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Beta Virginis
Beta Virginis
Beta Virginis
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β Virginis
(Zavijava)
Location of β Virginis (circled)
Observation data
Epoch J2000      Equinox J2000
Constellation Virgo
Right ascension 11h 50m 41.71824s[1]
Declination +01° 45′ 52.9910″[1]
Apparent magnitude (V) 3.604[2]
Characteristics
Evolutionary stage Main sequence[3] turnoff[4]
Spectral type F9 V[5]
U−B color index +0.090[2]
B−V color index +0.553[2]
Astrometry
Radial velocity (Rv)+4.1[6] km/s
Proper motion (μ) RA: +740.23[1] mas/yr
Dec.: −270.43[1] mas/yr
Parallax (π)91.50±0.22 mas[1]
Distance35.65 ± 0.09 ly
(10.93 ± 0.03 pc)
Absolute magnitude (MV)3.41[6]
Details
Mass1.413±0.061[3] M☉
Radius1.681±0.008[7] R☉
Luminosity3.572±0.052[7] L☉
Habitable zone inner limit1.39[8] AU
Habitable zone outer limit3.25[8] AU
Surface gravity (log g)4.125±0.010[3] cgs
Temperature6,132±26[7] K
Metallicity [Fe/H]0.20[9] dex
Rotation9.2±0.2[10] days
Rotational velocity (v sin i)6.1±2.6[10] km/s
Age2.9 ± 0.3,[6] ~3.3[4] Gyr
Other designations
Zavijava, Zavijah, Alaraph, β Vir, 5 Virginis, BD+02°2489, FK5 445, GJ 449, HD 102870, HIP 57757, HR 4540, SAO 119076[11]
Database references
SIMBADdata
ARICNSdata

Beta Virginis, a name Latinised from β Virginis, is a star in the equatorial constellation of Virgo. It has the proper name Zavijava (/ˌzævɪˈdʒævə/),[12][13][14] and, despite its designation 'beta', is the fifth-brightest star in Virgo with an apparent visual magnitude of 3.604.[2] The distance to this star is around 35.7 light-years based on parallax;[1] it is drifting further away with a radial velocity of +4.1 km/s.[6] It is 0.69 of a degree north of the ecliptic, so it can be occulted by the Moon and (rarely) by planets. The next planetary occultation of Beta Virginis will take place on 9 November 2210, by Venus;[15] although an occultation by the same planet might be visible on 11 August 2069 from the South Pole.[16]

Nomenclature

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β Virginis (Latinised to Beta Virginis) is the star's Bayer designation.

It bore the traditional names Zavijava (also Zavijah, Zavyava and Zawijah) and Alaraph.[17] Zavijava is from the Arabic زاوية العواء zāwiyat al-cawwa’ 'corner of the barking (dog)'. In 2016, the International Astronomical Union organized a Working Group on Star Names (WGSN)[18] to catalog and standardize proper names for stars. The WGSN approved the name Zavijava for this star on 21 August 2016 and it is now so entered in the IAU Catalog of Star Names.[14]

In Chinese, 太微右垣 (Tài Wēi Yòu Yuán), meaning Right Wall of Supreme Palace Enclosure, refers to an asterism consisting of Beta Virginis, Sigma Leonis, Iota Leonis, Theta Leonis and Delta Leonis.[19] Consequently, the Chinese name for Beta Virginis itself is 太微右垣一 (Tài Wēi Zuǒ Yuán yī, English: Supreme Palace Enclosure Right Wall One),[20] representing 右執法 (Yòuzhífǎ), meaning The Right Law Administrator.[21] 右執法 (Yòuzhífǎ), spelled Yew Chi Fa by R.H. Allen, means "the Right-hand Maintainer of Law".[22]

Properties

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This is an F-type main-sequence star with a stellar classification of F9 V,[5] which means it is generating energy through core hydrogen fusion. Sun-like oscillations have been detected in Beta Virginis, allowing its internal structure to be modeled in more detail.[23] It is around 2.9[6] to 3.3[4] billion years old with a projected rotational velocity of 4.3 km/s[24] and appears to be near the end of its main sequence lifetime.[3][4] Larger and more massive than the Sun, it is comparatively metal-rich (that is, it has a higher preponderance of elements heavier than helium).[9] It is radiating 3.6[7] times the luminosity of the Sun from its photosphere at an effective temperature of 6,132 K.[7]

Search for planets

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According to Nelson & Angel (1998),[25] Beta Virginis could host two or three jovian planets in wide orbits. The authors have set an upper limit of 1.9, 5 and 23 Jupiter masses for the putative planets with orbital periods of 15, 25 and 50 years, respectively. Also Campbell et al. 1988[26] inferred the existence of planetary objects or even brown dwarfs around Beta Virginis. However, more recent studies have not confirmed the existence of any substellar companion around Beta Virginis yet. McDonald Observatory team has set limits to the presence of one or more planets[27] with masses between 0.16 and 4.2 Jupiter masses and average separations spanning between 0.05 and 5.2 astronomical units.

In 2025, it was noted that proper motion measurements of Zavijava taken by the Hipparcos and Gaia spacecraft show a statistically significant difference; this acceleration suggests the presence of a giant planet.[8]

References

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Beta Virginis

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Beta Virginis, also known as Zavijava, is a single, yellow-white main-sequence star of spectral class F9V located approximately 35.7 light-years (11.0 parsecs) from the Sun in the constellation Virgo. With an apparent visual magnitude of 3.604, it is the sixth-brightest star in Virgo after , Porrima, Vindemiatrix, , and Minelauva, and is easily visible to the from dark-sky locations. This star is more massive, larger, and more luminous than the Sun, with a of about 1.35 to 1.41 solar masses, a of 1.703 solar radii, and a of 3.51 solar luminosities. Its effective surface temperature is approximately 6130 K, giving it a yellowish hue similar to but slightly hotter than the Sun's 5772 K. Beta Virginis is metal-rich, with an iron abundance [Fe/H] of +0.19 (about 55% higher than solar), and rotates with a period of 9.2 days and an equatorial speed of 3.4 km/s. Observations have detected solar-like oscillations in the star, indicating p-mode pulsations similar to those on the Sun, which have been used to refine its fundamental parameters. It exhibits low magnetic activity, with no detected or sun-like , though emission suggests the presence of a hot corona. The star's age is estimated at 2.9 to 3.3 billion years, placing it in a mature phase of main-sequence evolution comparable to the Sun's. Recent astrometric data from and suggest the presence of a . Beta Virginis is receding from the Solar System at a of +4.5 km/s.

Nomenclature and History

Nomenclature

Beta Virginis, Latinized as β Virginis, received its from the German astronomer in his influential 1603 star atlas Uranometria, where Greek letters were assigned to in order of brightness within each constellation. The star also bears the Flamsteed designation 5 Virginis, assigned by in his 1725 Historia Coelestis Britannica as part of a numerical system ordering by within constellations. The traditional proper name Zavijava, with variants including Zavijah, Zavyava, Zawijah, and Alaraph, was officially approved for the star by the International Astronomical Union's Working Group on Star Names on August 21, 2016, and entered into the IAU Catalog of Star Names. This name originates from the phrase zāwiyat al-ʿawwāʾ, translating to "the corner of the barking " or "angle of the ," referring to its position marking the kennel or corner in pre-Islamic Arabian asterisms. In historical astronomy, as documented in medieval texts, Beta Virginis formed part of the asterism Al-ʿAwwāʾ (the Barker or ), a curving line of stars in Virgo interpreted as a or barking figure, with Zavijava specifically denoting the angular "corner" or enclosure point of this group, emphasizing its role in navigational and mythological sky patterns. In , the star is designated 太微右垣一 (Tài Wēi Yòu Yuán yī), meaning "First Star of the Right Wall of the Supreme Palace Enclosure," within the Taiwei Yuan asterism, which represents the imperial court and its officials; it symbolizes the "Right Law Administrator" or enforcer of justice in this celestial bureaucratic structure.

Observational History

Beta Virginis was first cataloged in the CE by the astronomer Claudius Ptolemy as one of the principal stars in the constellation Virgo, documented in his seminal work , which listed 1,022 stars across 48 constellations. This early inclusion marked the star's entry into Western astronomical records, building on observations from and Babylonian traditions. The star retained its place in subsequent catalogs, reflecting its visibility and position in the spring sky. The brought advances in spectroscopic analysis, with Italian astronomer Angelo Secchi conducting pioneering observations that classified stellar spectra into four types. These efforts laid the groundwork for modern systems. The 20th century saw significant refinements in through space-based missions. The European Space Agency's satellite, launched in 1989, measured the star's with unprecedented accuracy, yielding a of about 35.7 light-years in the 1997 catalog release and confirming its proximity to the Solar System. Building on this, the mission's Data Release 3 in 2022 (as of the latest full release) delivered even higher-precision positioning, with a error of approximately 0.19 mas, enhancing our understanding of the star's and galactic orbit. Today, Beta Virginis is comprehensively documented in databases like , which aggregates historical and contemporary data from thousands of observations for cross-referencing and research.

Stellar Properties

Fundamental Parameters

Beta Virginis is a main-sequence star of spectral type F9 V, characterized by its yellow-white appearance and position in the constellation Virgo. It exhibits physical properties typical of late F-type dwarfs, with enhanced luminosity compared to the Sun due to its greater mass and radius. These attributes have been derived from a combination of spectroscopic analyses, interferometric measurements, and astrometric data, providing a consistent picture of its fundamental characteristics. The star's apparent visual magnitude is 3.604, rendering it visible to the and establishing it as the sixth brightest member of Virgo after , Porrima, Vindemiatrix, , and Minelauva. Its distance is 35.65 ± 0.09 light-years, calculated from the DR3 .
ParameterValueUnitSource
Mass1.413 ± 0.061M⊙North et al. (2009)
Radius1.681 ± 0.008R⊙Andrae et al. (2023)
Luminosity3.572 ± 0.052L⊙Andrae et al. (2023)
Effective temperature6,132 ± 26KAndrae et al. (2023)
Metallicity [Fe/H]0.20dexAndrae et al. (2023)
Beta Virginis occupies equatorial coordinates of 11ʰ 50ᵐ 42.³, +01° 45′ 53″ (J2000 epoch), positioning it 0.69° north of the . Evolutionary models suggest an age of 2.9–3.3 billion years, consistent with its location on the .

Activity and Evolution

Beta Virginis exhibits moderate stellar activity, consistent with its spectral type and age, as evidenced by its rotational period of 9.2 ± 0.2 days measured through Zeeman-Doppler imaging of chromospheric lines. This period suggests ongoing processes in its convective envelope, though subdued compared to younger, faster-rotating G-type stars. The star's projected rotational velocity is approximately 4.3 km/s, further supporting this moderate activity level. Magnetic field mapping via Zeeman-Doppler reveals weak surface fields on Beta Virginis, with a mean unsigned strength of 1.5 ± 0.2 G and a maximum of 6.0 ± 0.6 G observed in 2017. These fields are predominantly poloidal (82–98% of magnetic energy) and dipolar (73–91% of poloidal energy), with minimal toroidal components (2–18%), indicating a simple, axisymmetric typical of mature F-type . Such weak aligns with the star's evolutionary stage, where convective dynamos weaken as the core depletes. Solar-like oscillations have been detected in Beta Virginis through high-precision measurements, revealing p-mode frequencies between 0.7 and 2.4 mHz with a large separation of 72.1 μHz. These oscillations, akin to those in the Sun, arise from turbulent exciting in the stellar interior. Asteroseismic analysis of these modes has enabled detailed modeling of the star's internal structure. When combined with interferometric measurements, this constrains the to 1.413 ± 0.061 M⊙ and age to 2.9–3.3 Gyr (North et al. 2009), revealing a centrally condensed core indicative of advanced main-sequence evolution. Independent interferometric and spectroscopic studies support an age range of 2.9–3.3 billion years, confirming its mature status among F-type dwarfs. Evolutionary tracks for its mass predict a transition to the phase in approximately 1–2 billion years, as the star exhausts central and begins shell-burning, expanding its envelope.

Potential

Historical Searches

Early searches for companions around Beta Virginis relied primarily on (RV) measurements to detect potential perturbations in the star's motion. In 1988, Campbell et al. conducted a pioneering RV survey of solar-type stars, including Beta Virginis, and reported variations that suggested the presence of substellar companions, possibly with masses in the range of several masses. These findings represented one of the first tentative indications of unseen companions around a nearby star like Beta Virginis, though the precision of the era's limited the reliability of the signals. Subsequent analyses in the , however, failed to confirm the claim, attributing the observed variations to instrumental noise and systematic errors common in early RV data. For instance, the limited number of observations and wavelength stability issues in spectrographs often produced spurious signals that mimicked planetary signatures. Ongoing RV monitoring through programs like the Planet Search, spanning from to the late , yielded no confirmed planetary signals but established stringent upper limits on undetected companions. These surveys, utilizing high-precision iodine-cell spectrographs, constrained the minimum masses of potential planets to 0.16–4.2 masses over orbital separations of 0.05–5.2 AU, based on over 300 measurements with an RMS scatter of about 9 m/s. Any apparent long-period signals, such as one near 2000 days, were ultimately linked to the star's ~7.7-year activity cycle rather than orbital motion. The relative stability of Beta Virginis's chromospheric activity facilitated these sensitive RV searches by minimizing intrinsic stellar jitter. Efforts using complementary techniques also produced null results for massive companions. Direct imaging observations in the near-infrared with systems, such as those from the VLT/NACO instrument in the early 2000s, ruled out companions more massive than ~5 masses within 50 AU, given the star's brightness and proximity. Similarly, early astrometric analyses using data excluded close-in massive perturbers (greater than ~10 masses at <1 AU) by showing no significant deviations from a single-star model. These unconfirmed early claims underscored the challenges of pre-2020 detection methods, where noise and incomplete orbital coverage often led to ambiguous interpretations. As of 2025, no exoplanets have been confirmed around Beta Virginis despite extensive searches using , direct imaging, and astrometric methods.
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