Astronomy:Chi Centauri

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Short description: Star in the constellation Centaurus
χ Centauri
Location of χ Centauri (circled in red)
Observation data
Equinox J2000.0]] (ICRS)
Constellation Centaurus
Right ascension  14h 06m 02.768s[1]
Declination −41° 10′ 46.68″[1]
Apparent magnitude (V) +4.353±0.007[2]
Characteristics
Evolutionary stage main sequence
Spectral type B2 V[3]
U−B color index −0.774±0.013[2]
B−V color index −0.195±0.006[2]
Variable type β Cep[4]
Astrometry
Radial velocity (Rv)+12[5] km/s
Proper motion (μ) RA: −23.764[1] mas/yr
Dec.: −20.041[1] mas/yr
Parallax (π)6.4882 ± 0.2164[1] mas
Distance500 ± 20 ly
(154 ± 5 pc)
Absolute magnitude (MV)−1.50±0.14[6]
Details[6]
Mass7.1±0.2 M
Radius3.5±0.3 R
Luminosity2,090+310
−270
 L
Surface gravity (log g)4.22±0.05 cgs
Temperature20,800±300 K
Rotational velocity (v sin i)18±1[2] km/s
Age12+4
−5
 Myr
Other designations
χ Cen, CD−40°8405, GC 19017, HD 122980, HIP 68862, HR 5285, SAO 224673[7]
Database references
SIMBADdata

Chi Centauri is a blue-white star in the southern constellation of Centaurus. Its name is a Bayer designation that is Latinized from χ Centauri, and abbreviated Chi Cen or χ Cen. This star is visible to the naked eye with an apparent visual magnitude that varies around +4.35.[2] Based on parallax measurements, it is located at a distance of approximately 500 light years from the Earth. The star is drifting further away with a line of sight velocity component of +12 km/s.[5]

A light curve for Chi Centauri, plotted from TESS data.[8]

χ Centauri has a stellar classification of B2 V,[3] presenting as a young B-type main-sequence star. It is classified as a Beta Cephei type variable star and its brightness varies by 0.02 magnitudes with a period of 50.40 minutes. At the age of around 12 million years, it has 7.1 times the mass of the Sun and 3.5 times the Sun's radius. This star is radiating 2,090 times the luminosity of the Sun from its photosphere at an effective temperature of 20,800 K.[6]

This star is a proper motion member of the Upper Centaurus–Lupus sub-group in the Scorpius–Centaurus OB association, the nearest such co-moving association of massive stars to the Sun.[9]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Vallenari, A. et al. (2022). "Gaia Data Release 3. Summary of the content and survey properties". Astronomy & Astrophysics. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202243940  Gaia DR3 record for this source at VizieR.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Nieva, M.-F. (February 2013). "Temperature, gravity, and bolometric correction scales for non-supergiant OB stars". Astronomy & Astrophysics 550: A26. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201219677. Bibcode2013A&A...550A..26N. 
  3. 3.0 3.1 Tetzlaff, N. et al. (January 2011). "A catalogue of young runaway Hipparcos stars within 3 kpc from the Sun". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 410 (1): 190–200. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2010.17434.x. Bibcode2011MNRAS.410..190T. 
  4. Samus, N. N. et al. (2009). "General Catalogue of Variable Stars (Samus+ 2007-2013)". VizieR On-line Data Catalog: B/GCVS. Originally Published in: 2009yCat....102025S 1. Bibcode2009yCat....102025S. 
  5. 5.0 5.1 Wilson, R. E. (1953). General Catalogue of Stellar Radial Velocities. Carnegie Institute of Washington D.C.. Bibcode1953GCRV..C......0W. 
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 Nieva, María-Fernanda; Przybilla, Norbert (2014). "Fundamental properties of nearby single early B-type stars". Astronomy & Astrophysics 566: A7. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201423373. Bibcode2014A&A...566A...7N. 
  7. "chi Cen". SIMBAD. Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg. http://simbad.u-strasbg.fr/simbad/sim-basic?Ident=chi+Cen. 
  8. "MAST: Barbara A. Mikulski Archive for Space Telescopes". Space Telescope Science Institute. https://mast.stsci.edu/portal/Mashup/Clients/Mast/Portal.html. 
  9. de Geus, E. J. et al. (June 1989). "Physical parameters of stars in the Scorpio-Centaurus OB association". Astronomy and Astrophysics 216 (1–2): 44–61. Bibcode1989A&A...216...44D.