Observation data Epoch J2000 Equinox J2000 | |
---|---|
Constellation | Cetus |
Right ascension | 00h 35m 32.833s[1] |
Declination | −00° 30′ 20.20″[1] |
Apparent magnitude (V) | 5.84[2] |
Characteristics | |
Evolutionary stage | Hertzsprung gap[3] |
Spectral type | F5 V[4][5] or F5 IV[2] |
B−V color index | 0.444±0.006[6] |
Astrometry | |
Radial velocity (Rv) | +11.3±0.2[7] km/s |
Proper motion (μ) | RA: +143.173 mas/yr[1] Dec.: −62.295 mas/yr[1] |
Parallax (π) | 17.4181 ± 0.0314 mas[1] |
Distance | 187.3 ± 0.3 ly (57.4 ± 0.1 pc) |
Absolute magnitude (MV) | 2.26±0.04[8] |
Details | |
Mass | 1.55±0.1[2] M☉ |
Radius | 2.6[2] R☉ |
Luminosity | 10.7[2] L☉ |
Surface gravity (log g) | 3.87±0.15[9] cgs |
Temperature | 6,583±90[9] K |
Metallicity [Fe/H] | −0.11±0.06[9] dex |
Rotational velocity (v sin i) | 5[2] km/s |
Age | 2.1±0.4[9] Gyr |
Other designations | |
Database references | |
SIMBAD | data |
14 Ceti is a single[11] star in the equatorial constellation of Cetus. It is faintly visible to the naked eye under good viewing conditions, having an apparent visual magnitude of 5.84.[2] The distance to 14 Ceti can be estimated from its annual parallax shift of 17.4″,[1] which puts it 187 light years away. It is moving further from the Earth with a heliocentric radial velocity of +11 km/s,[7] having recently come no closer than 178 ly.[6]
Gray (1989) as well as Houk and Swift (1999) have this star classified as an F-type main-sequence star with a stellar classification of F5 V.[4][5] However, in the 5th revised edition of the Bright Star Catalogue it was classed by Hoffleit and Warren (1991) as a more evolved subgiant star with a class of F5 IV.[12] The absolute magnitude and effective temperature for this star shows that it is entering the Hertzsprung gap, which is occupied by a class of stars that have consumed the hydrogen at their core but have not yet begun hydrogen fusion along a shell surrounding the center.[11]
Evolutionary models for this star give an estimated age of around 2.1[9] billion years with 1.6[2] times the mass of the Sun. It has 2.6[2] times the Sun's radius and is radiating 10.7[2] times the Sun's luminosity from its photosphere at an effective temperature of about 6,583 K.[9] There is a thin convective envelope near its surface.[2] The star has a lower abundance of elements more massive than helium – what astronomers' term the metallicity – compared to the Sun.[9] The projected rotational velocity is a relatively low 5 km/s, but the rotation rate is unknown since the axial tilt hasn't been determined.[2]
14 Ceti shows an X-ray emission of 0.33×1030 erg s−1, which is on the high side for an F5 star. Both the corona and chromosphere of this star show indications of a magnetic field, and a surface field was detected in 2009 with a strength of −30 G. This made it the only known star between classes F0 and F7 to have a Zeeman effect detected. Two possible explanations for this field are that it is a fast rotator with a dynamo-driven field, or that it is a former Ap star.[11] The activity properties of this star make it more likely to be the latter.[3]