The object has been given many different classes. Houk & Cowley (1975) gave a class of A8/9 III/IV,[18] indicating that it is an evolvedA-type star with the characteristics of an A8 and A9 star and the blended luminosity class of a giant star and a subgiant. It has also been given a class of A8 IV and A5 III,[4][19] indicating either a slightly evolved subgiant or an evolved giant star. Kappa Doradus has 1.78 times the mass of the Sun[8] and 2.88 times the radius of the Sun.[9] However, this is only its polar radius, as it has an equatorial bulge 26% greater than its polar radius.[20] It radiates 26.6 times the luminosity of the Sun[10] from its photosphere at an effective temperature of 7,623 K.[11] Kappa Doradus is metal deficient with an iron abundance 66.1% of the Sun's or [Fe/H] = −0.18.[12] Like many hot stars it spins rapidly, having a projected rotational velocity of 230 km/s,[13] which causes the aforementioned oblation.[20]
Kappa Doradus variability was first observed in 1981 by astronomer H. M. Matizen.[21] In the paper, it is used as a comparison star for Alpha Doradus. Matizen found out that Kappa Doradus show Delta Scuti-like amplitudes of 0.03 magnitudes in the visual passband within hours.[3] As of 2004 however, it has not been confirmed to be variable.[22]
^Lake, R. (1965). "Photometric Magnitudes and Colours for Bright Southern Stars (Sixth List)". Monthly Notes of the Astronomical Society of South Africa. 24: 41. Bibcode:1965MNSSA..24...41L. ISSN0024-8266.
^ abcAllende Prieto, C.; Lambert, D. L. (December 1999). "Fundamental parameters of nearby stars from the comparison with evolutionary calculations: masses, radii and effective temperatures". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 352: 555–562. arXiv:astro-ph/9911002. Bibcode:1999A&A...352..555A. ISSN0004-6361. S2CID13365201.
^Gould, Benjamin Apthorp (1878). "Uranometria Argentina : brillantez y posicion de las estrellas fijas, hasta la septima magnitud, comprendidas dentro de cien grados del polo austral : con atlas". Resultados del Observatorio Nacional Argentino. 1. Bibcode:1879RNAO....1.....G.
^Houk, N.; Cowley, A. P. (1975). University of Michigan Catalogue of two-dimensional spectral types for the HD stars: Declinations −90° to −53°. Vol. 1. Bibcode:1975mcts.book.....H.
^Maitzen, H. M. (April 1981). "Variability of the Extreme Silicon Star alpha Dor = HD 29305". Information Bulletin on Variable Stars. 1950: 1. Bibcode:1981IBVS.1950....1M. ISSN0374-0676.
^Samus, N. N.; Durlevich, O. V. (November 2004). "VizieR Online Data Catalog: Combined General Catalogue of Variable Stars (Samus+ 2004)". VizieR Online Data Catalog: II/250. Bibcode:2004yCat.2250....0S.