[ The system is about 360 million years old.[4]]The primary component is a giant star with an apparent magnitude of 2.7 and a stellar classification of G5 III.[4] It is radiating about 107 times the luminosity of the Sun from an expanded atmosphere about 13[15] times the Sun's radius. The mass of this star is 3.3[14] times that of the Sun. In 1998, the Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer space telescope detected a strong flare that released an X-ray emission nearly equal to the output of the entire star. The quiescent X-ray luminosity of Mu Velorum A is about {{nowrap|1.7 × 1030 erg s−1}}.[4]
The fainter companion, Mu Velorum B, is a main sequence star with an apparent magnitude of 6.4[4] and an assigned stellar classification of G2V.[4] However, this classification is suspect. Closer examination of the spectrum suggests the star may actually have a classification of F4V or F5V, which suggests a mass of about 1.5 times the mass of the Sun. Such stars typically do not show a marked level of magnetic activity.[4]
References
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