Gamma Canis Majoris (γ Canis Majoris, abbreviated Gamma CMa, γ CMa), also named Muliphein , is a star in the constellation of Canis Major. It is unclear exactly why this relatively faint star was given the ' gamma' designation, but possibly because it is in the same part of the constellation as

Sirius Sirius is the brightest star in the night sky. Its name is derived from the Greek word , or , meaning 'glowing' or 'scorching'. The star is designated α Canis Majoris, Latinized to Alpha Canis Majoris, and abbreviated Alpha CM ...

( alpha) and Mirzam ( beta).

Nomenclature

''γ Canis Majoris'' ( Latinised to ''Gamma Canis Majoris'') is the star's Bayer designation. It bore the traditional name ''Muliphein'', not to be confused with ''Muhlifain'', which is Gamma Centauri; both names derive from the same

Arabic Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C. E.Watson; Walter ...

root, محلفين ''muħlifayn''. In 2016, the

International Astronomical Union The International Astronomical Union (IAU; french: link=yes, Union astronomique internationale, UAI) is a nongovernmental organisation with the objective of advancing astronomy in all aspects, including promoting astronomical research, outreac ...

organized a

Working Group on Star Names The International Astronomical Union (IAU) established a Working Group on Star Names (WGSN) in May 2016 to catalog and standardize proper names for stars for the international astronomical community. It operates under Division C – Education ...

(WGSN) to catalogue and standardize proper names for stars. The WGSN approved the name ''Muliphein'' for this star on 21 August 2016 and it is now so entered in the IAU Catalog of Star Names.

Properties

Gamma Canis Majoris is a blue-white B-type

bright giant A giant star is a star with substantially larger radius and luminosity than a main-sequence (or ''dwarf'') star of the same surface temperature.Giant star, entry in ''Astronomy Encyclopedia'', ed. Patrick Moore, New York: Oxford University Press ...

with a stellar classification of B8II and an

apparent magnitude Apparent magnitude () is a measure of the brightness of a star or other astronomical object observed from Earth. An object's apparent magnitude depends on its intrinsic luminosity, its distance from Earth, and any extinction of the object's ...

of +4.11. It is approximately 440 light-years from

Earth Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only astronomical object known to harbor life. While large volumes of water can be found throughout the Solar System, only Earth sustains liquid surface water. About 71% of Earth's surfa ...

. It is a chemically peculiar Hg–Mg star displaying abnormal lines of mercury and

magnesium Magnesium is a chemical element with the symbol Mg and atomic number 12. It is a shiny gray metal having a low density, low melting point and high chemical reactivity. Like the other alkaline earth metals (group 2 of the periodic ta ...

. This star has 5.6 times the radius of the Sun and the outer atmosphere has an effective temperature of . This star is suspected of being a spectroscopic binary system, and there is a candidate companion at an angular separation of 0.332″ along a

position angle In astronomy, position angle (usually abbreviated PA) is the convention for measuring angles on the sky. The International Astronomical Union defines it as the angle measured relative to the north celestial pole (NCP), turning positive into the ...

of 114.8°. It is a member of the Collinder 121

open cluster An open cluster is a type of star cluster made of up to a few thousand stars that were formed from the same giant molecular cloud and have roughly the same age. More than 1,100 open clusters have been discovered within the Milky Way galaxy, an ...

Modern legacy

Muliphein appears on the

flag of Brazil The national flag of Brazil ( pt, bandeira do Brasil), is a blue disc depicting a starry sky (which includes the Southern Cross) spanned by a curved band inscribed with the national motto "''Ordem e Progresso''" ("Order and Progress"), within a ...

, symbolizing the state of Rondônia. The US Navy cargo ship USS ''Muliphen'' (AKA-61) was named after the star.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gamma Canis Majoris Canis Majoris, Gamma Canis Major B-type bright giants Muliphein Canis Majoris, 23 034045 2657 053244 Durchmusterung objects