Alpha Cancri is a star system in the northern constellation of Cancer. Its name is a Bayer designation that is Latinized from α Cancri, and abbreviated Alpha Cnc or α Cnc. The primary component has the proper name Acubens, pronounced . It forms a fourth-magnitude star with an apparent magnitude of 4.20, making it visible to the naked eye under good viewing conditions. Based on parallax measurements, it is located at a distance of from the Sun, but is drifting closer with a radial velocity of −12 km/s.

Properties

The primary component, α Cancri A, has a stellar classification of kA7VmF0/2III/IVSr, indicating an Am star with calcium K-lines similar to an A7 main sequence star and hydrogen lines more like an F0 giant or subgiant star. It is a white A-type main-sequence star with an apparent magnitude of +4.26. The star has 2.10 α Cancri A may itself be a close binary, consisting of two stars with similar brightness and a separation of 0.1 arcsecond, though this is questioned.

The traditional name Acubens (Açubens) is derived from the Arabic , 'the claws'. A second name, Sertan , derives from the Arabic al-saraṭān, 'the crab'. These names were traditionally shared with ι Cancri, which marks the crab's other claw. The International Astronomical Union's Working Group on Star Names (WGSN) chose Acubens as the proper name for the primary component α Cancri A.

In modern culture

USS Acubens (AKS-5) was a United States Navy ship.

References

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