In 1983, Christopher Stagg reported that he suspected that HD 153261 is a variable star, and his later observations confirmed that it is in fact variable.[10][11] HD 153261 was given its variable star designation, V828 Arae, in 1987.[12]
This star has been catalogued with a stellar classification of B1 V:ne[4] or B2 IVne,[5] indicating that it is either a main sequence or a subgiant star. The 'n' indicates a nebulous spectrum created by the Doppler shift-broadened absorption lines from a rapid rotation, while the 'e' means this is a Be star, with the spectrum showing emission lines from hot, circumstellar gas. HD 153261 displays some variability with an amplitude of 0.090 in magnitude, and is a suspected spectroscopic binary.[1]
HD 153261 is a large star with over ten[5] times the Sun's mass and around 4.5[7] the radius of the Sun. It shines with more than 11,000[8] times the brightness of the Sun, with this energy being radiated into space at an effective temperature of 21,150 K.[8] At this heat, it glows with the blue-white hue of a B-type star.[13]
^ abcdKozok, J. R. (September 1985), "Photometric observations of emission B-stars in the southern Milky Way", Astronomy and Astrophysics Supplement Series, 61: 387–405, Bibcode:1985A&AS...61..387K.
^ abHouk, Nancy (1978), Michigan catalogue of two-dimensional spectral types for the HD stars, vol. 1, Ann Arbor: Dept. of Astronomy, University of Michigan, Bibcode:1975mcts.book.....H.
^Evans, D. S. (June 20–24, 1966), "The Revision of the General Catalogue of Radial Velocities", in Batten, Alan Henry; Heard, John Frederick (eds.), Determination of Radial Velocities and their Applications, Proceedings from IAU Symposium no. 30, vol. 30, University of Toronto: International Astronomical Union, p. 57, Bibcode:1967IAUS...30...57E.