Astronomy:Mu Velorum

From HandWiki
Short description: Binary star in the constellation Velorum
μ Velorum
Vela constellation map.svg
Red circle.svg
Location of μ Velorum (circled)
Observation data
Equinox J2000.0]] (ICRS)
Constellation Vela
Right ascension  10h 46m 46.17877s[1]
Declination –49° 25′ 12.9244″[1]
Apparent magnitude (V) 2.69[2] (2.7 + 6.4)[3]
Characteristics
Spectral type G5III + G2V[3]
U−B color index +0.57[2]
B−V color index +0.90[2]
Astrometry
Radial velocity (Rv)+6.2[4] km/s
Proper motion (μ) RA: +63.22[1] mas/yr
Dec.: –54.21[1] mas/yr
Parallax (π)29.0506 ± 0.2991[5] mas
Distance112 ± 1 ly
(34.4 ± 0.4 pc)
Absolute magnitude (MV)−0.06[6]
Orbit[7]
Period (P)138 yr
Semi-major axis (a)1.427″
Eccentricity (e)0.84
Inclination (i)57.0°
Longitude of the node (Ω)59.1°
Periastron epoch (T)1951.1
Argument of periastron (ω)
(secondary)
178.0°
Details
μ Vel A
Mass3.30[8] M
Radius13[9] R
Luminosity107[3] L
Surface gravity (log g)2.75[8] cgs
Temperature5,047[8] K
Rotational velocity (v sin i)6.4[8] km/s
Age360[3] Myr
Other designations
CD−48°5913, HD 93497, HIP 52727, HR 4216, SAO 222321.[10]
Database references
SIMBADdata

Mu Velorum (μ Vel, μ Velorum) is a binary star system in the southern constellation Vela. The two stars orbit each other with a semi-major axis of 1.437 arcseconds and a period of 116.24 years.[11] (Wulff-Dieter Heintz (1986) lists a period of 138 years with his orbital elements.)[7] The pair have a combined apparent visual magnitude of 2.69,[2] making the system readily visible to the naked eye. From parallax measurements, the distance to this system is estimated to be 117 light-years (36 parsecs).[1] The system is about 360 million years old.[3]

The primary component is a giant star with an apparent magnitude of 2.7 and a stellar classification of G5 III.[3] It is radiating about 107 times the luminosity of the Sun from an expanded atmosphere about 13[9] times the Sun's radius. The mass of this star is 3.3[8] times that of the Sun. In 1998, the Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer space telescope detected a strong flare that released an X-ray emission nearly equal to the output of the entire star. The quiescent X-ray luminosity of Mu Velorum A is about 1.7 × 1030 erg s−1.[3]

The fainter companion, Mu Velorum B, is a main sequence star with an apparent magnitude of 6.4[3] and an assigned stellar classification of G2V.[3] However, this classification is suspect. Closer examination of the spectrum suggests the star may actually have a classification of F4V or F5V, which suggests a mass of about 1.5 times the mass of the Sun. Such stars typically do not show a marked level of magnetic activity.[3]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 van Leeuwen, F. (November 2007), "Validation of the new Hipparcos reduction", Astronomy and Astrophysics 474 (2): 653–664, doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20078357, Bibcode2007A&A...474..653V. 
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Johnson, H. L. et al. (1966), "UBVRIJKL photometry of the bright stars", Communications of the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory 4 (99): 99, Bibcode1966CoLPL...4...99J. 
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 3.9 Ayres, Thomas R.; Osten, Rachel A.; Brown, Alexander (November 1999), "The Rise and Fall of μ Velorum: A Remarkable Flare on a Yellow Giant Star Observed with the Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer", The Astrophysical Journal 526 (1): 445–450, doi:10.1086/308001, Bibcode1999ApJ...526..445A. 
  4. Evans, D. S. (June 20–24, 1966), "The Revision of the General Catalogue of Radial Velocities", in Batten, Alan Henry; Heard, John Frederick, Determination of Radial Velocities and their Applications, Proceedings from IAU Symposium no. 30, 30, University of Toronto: International Astronomical Union, p. 57, Bibcode1967IAUS...30...57E. 
  5. Brown, A. G. A. (2021). "Gaia Early Data Release 3: Summary of the contents and survey properties". Astronomy & Astrophysics 649: A1. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202039657. Bibcode2021A&A...649A...1G.  Gaia EDR3 record for this source at VizieR.
  6. Cardini, D. (January 2005), "Mg II chromospheric radiative loss rates in cool active and quiet stars", Astronomy and Astrophysics 430: 303–311, doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20041440, Bibcode2005A&A...430..303C. 
  7. 7.0 7.1 Heintz, W. D. (April 1986), "Orbits of 20 visual binaries", Astronomy and Astrophysics Supplement Series 64 (1): 1–7, Bibcode1986A&AS...64....1H.  Listed as Ru 155.
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 Mallik, Sushma V.; Parthasarathy, M.; Pati, A. K. (October 2003), "Lithium and rotation in F and G dwarfs and subgiants", Astronomy and Astrophysics 409: 251–261, doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20031084, Bibcode2003A&A...409..251M. 
  9. 9.0 9.1 Mullan, D. J. et al. (May 2006), "A Comparative Study of Flaring Loops in Active Stars", The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series 164 (1): 173–201, doi:10.1086/502629, Bibcode2006ApJS..164..173M, http://scholarworks.csun.edu/bitstream/10211.3/172064/1/mullan-etal-comparative-2006.pdf. 
  10. "CCDM J10468-4925AB -- Double or multiple star", SIMBAD (Centre de Données astronomiques de Strasbourg), http://simbad.u-strasbg.fr/simbad/sim-id?Ident=HD+93497, retrieved 2012-02-03. 
  11. Hoffleit, D.; Warren, W. H., Jr. (1987), "The Bright Star Catalogue", Astronomical Data Center Bulletin 1 (4): 285–294, Bibcode1987ADCBu...1..285H.