Editing Rigel (section)

{{short description|Brightest star in the constellation Orion}}
{{other uses}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}
{{Starbox begin
| name = Rigel
}}
{{Starbox image
 | image =
  {{Location mark
  | image = Orion constellation map.svg | width = 280
  | float = center
  | mark = Red circle.svg | mark_width = 15 | mark_link = β Ori
  | x = 730 | y = 742
  }}
 | caption = Location of Rigel (circled)
}}
{{Starbox observe 2s
| epoch = J2000.0
| constell = [[Orion (constellation)|Orion]]
| pronounce = {{IPAc-en|ˈ|r|aɪ|dʒ|əl}}<ref name=Kunitzsch/> or {{IPAc-en|-|g|əl}}<ref name=ddc/>
| component1 = A
| ra1 = {{RA|05|14|32.27210}}<ref name=aaa474_2_653/>
| dec1 = {{DEC|−08|12|05.8981}}<ref name=aaa474_2_653/>
| appmag_v1 = 0.13<ref name=ducati/> {{nowrap|(0.05–0.18)<ref name=guinan/>}}
| component2 = BC
| ra2 = {{RA|05|14|32.049}}<ref name=DENIS/>
| dec2 = {{DEC|−08|12|14.78}}<ref name=DENIS/>
| appmag_v2 = 6.67<ref name=sanford/> {{nowrap|(7.5/7.6)<ref name=WDS/>}}
}}
{{Starbox character
| component1 = A
| type=[[Blue supergiant star|Blue supergiant]]
| class = B8 Ia<ref name=aaa445_3_1099/>
| b-v = −0.03<ref name=aass34_1/>
| u-b = −0.66<ref name=aass34_1/>
| variable = [[Alpha Cygni variable|Alpha Cygni]]<ref name=apj2012_749_74/>
| component2 = BC
| type2=[[Main sequence]]
| class2 = B9V + B9V<ref name=msc/>
}}
{{Starbox astrometry
| component1        = A
| radial_v          = {{val|17.8|0.4}}<ref name=Gontcharov/>
| prop_mo_ra        = +1.31<ref name=aaa474_2_653/>
| prop_mo_dec       = +0.50<ref name=aaa474_2_653/>
| parallax          = 3.78
| p_error           = 0.34
| parallax_footnote = <ref name=aaa474_2_653/>
| dist_pc = {{Val|260|20}}
| dist_ly = {{val|848|65}}
| dist_footnote = <ref name=deAlmeida/>
| absmag_v          = −7.84<ref name=aaa445_3_1099/>
}}
{{Starbox astrometry|no_heading=y
| component1         = BC
| radial_v           = {{val|17.8|0.4}}<ref name=Gontcharov/>
| prop_mo_ra         = −0.034<ref name="Gaia3"/>
| prop_mo_dec        = −0.017<ref name="Gaia3"/>
| parallax           = 3.2352
| p_error            = 0.0553
| parallax_footnote  = <ref name="Gaia3"/>
| absmag_v2          =
}}
{{Starbox orbit
| reference =<ref name=msc/>
| name=BC
| primary=A
| period=24,000
}}
{{Starbox orbit
| reference =<ref name=sanford/>
| primary = Ba
| name = Bb
| period_unitless = 9.860 days
| eccentricity = 0.1
| k1 = 25.0
| k2 = 32.6
}}
{{Starbox orbit
|reference =<ref name=msc/>
|primary=B
|name=C
|period=63
}}
{{Starbox detail
| component1 = A
| age_myr               = {{val|8|1}}<ref name=aaa445_3_1099/>
| metal_fe              = {{val|-0.06|0.10}}<ref name=aaa445_3_1099/>
| mass                  = {{val|21|3}}<ref name=schultz/>
| radius                = {{val|74.1|6.1|7.3}}<ref name=baines/>
| rotational_velocity   = {{val|25|3}}<ref name=przybilla/>
| luminosity_bolometric = {{val|120000|25000|21000|fmt=commas}}<ref name=apj2012_747_108/>
| temperature           = {{val|12100|150|fmt=commas}}<ref name=przybilla/>
| gravity               = {{val|1.75|0.10}}<ref name=przybilla/>
}}
{{Starbox detail
|no_heading=y
| component1 = Ba
| mass                  = 3.84<ref name=msc/>
| component2 = Bb
| mass2                 = 2.94<ref name=msc/>
}}
{{Starbox detail
|no_heading=y
| component1 = C
| mass                  = 3.84<ref name=msc/>
}}
{{Starbox catalog
| names = [[Bayer designation|β Orionis]], [[Aitken Double Star Catalogue|ADS]]{{spaces}}3823, [[Struve Double Star Catalog|STF]]{{spaces}}668, [[Burnham Double Star Catalogue|BU]]{{spaces}}555,<ref name=WDS/> [[Herschel Catalogue of Double Stars|H{{spaces}}II]]{{spaces}}33,<ref name="Herschel1782"/> [[Catalog of Components of Double and Multiple Stars|CCDM]]{{spaces}}J05145-0812, [[Washington Double Star Catalog|WDS]]{{spaces}}J05145-0812<ref name="simbad"/>
| component1 = A
| names1 = Rigel, Algebar, Elgebar, [[Flamsteed designation|19 Orionis]], [[Henry Draper catalogue|HD]]{{spaces}}34085, [[Harvard Revised catalogue|HR]]{{spaces}}1713, [[Hipparcos Catalogue|HIP]]{{spaces}}24436, [[Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory Star Catalog|SAO]]{{spaces}}131907, [[Bonner Durchmusterung|BD]]−08°1063, [[Catalogues of Fundamental Stars|FK5]]{{spaces}}194
| component2 = B
| names2 = Rigel B, [[General Catalogue of Stellar Radial Velocities|GCRV]]{{spaces}}3111
}}
{{Starbox reference
| Simbad = RIGEL|sn=Rigel
| Simbad2 = bet+Ori+B|sn2=Rigel B
}}
{{Starbox end}}

'''Rigel''' is a blue [[supergiant]] star in the [[constellation]] of [[Orion (constellation)|Orion]]. It has the [[Bayer designation]] '''β Orionis''', which is [[Latinisation of names|Latinized]] to '''Beta Orionis''' and abbreviated '''Beta Ori''' or '''β Ori'''. Rigel is the brightest and most [[Massive star|massive]] component{{snd}}and the [[:wikt:eponym|eponym]]{{snd}}of a [[star system]] of at least four [[star]]s that appear as a single blue-white point of light to the [[naked eye]]. This system is located at a distance of approximately {{convert|850|ly|pc|sigfig=2|lk=on}}.

A star of [[Stellar classification#Modern classification|spectral type]] B8Ia, Rigel is calculated to be anywhere from 61,500 to 363,000 times [[Solar luminosity|as luminous]] as the Sun, and 18 to 24 times [[solar mass|as massive]], depending on the method and assumptions used. Its radius is more than seventy times [[Solar radius|that of the Sun]], and its [[Surface temperature (star)|surface temperature]] is {{val|12,100|ul=K|fmt=commas}}. Due to its [[stellar wind]], Rigel's [[Stellar mass loss|mass-loss]] is estimated to be ten million times that of the Sun. With an estimated age of seven to nine million years, Rigel has exhausted its core hydrogen fuel, expanded, and cooled to become a [[Supergiant star|supergiant]]. It is expected to end its life as a [[type II supernova|type{{spaces}}II]] [[supernova]], leaving a [[neutron star]] or a [[black hole]] as a final remnant, depending on the initial mass of the star.

Rigel varies slightly in brightness, its [[apparent magnitude]] ranging from 0.05 to 0.18. It is classified as an [[Alpha Cygni variable]] due to the amplitude and periodicity of its brightness variation, as well as its spectral type. Its [[Variable star#Intrinsic variable stars|intrinsic variability]] is caused by pulsations in its unstable atmosphere. Rigel is generally the [[list of brightest stars|seventh-brightest star]] in the [[night sky]] and the brightest star in Orion, though it is occasionally outshone by [[Betelgeuse]], which varies over a larger range.

A triple-star system is separated from Rigel by an angle of {{val|9.5|ul=arc seconds}}. It has an apparent magnitude of 6.7, making it 1/400th as bright as Rigel. Two stars in the system can be seen by large telescopes, and the brighter of the two is a [[spectroscopic binary]]. These three stars are all [[B-type main-sequence star|blue-white main-sequence stars]], each three to four times as massive as the Sun. Rigel and the triple system orbit a common center of gravity with a period estimated to be 24,000 years. The inner stars of the triple system orbit each other every 10 days, and the outer star orbits the inner pair every 63 years. A much fainter star, separated from Rigel and the others by nearly an [[arc minute]], may be part of the same star system.