Astronomy:HD 120987

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Short description: Binary star system in the constellation Centaurus
HD 120987
Observation data
Equinox J2000.0]] (ICRS)
Constellation Centaurus
Right ascension  13h 53m 32.76039s[1]
Declination −35° 39′ 51.3200″[1]
Apparent magnitude (V) 5.565[2]
(6.27 / 6.38)[3]
Characteristics
Spectral type F4V (F0V + F1V)[4]
U−B color index -0.03[5]
B−V color index +0.44[5]
Astrometry
Radial velocity (Rv)-8.00 ± 7.40[6] km/s
Proper motion (μ) RA: -83.39[1] mas/yr
Dec.: -25.36[1] mas/yr
Parallax (π)19.13 ± 0.93[1] mas
Distance170 ± 8 ly
(52 ± 3 pc)
Orbit[3]
Period (P)373.0 yr
Semi-major axis (a)1.519″
Eccentricity (e)0.775
Inclination (i)74.2°
Longitude of the node (Ω)112.3°
Periastron epoch (T)B 1958.57
Argument of periastron (ω)
(secondary)
90.7°
Details
HD 120987 A
Mass1.56[7] M
HD 120987 B
Mass1.53[7] M
Other designations
CD−35° 9090, HD 120987, HIP 67819, HR 5222, SAO 204955[2]
Database references
SIMBADdata

HD 120987 (y Centauri or y Cen) is a star system located in the constellation Centaurus. HD 120987 is a quintuple star system located 50 pc (163 light years) from the Sun. The system has an apparent magnitude of 5.565.[2] Based on the system's parallax, it is located some 172 light-years (52 parsecs) away.[1]

HD 120987 appears to be a single F-type star with the spectral classification F4V, but closer inspection reveals it to be two similar F-type main-sequence stars with spectral classifications of F0V and F1V, respectively.[4] The two orbit each other every 373 years, and are separated by 1.519 arcseconds while taking a very eccentric orbit.[3]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 van Leeuwen, F. (2007). "Validation of the new Hipparcos reduction". Astronomy and Astrophysics 474 (2): 653–664. doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20078357. Bibcode2007A&A...474..653V. http://www.aanda.org/index.php?option=com_article&access=bibcode&Itemid=129&bibcode=2007A%2526A...474..653VFUL. 
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 "* y Cen". SIMBAD. Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg. http://simbad.u-strasbg.fr/simbad/sim-basic?Ident=%2A+y+Cen. 
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 "Sixth Catalog of Orbits of Visual Binary Stars". United States Naval Observatory. http://www.usno.navy.mil/USNO/astrometry/optical-IR-prod/wds/orb6. 
  4. 4.0 4.1 Cvetkovic, Z.; Ninkovic, S. (2010). "On the Component Masses of Visual Binaries". Serbian Astronomical Journal 180 (180): 71. doi:10.2298/SAJ1080071C. Bibcode2010SerAJ.180...71C. 
  5. 5.0 5.1 Cousins, A. W. J.; Lagerweij, H. C. (1970). "Comparison Stars for Long Period Variables and RY Sagittarii". Monthly Notes of the Astron. Soc. Southern Africa 29 (7). Bibcode1970MNSSA..29....7C. 
  6. Kharchenko, N. V. (2007). "Astrophysical supplements to the ASCC-2.5: Ia. Radial velocities of ~55000 stars and mean radial velocities of 516 Galactic open clusters and associations". Astronomische Nachrichten 328 (9): 889. doi:10.1002/asna.200710776. Bibcode2007AN....328..889K. 
  7. 7.0 7.1 Tokovinin, Andrei (2014). "From Binaries to Multiples. II. Hierarchical Multiplicity of F and G Dwarfs". The Astronomical Journal 147 (4): 87. doi:10.1088/0004-6256/147/4/87. Bibcode2014AJ....147...87T.