It is known also as Muliphen,[8][11] although at least two more stars are known with this name: Gamma Canis Majoris (often spelled as Muliphein) and Gamma Centauri (often spelled as Muhlifain).[11]
This is an A-type main sequence star with a stellar classification of A0 V.[3] Gray et al. (2003) lists a classification of A1VnkA0mA0,[4] indicating it is of type A1 V with the calcium K-line and metallic lines of an A0 star. It is approximately 184[7] million years old and is spinning rapidly with a projected rotational velocity of 220 km/s.[7] Gamma Ophiuchi has nearly three times the mass of the Sun and 1.8 times the Sun's radius.[6] The star shines with 29[3] times the luminosity of the Sun, which is being emitted from its outer atmosphere at an effective temperature of 9506 K.[3] It is radiating an excess emission of infrared, suggesting the presence of a circumstellar disk of dust at an orbital radius of 64 AU from the host star.[3]
^ abcdCousins, A. W. J. (1984), "Standardisation of broad band photometry of equatorial standards", South Africa Astronomical Observatory Circular, 8: 59–67, Bibcode:1984SAAOC...8...59C.
^ abcGray, R. O.; Corbally, C. J.; Garrison, R. F.; McFadden, M. T.; Bubar, E. J.; McGahee, C. E.; O'Donoghue, A. A.; Knox, E. R. (2006). "Contributions to the Nearby Stars (NStars) Project: Spectroscopy of Stars Earlier than M0 within 40 pc--The Southern Sample". The Astronomical Journal. 132 (1): 161–170. arXiv:astro-ph/0603770. Bibcode:2006AJ....132..161G. doi:10.1086/504637. S2CID119476992.
^ abMalagnini, M. L.; Morossi, C. (November 1990), "Accurate absolute luminosities, effective temperatures, radii, masses and surface gravities for a selected sample of field stars", Astronomy and Astrophysics Supplement Series, 85 (3): 1015–1019, Bibcode:1990A&AS...85.1015M