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Information About

Gamma Orionis






  Epoch J2000
  Constell Orion
  Ra 05h 25m 079s
  Dec +06&deg 20' 59"


  Class B2 III
  B-v -022
  U-b -087


  Radial V +182
  Prop Mo Ra -875
  Prop Mo Dec -1328
  Parallax 1342
  P Error 098
  Dist Ly 243
  Dist Pc 1342


  Age
  Metal
  Mass 8-9
  Radius 57
  Rotation
  Luminosity 4,000




Gamma Orionis (γ Ori / γ Orionis / Bellatrix) is the third brightest star in the Constellation Orion and The Twenty-second Brightest Star in the nighttime sky.

The name ''Bellatrix'' is Latin for Amazon . It is also known as the Amazon Star, the ''warrioress'', or Gamma Orionis. It was once thought to belong to the physical association of stars that comprise much of the constellation of Orion. But this is no longer believed to be the case, as Gamma Orionis is much closer to us than the group.

Historically this star was used as a luminosity standard that astronomers could compare with other stars to check for variability. But it was later discovered that Bellatrix itself is an eruptive variable, changing in luminosity by a few percent over time. It ranges in magnitude from 1.59 to 1.64.

It is approximatly 500 light years from earth.

Source: http://www.astro.wisc.edu/~dolan/constellations/hr/1790.html