Astronomy:KX Andromedae
250px Bipolar jets ejected from KX Andromedae, imaged in emission lines of sulfur, hydrogen, and oxygen | |
| Observation data Equinox J2000.0]] (ICRS) | |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Andromeda |
| Right ascension | 23h 07m 06.21216s[1] |
| Declination | +50° 11′ 32.4886″[1] |
| Apparent magnitude (V) | 6.88 – 7.28 variable[2] |
| Characteristics | |
| Spectral type | B3pe+K1III[3] |
| Apparent magnitude (U) | 6.79[4] |
| Apparent magnitude (B) | 7.25[4] |
| Apparent magnitude (V) | 6.92[4] |
| Apparent magnitude (G) | 6.852[1] |
| Apparent magnitude (J) | 5.845[5] |
| Apparent magnitude (H) | 5.33[4] |
| Apparent magnitude (K) | 5.19[4] |
| Variable type | Be star |
| Astrometry | |
| Radial velocity (Rv) | −7.8±0.9[6] km/s |
| Proper motion (μ) | RA: +1.625(19)[1] mas/yr Dec.: −0.761(17)[1] mas/yr |
| Parallax (π) | 1.3172 ± 0.0207[1] mas |
| Distance | 2,480 ± 40 ly (760 ± 10 pc) |
| Orbit[7] | |
| Period (P) | 38.919 days |
| Eccentricity (e) | 0±0.03 |
| Inclination (i) | 50±5° |
| Periastron epoch (T) | HJD 2423220.25±0.09 |
| Semi-amplitude (K2) (secondary) | 86.2±0.8 km/s |
| Details | |
| Primary | |
| Mass | 9.0±0.1[8] M☉ |
| Age | 22.4±3.1[8] Myr |
| Secondary | |
| Radius | 19±4[7] R☉ |
| Surface gravity (log g) | 2.0±0.5[7] cgs |
| Temperature | 5000±400[7] K |
| Rotational velocity (v sin i) | 25±5[7] km/s |
| Other designations | |
| Database references | |
| SIMBAD | data |
KX Andromedae (often abbreviated to KX And) is a spectroscopic binary star in the constellation Andromeda. Its apparent visual magnitude varies between 6.88 and 7.28.[2] It is at a distance of 2,480 light-years (760 parsecs).[1]

The primary component of the KX Andromedae system is a Be star with a spectral classification B3pe as of 2017,[2] although in historical records it has varied from B1 to B7.[11]
The secondary star is difficult to detect in the spectrum, but has been given a K1III spectral type. It is likely to be an asymptotic giant branch star that fills its Roche lobe, transferring mass to the primary star.[7]
The system is only about 25 million years old. The pair complete a circular orbit every 38.919 days at an inclination of 50°.[7]
KX Andromedae is surrounded by bipolar jets of ejected material, that extend 19 light-years (5.8 parsecs) out from it in each direction (angular size 20′). These faint jets were discovered in hydrogen-alpha emission in 2024 by astronomer Stefan Ziegenbalg. Subsequent studies in other emission lines revealed a more complex structure (see image): the jets were detected only in singly ionized sulfur and hydrogen, while an outer shell is also visible in doubly ionized oxygen. This suggests the presence of different ionization mechanisms. The shell may be visible as a result of shock ionization of the surrounding interstellar medium, whereas the gas within the jets may be ionized by the B3pe component of KX Andromedae, which likely does not emit sufficient energy to doubly ionize oxygen.[12]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 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.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 KX And, database entry, Combined General Catalog of Variable Stars (GCVS5.1, 2017 Ed.), N. N. Samus, O. V. Durlevich, et al., CDS ID II/250 Accessed on line 2018-10-17.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Database entry, Catalogue of Stellar Photometry in Johnson's 11-color system (2002 Ed.), J. R. Ducati, CDS ID II/237 Accessed on line 2018-11-10.
- ↑ Cutri, Roc M.; Skrutskie, Michael F.; Van Dyk, Schuyler D.; Beichman, Charles A.; Carpenter, John M.; Chester, Thomas; Cambresy, Laurent; Evans, Tracey E. et al. (2003). "VizieR Online Data Catalog: 2MASS All-Sky Catalog of Point Sources (Cutri+ 2003)". CDS/ADC Collection of Electronic Catalogues 2246: II/246. Bibcode: 2003yCat.2246....0C. http://vizier.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/VizieR?-source=II/246.
- ↑ Pourbaix, D. et al. (September 2004). "SB9: The ninth catalogue of spectroscopic binary orbits". Astronomy and Astrophysics 424 (2): 727–732. doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20041213. Bibcode: 2004A&A...424..727P.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 Tarasov, A. E.; Berdyugina, S. V.; Berdyugin, A. V. (May 1998). "The massive interacting binary KX And: The orbit and physical parameters of the secondary component". Astronomy Letters 24 (3): 316–320. Bibcode: 1998AstL...24..316T.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Tezlaff, N.; Neuhäuser, R.; Hohle, N. N. (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. Bibcode: 2011MNRAS.410..190T.
- ↑ "/ftp/cats/more/HIP/cdroms/cats". Strasbourg astronomical Data Center. https://cdsarc.cds.unistra.fr/viz-bin/ftp-index?/ftp/cats/more/HIP/cdroms/cats.
- ↑ Koen, Chris; Eyer, Laurent (March 2002). "New periodic variables from the Hipparcos epoch photometry". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 331 (1): 45–59. doi:10.1046/j.1365-8711.2002.05150.x. Bibcode: 2002MNRAS.331...45K.
- ↑ Koubský, P.; Harmanec, P.; Brož, M.; Kotková, L.; Yang, S.; Božić, H.; Sudar, D.; Frémat, Y. et al. (2019). "Properties and nature of Be stars. 31. The binary nature, light variability, physical elements, and emission-line changes of HD 81357". Astronomy and Astrophysics 629. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201834597. Bibcode: 2019A&A...629A.105K.
- ↑ Ziegenbalg, Stefan (November 2024). "Detection of 19 lt-yr Long Bipolar Jets from Interacting Binary KX And". Research Notes of the AAS 8 (11): 289. doi:10.3847/2515-5172/ad9478. Bibcode: 2024RNAAS...8..289Z.
External links
- "The Bipolar Jets of KX Andromedae". 5 December 2025. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap251205.html.
