Alpha Phoenicis

Ankaa is the proper name of the star α Phoenicis ( Alpha Phoenicis, short α Phe). Instead of a phoenix ' saw medieval Arab astronomers in the constellation of a small boat and gave Ankaa therefore the proper name Nair al - Zaurak, ie the beam end of the boat. Ankaa is a spectroscopic binary with an orbital period of 3849 days. Ankaa is with an apparent magnitude of 2.4 like the brightest star in Phoenix and belongs to the spectral class K0 III to. The distance of the star from Earth is 77 light-years. He will repel in astronomical standards relatively " short " time its outer shell as a planetary nebula and a white dwarf.