Iota Canis Majoris is a massive blue-white B-type supergiant with a stellar classification of B3 Ib.[4] It has been classified as a Beta Cephei typevariable star,[3] but the supergiant spectral type and a period of over a day mean it is no longer considered to be of that type.[2] This star is 15.8[10] million years old and is spinning with a projected rotational velocity of 30 km/s. It has 14 times more mass and 32 times the radius of the Sun. Iota Canis Majoris is radiating 52,000 times the luminosity of the Sun from its photosphere at an effective temperature of 15,600 K.[7]
The star displays a bow shock feature from its interaction with the interstellar medium, but this nebulosity is not aligned with the star's motion through the galaxy.[12]
^ abcSamus, N. N.; Durlevich, O. V.; et al. (2009). "VizieR Online Data Catalog: General Catalogue of Variable Stars (Samus+ 2007-2013)". VizieR On-line Data Catalog: B/GCVS. Originally Published in: 2009yCat....102025S. 1: 02025. Bibcode:2009yCat....102025S.
^Houk, Nancy; Smith-Moore, M. (1978). Michigan catalogue of two-dimensional spectral types for the HD stars. Vol. 4. Ann Arbor: Dept. of Astronomy, University of Michigan. Bibcode:1988mcts.book.....H.
^ abMermilliod, J.-C. (1986). "Compilation of Eggen's UBV data, transformed to UBV (unpublished)". Catalogue of Eggen's UBV Data. Bibcode:1986EgUBV........0M.