Rho_Persei
Rho Persei
Star in the constellation Perseus
Rho Persei, Latinized from ρ Persei, is a star in the northern constellation of Perseus. It has the traditional name Gorgonea Tertia /ɡɔːrɡəˈniːə ˈtɜːrʃə/,[11] being the third member of the quartet called the Gorgonea in reference to the Gorgons from the legend of Perseus.[9] An apparent visual magnitude of +3.39[2] makes it visible to the naked eye, but a challenge to view from a well-lit urban environment. Based upon parallax measurements, it is located at a distance of roughly 308 light-years (94 pc) from Earth.[1]
Rho Persei is a semiregular variable star, whose apparent magnitude varies between 3.3 and 4.0[13] with periods of 50, 120 and 250 days.[6] The star has reached the asymptotic giant branch of its evolution.[3] It is a bright giant star with a stellar classification of M4 II.[4] The outer envelope has an effective temperature of 3,479 K,[7] giving it the red-orange hue of an M-type star.[14]
This star has a mass 1.9 times the mass of the Sun, while its radius has expanded to 143 times solar. It is radiating some 2,700 times the Sun's luminosity.[7] Rho Persei is losing mass at the rate of 1.2×10−8 solar masses per year, or the equivalent of the Sun's mass every 83 million years.[15] It is about 440 million years in age.[9]