The distance to this star can be measured directly using the parallax technique, yielding an estimated 545 light-years (167 parsecs) from the Sun.

[11] In Chinese astronomy, Suhail is called 天記 (Pinyin: Tiānjì), meaning Judge for Estimating the Age of Animals, because this star is marking itself and stands alone in the Judge for Estimating the Age of Animals asterism.

The outer envelope of λ Velorum has an effective temperature of about 3,835 K,[7] giving it the cool orange hue of a K-type star.

[16] It is an Lc-type, slow irregular variable star with its brightness varying between apparent magnitudes +2.14 to +2.30.

The star's outer envelope has expanded to form a deep, convective, hydrogen-burning layer that is generating a magnetic field.