Epsilon Corvi

Epsilon Corvi
	Location of ε Corvi (circled)
Observation data; Epoch J2000 Equinox ICRS
Constellation	Corvus
Right ascension	12h 10m 07.48058s
Declination	−22° 37′ 11.1620″
Apparent magnitude (V)	+3.024
Characteristics
Evolutionary stage	red giant
Spectral type	K2 III
U−B color index	+1.458
B−V color index	+1.318
Astrometry
Radial velocity (Rv)	+4.9 km/s
Proper motion (μ)	RA: −71.74 mas/yr ; Dec.: +10.25 mas/yr
Parallax (π)	10.26±0.16 mas
Distance	318 ± 5 ly ; (97 ± 2 pc)
Absolute magnitude (MV)	−1.82+0.15; −0.14
Details
Mass	2.97±0.43 M☉
Radius	56.65±2.24 R☉
Luminosity	930±54 L☉
Surface gravity (log g)	1.42±0.10 cgs
Temperature	4,239±57 K
Metallicity [Fe/H]	−0.18±0.10 dex
Rotational velocity (v sin i)	1.0 km/s
Age	590±210 Myr
Other designations
	Minkar, ε Crv, 2 Crv, NSV 5483, BD−21°3487, FK5 453, GC 16618, HD 105707, HIP 59316, HR 4630, SAO 180531, PPM 259949
Database references
SIMBAD	data

Epsilon Corvi is a star in the southern constellation of Corvus. It has the proper name Minkar, pronounced /ˈmɪŋkɑːr/; Epsilon Corvi is its Bayer designation. This star is visible to the naked eye with an apparent visual magnitude of +3.02. Based on parallax measurements, it is located at a distance of 318 light-years (97 parsecs) from Sun.

This is a red giant star with a stellar classification of K2 III, having consumed the hydrogen at its core and evolved away from the main sequence. With about three times the Sun's mass, it has expanded to 57 times the Sun's radius. The photosphere irradiates 930 times more energy than the Sun and has an effective temperature of 4,239 K, giving it an orange hue that is characteristic of a K-type star. It spent much of its life as a main sequence star of spectral type B5V.

Etymology

Epsilon Corvi is a Bayer designation that is Latinized from ε Corvi and abbreviated Epsilon Crv or ε Crv. This star has the traditional name Minkar, pronounced /ˈmɪŋkɑːr/, from the Arabic منقار minqar meaning "beak [of the crow]"

In Chinese, 軫宿 (Zhěn Sù), meaning Chariot (asterism), refers to an asterism consisting of ε Corvi, γ Corvi, δ Corvi and β Corvi. Consequently, ε Corvi itself is known as 軫宿二 (Zhěn Sù èr, English: the Second Star of Chariot.).

References

1 2 3 4 5 6 van Leeuwen, F. (November 2007), "Validation of the new Hipparcos reduction", Astronomy and Astrophysics, 474 (2): 653–664, arXiv:0708.1752, Bibcode:2007A&A...474..653V, doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20078357, S2CID 18759600.
1 2 3 4 Celis S., L. (October 1975), "Photoelectric photometry of late-type variable stars", Astronomy and Astrophysics Supplement Series, 22: 9–17, Bibcode:1975A&AS...22....9C.
1 2 Ayres, Thomas R. (November 1999), "Digging Deeper in the Coronal Graveyard: Postscript", The Astrophysical Journal, 525 (2): 1009–1010, Bibcode:1999ApJ...525.1009A, doi:10.1086/307948.
1 2 Houk, Nancy (1979), Michigan catalogue of two-dimensional spectral types for the HD stars, vol. 4, Ann Arbor, Michigan: Dept. of Astronomy, University of Michigan, Bibcode:1988mcts.book.....H.
↑ Wielen, R.; et al. (1999), "Sixth Catalogue of Fundamental Stars (FK6). Part I. Basic fundamental stars with direct solutions", Veroeffentlichungen des Astronomischen Rechen-Instituts Heidelberg, 35 (35), Astronomisches Rechen-Institut Heidelberg: 1, Bibcode:1999VeARI..35....1W.
↑ Carney, Bruce W.; et al. (March 2008), "Rotation and Macroturbulence in Metal-Poor Field Red Giant and Red Horizontal Branch Stars", The Astronomical Journal, 135 (3): 892–906, arXiv:0711.4984, Bibcode:2008AJ....135..892C, doi:10.1088/0004-6256/135/3/892, S2CID 2756572.
1 2 Reffert, Sabine; et al. (2015-02-01), "Precise radial velocities of giant stars. VII. Occurrence rate of giant extrasolar planets as a function of mass and metallicity", Astronomy and Astrophysics, 574: A116, arXiv:1412.4634, Bibcode:2015A&A...574A.116R, doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201322360, ISSN 0004-6361. Epsilon Corvi's database entry at VizieR.
↑ Melo, C. H. F.; et al. (August 2005), "On the nature of lithium-rich giant stars. Constraints from beryllium abundances", Astronomy and Astrophysics, 439 (1): 227–235, arXiv:astro-ph/0504133, Bibcode:2005A&A...439..227M, doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20041805, S2CID 10580797.
↑ "eps Crv", SIMBAD, Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg, retrieved 2012-01-23
↑ "The Colour of Stars", Australia Telescope, Outreach and Education, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, December 21, 2004, archived from the original on 2012-03-18, retrieved 2012-01-16.
↑ Kaler, James B. (Jim), "Minkar", Stars, University of Illinois, retrieved 12 July 2015.
↑ Al-Sufi, "Constellation: The Crow", Book of Fixed Stars, Library of Congress, retrieved 2026-07-29.
↑ (in Chinese) 中國星座神話, written by 陳久金. Published by 台灣書房出版有限公司, 2005, ISBN 978-986-7332-25-7.
↑ (in Chinese) 香港太空館 - 研究資源 - 亮星中英對照表 Archived January 30, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, Hong Kong Space Museum. Accessed on line November 23, 2010.

[aaa474_2_653-1] 1 2 3 4 5 6 van Leeuwen, F. (November 2007), "Validation of the new Hipparcos reduction", Astronomy and Astrophysics, 474 (2): 653–664, arXiv:0708.1752, Bibcode:2007A&A...474..653V, doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20078357, S2CID 18759600.

[aaass22_9-2] 1 2 3 4 Celis S., L. (October 1975), "Photoelectric photometry of late-type variable stars", Astronomy and Astrophysics Supplement Series, 22: 9–17, Bibcode:1975A&AS...22....9C.

[Ayres_1999-3] 1 2 Ayres, Thomas R. (November 1999), "Digging Deeper in the Coronal Graveyard: Postscript", The Astrophysical Journal, 525 (2): 1009–1010, Bibcode:1999ApJ...525.1009A, doi:10.1086/307948.

[houk1979-4] 1 2 Houk, Nancy (1979), Michigan catalogue of two-dimensional spectral types for the HD stars, vol. 4, Ann Arbor, Michigan: Dept. of Astronomy, University of Michigan, Bibcode:1988mcts.book.....H.

[scfs-5] Wielen, R.; et al. (1999), "Sixth Catalogue of Fundamental Stars (FK6). Part I. Basic fundamental stars with direct solutions", Veroeffentlichungen des Astronomischen Rechen-Instituts Heidelberg, 35 (35), Astronomisches Rechen-Institut Heidelberg: 1, Bibcode:1999VeARI..35....1W.

[aj135_3_892-6] Carney, Bruce W.; et al. (March 2008), "Rotation and Macroturbulence in Metal-Poor Field Red Giant and Red Horizontal Branch Stars", The Astronomical Journal, 135 (3): 892–906, arXiv:0711.4984, Bibcode:2008AJ....135..892C, doi:10.1088/0004-6256/135/3/892, S2CID 2756572.

[Reffert2015-7] 1 2 Reffert, Sabine; et al. (2015-02-01), "Precise radial velocities of giant stars. VII. Occurrence rate of giant extrasolar planets as a function of mass and metallicity", Astronomy and Astrophysics, 574: A116, arXiv:1412.4634, Bibcode:2015A&A...574A.116R, doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201322360, ISSN 0004-6361. Epsilon Corvi's database entry at VizieR.

[aaa439_1_227-8] Melo, C. H. F.; et al. (August 2005), "On the nature of lithium-rich giant stars. Constraints from beryllium abundances", Astronomy and Astrophysics, 439 (1): 227–235, arXiv:astro-ph/0504133, Bibcode:2005A&A...439..227M, doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20041805, S2CID 10580797.

[SIMBAD-9] "eps Crv", SIMBAD, Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg, retrieved 2012-01-23

[csiro-10] "The Colour of Stars", Australia Telescope, Outreach and Education, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, December 21, 2004, archived from the original on 2012-03-18, retrieved 2012-01-16.

[kalereps-11] Kaler, James B. (Jim), "Minkar", Stars, University of Illinois, retrieved 12 July 2015.

[Al-Sufi-12] Al-Sufi, "Constellation: The Crow", Book of Fixed Stars, Library of Congress, retrieved 2026-07-29.

[13] (in Chinese) 中國星座神話, written by 陳久金. Published by 台灣書房出版有限公司, 2005, ISBN 978-986-7332-25-7.

[14] (in Chinese) 香港太空館 - 研究資源 - 亮星中英對照表 Archived January 30, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, Hong Kong Space Museum. Accessed on line November 23, 2010.