GQ Lupi

**GQ Lupi**
Observation data Epoch J2000.0
Constellation (pronunciation)	Lupus
Right ascension	15^h 49^m 12.14^s
Declination	-35° 39' 03.9"
Apparent magnitude (V)	+11.4
Characteristics
Spectral type	K7V
U-B color index	?
B-V color index	?
Variable type	T Tauri variable
Astrometry
Radial velocity (R_v)	? km/s
Proper motion (μ)	RA: ? mas/yr Dec.: ? mas/yr
Parallax (π)	? ± ? mas
Distance	400 ly (123 pc)
Absolute magnitude (M_V)	?
Details
Mass	0.7 M_☉
Radius	1.57 R_☉
Luminosity	? L_☉
Temperature	4350 K
Metallicity	?
Rotation	?
Age	<2 Million years
Other designations
CD-35°10525

GQ Lupi is a variable orange dwarf star approximately 400 light-years away in the constellation of Lupus. The star is young and about about 70% of the Sun's mass. As of 2005, an object was directly imaged orbiting the star. Whether the object is an extrasolar planet or a brown dwarf is not yet clear and is debatable.

[edit] Possible planetary system

At its discovery in 2005, it was believed that GQ Lupi b was to be the first extrasolar planet to be directly imaged, although 2M1207b may also claim that distinction (and neither may be planets). The image was made with the VLT telescope at Paranal Observatory, Chile in April 2005. As of May 2005, the International Astronomical Union describes GQ Lupi b as a "possible planetary-mass companion to a young star."