data for Xi Orionis
(see also: SIMBAD)
Astrometry
2007A&A...474..653V
| Position | Proper Motion | |
| Right Ascension: | 92.98498649° ±0.22 mas | 0.26 ±0.24 mas/yr. |
| Declination: | 14.20881433° ±0.14 mas | -20.13 ±0.16 mas/yr. |
| Galactic Longitude: | 195.80740510° | 17.79 mas/yr. |
| Galactic Latitude: | -2.06488237° | -9.43 mas/yr. |
Parallax: 5.37 ± 0.23 mas
Spectrography
Spectral Type: B3V 1976A&AS...26..241C.
Radial Velocity:
19.30 ±7.40 km/s [D rating]
2007AN....328..889K.
This star is a spectroscopic binary with an unsolved orbit.
Iron Abundance [Fe/H]:
n/a
Photometry
band
magnitude
Abs. Mag.
U
3.65
-2.70
B
4.27
-2.08
V
4.45
-1.90
R
I
4.59
-1.76
J
4.95
-1.39
H
4.92
-1.42
K
4.90
-1.45
B-V: -0.18 V-I: -0.14
Derivations
Heliocentric distance: 185.81 pc (4.3% margin of error)
Galactocentric distance: 7,579 pc
Transverse velocity: 17.7 km/s
3D heliocentric position and motion:
|
toward: |
Galactic center | Galactic rotation | North Galactic Pole |
| Position ( X, Y, Z) | -178.7 pc | -50.6 pc | -6.7 pc |
| Velocity (U, V, W) | -14.0 km/s | -20.3 km/s | -9.0 km/s |