Astronomy:WR 119

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Short description: Star in the constellation Scutum
WR 119
Observation data
Equinox J2000.0]] (ICRS)
Constellation Scutum
Right ascension  18h 39m 17.904s[1]
Declination −10° 50′ 30.90″[1]
Apparent magnitude (V) 12.06[2]
Characteristics
Evolutionary stage Wolf-Rayet
Spectral type WC9d[3]
B−V color index +0.93[2]
Astrometry
Proper motion (μ) RA: −1.223[1] mas/yr
Dec.: −5.285[1] mas/yr
Parallax (π)0.2098 ± 0.0155[1] mas
Distance3,220+1,240
−730
[4] pc
Absolute magnitude (MV)−3.91[3]
Details
Mass5.8[3] M
Radius3.7[3] R
Luminosity50,100[3] L
Temperature45,000[3] K
Other designations
WR 119, 2MASS J18391789-1005309
Database references
SIMBADdata

WR 119 is a Wolf–Rayet star located about 10,500 light years away in the constellation Scutum. WR 119 is classified as a WC9 star, belonging to the late-type carbon sequence of Wolf-Rayet stars. WR 119 is noteworthy for being the least luminous known Wolf-Rayet star, at just over 50,000 L.[3] The most recent estimate is even lower, at just 42,700 L, based on the most recent analysis using Gaia DR2 data.[4]

Properties

WR 119's properties are on the very edge of what may be possible for Wolf-Rayet stars, due to being so extremely dim. Modelling its spectrum using PoWR gives a temperature of 45,000 K. Factoring in the distance used in that study of 3,500 pc, WR 119's luminosity is only 50,100 L, derived from Gaia DR2's parallax data. The corresponding radius is only 3.7 R, the smallest of the WC9 stars, less than half the size of the average WC9 star. WR 119's luminosity is also just 20% that of the average WC9 star's luminosity. The corresponding mass is just 5.8 M, the lowest mass for any Wolf-Rayet star derived using a mass-luminosity relation.[3]

In the visual wavelength, the star is also the dimmest of the WC9 stars (and anything later than WC4 in the study), with a visual luminosity of just 3,130 L☉[3] because most of the 50,100 L is emitted at ultraviolet wavelengths due to WR 119's very high surface temperature.

WR 119 has a strong stellar wind, typical of Wolf-Rayet stars, but weaker than most WC stars. WR 119 loses 10-5.13 M☉ (about 7.41×10−6 M) per year because of this stellar wind, which has a terminal velocity of 1,300 kilometres per second. WR 119 also emits a lot of dust, hence the "d" at the end of its spectral type,[3] which may be an indication of binary status.

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 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 Jayasinghe, T; Kochanek, C S; Stanek, K Z; Shappee, B J; Holoien, T W-S; Thompson, Toda A; Prieto, J L; Dong, Subo et al. (1 July 2018). "The ASAS-SN catalogue of variable stars I: The Serendipitous Survey". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 477 (3): 3145–3163. doi:10.1093/mnras/sty838. ISSN 0035-8711. Bibcode2018MNRAS.477.3145J. 
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 3.9 Sander, A. A. C.; Hamann, W.-R.; Todt, H.; Hainich, R.; Shenar, T.; Ramachandran, V.; Oskinova, L. M. (2019-01-01). "The Galactic WC and WO stars. The impact of revised distances from Gaia DR2 and their role as massive black hole progenitors". Astronomy and Astrophysics 621: A92. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201833712. ISSN 0004-6361. Bibcode2019A&A...621A..92S. 
  4. 4.0 4.1 Crowther, Paul A.; Rate, Gemma (2020). "Unlocking Galactic Wolf–Rayet stars with Gaia DR2 – I. Distances and absolute magnitudes". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 493 (1): 1512–1529. doi:10.1093/mnras/stz3614. Bibcode2020MNRAS.493.1512R.