It has the variable star designation PP Carinae and, at an apparent visual magnitude of +3.3,[5] is readily visible to the naked eye from the southern hemisphere.

From the observed parallax shift of this star as the Earth orbits the Sun, its distance can be estimated as roughly 480 light-years (150 parsecs) with a 6% margin of error.

[1] It is considered to be a member of the open cluster IC 2602 although it lies well outside the core visible group of stars.

[3] The 'ne' suffix indicates it is a rapidly rotating Be star that is surrounded by hot circumstellar gas.

[11] This star is classified as a Gamma Cassiopeiae-type variable and its brightness varies from magnitude +3.22 to +3.55.