Iota Serpentis

Iota Serpentis
Location of ι Serpentis (circled)
Observation data
Epoch J2000      Equinox J2000
Constellation Serpens
Right ascension 15h 41m 33.05469s
Declination +19° 40 13.4380
Apparent magnitude (V) 4.51
Characteristics
Evolutionary stage main sequence
Spectral type B9V + A1V
B−V color index +0.062±0.003
Astrometry
Radial velocity (Rv)−17.20 km/s
Proper motion (μ) RA: −60.86 mas/yr
Dec.: −43.69 mas/yr
Parallax (π)17.16±0.67 mas
Distance190 ± 7 ly
(58 ± 2 pc)
Absolute magnitude (MV)+0.69
Orbit
Period (P)8015.0±6.3 d
Semi-major axis (a)0.21033±0.00047
Eccentricity (e)0.0941±0.0028
Inclination (i)83.608±0.043°
Longitude of the node (Ω)69.684±0.033°
Periastron epoch (T)54,180±33 HMJD
Argument of periastron (ω)
(secondary)
80.5±1.8°
Details
A
Mass1.999 M
B
Mass1.984 M
Other designations
ι Ser, 21 Serpentis, BD+20°3138, GC 21102, HD 140159, HIP 76852, HR 5842, SAO 101682, ADS 9744, CCDM J15416+1940
Database references
SIMBADdata

ι Serpentis, Latinized as Iota Serpentis and abbreviated Iot Ser, is a triple star system in the constellation Serpens, in its head (Serpens Caput). It is approximately 190 light years from Earth.

At the centre of the system is a spectroscopic binary, Iota Serpentis A and B. These are both white main sequence dwarfs and both have apparent magnitudes of +5.3. This binary has an orbital period variously reported as 11 or 22 years. First discovered as an astrometric binary, the pair have now been resolved and visual orbits have been derived.

There are two visual companions, Iota Serpentis C, a 13th magnitude star 143 arcseconds away and Iota Serpentis D, a 12th magnitude star 151 arcseconds distant.