Rigel (β Orionis/Orionis Beta) is the the most brilliant star of the Constellation of Orion.

Physical characteristics

Of Magnitude connect 0,18, it is the seventh the most brilliant star of the sky. It is even slightly more brilliant than the star α, Bételgeuse (the magnitudes are very close, from where confusion during the classification by Johann Bayer).

Rigel is located at a distance from 650 to 950 light-years of the Ground, to be known too far with precision by the measurement of its Parallaxe, even if the best estimate of the satellite Hipparcos gives 773 light-years. It is possible to deduce from it that the absolute Magnitude of Rigel is about -6,7, which in fact an extremely luminous star.

It is of spectral Type B8Ia, a blue Supergéante, 55  000 times more luminous than the Sun. With a diameter of almost 116  000  000 km, 84 times that of the Sun, Rigel would extend until the Orbite from Venus in our Solar system.

As much of supergéantes, Rigel is slightly variable, in an irregular way, 3 to 30% over one 25 days period on average. This variability would come from pulsations of surface from star.

With 21 solar masses, Rigel is dedicated to finish in Supernova and will probably finish its life in the form of a " neutron star " , of mass comparable with the Sun.

Stellar environment

Rigel is the principal star of a ternary system. Around it orbit two companions, Rigel B and Rigel C, both of spectral class B9 and magnitude 10,4. Rigel B and Rigel C are distant one the other of 28 UA, that is to say close to the distance from Pluton to the Sun and orbit around Rigel with approximately 2.000 UA. The variability of Rigel was sometimes explained by the presence of a fourth star in the system, but this explanation does not achieve the unanimity.

Rigel evolves/moves in an area rich in Nébuleuse S and lights several clouds of dust, like the Nebula of the Head of Witch (IC 2118).

Rigel is probably a remote member of a vast star association bound by the age, association OB1 of Orion, including the belt of Orion, stars illuminating the Nébuleuse of Orion and other blue-white stars of the constellation. One however more often classifies it in association R1 de Taureau/Orion, holding association OB1 of Orion to stars young people and closer to the nebula of Orion.

Name

The name of Rigel comes from the Arab Rijl Jauza Al-Yusra , “the left foot of the giant”, because the star is located at the bottom of the “left leg” of the hunter.

Rigel was also named Algebar or Elgebar, of Arab origin there still.

See too

• List of most brilliant stars

External bonds

• Bright star Catalogs
• Rigel

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