An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics

A → semiregular variable with a period of 141 days. It has a → spectral type of M5 III corresponding to an → effective temperature of ~ 3500 K. It has a radial velocity relative to the → Local Standard of Rest of 33.3 km s^-1. At a distance of 64 → parsecs,
L₂ Pup is the second nearest → asymptotic giant branch (AGB) star next to R Doradus; it is ~ 30% closer than → Mira. Recent → near-infrared JHKL band observations by Kervella et al. (2014, 2015) show a compact dust disk around the central star, with an inner rim of 6 → astronomical units and an outer edge of 13 au, at an inclination of approximately 82°.

The → circumstellar environment of L₂ Pup was observed with → ALMA. The → molecular emission shows a → differentially rotating disk, inclined to a nearly edge-on position (Homan et al., 2017, A&A 601, A5 and references therein).

See also: Star name in the → Bayer designation scheme; → Puppis.