Delta Velorum

Delta Velorum (δ Vel, δ Velorum) is a star system in the southern constellation Vela, near the border with Carina. Based on parallax measurements, it is approximately 80.6 light-years (24.7 parsecs) from Earth. This star appears in an asterism with the given name of Koo She, Chinese for 'Bow and Arrows', comprising δ Velorum and ω Velorum.

The south celestial pole will pass close to δ Velorum around 9000 AD because of precession.

Components

Delta Velorum is a triple star system. The outward components A and B have a wide orbit with a 142 year orbital period. The primary component A has an apparent magnitude of 1.99, while the secondary component B is magnitude 5.57, with a combined magnitude measured at 1.96. In 1978 the primary component was reported to be a spectroscopic binary in the Proceeding of the Australian Astronomical observatory, and this was confirmed by the Hipparcos satellite. Observations of variability in the δ Velorum system were made independently by ground-based astronomers and the Galileo spaceprobe at Jupiter.