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Epsilon Centauri

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ε Centauri
Diagram showing star positions and boundaries of the Centaurus constellation and its surroundings
Location of ε Centauri (circled) near the center
Observation data
Epoch J2000      Equinox J2000
Constellation Centaurus
Right ascension 13h 39m 53.25774s[1]
Declination −53° 27′ 59.0081″[1]
Apparent magnitude (V) +2.34[2]
Characteristics
Spectral type B1 III[3]
U−B color index −0.939[2]
B−V color index −0.246[2]
Variable type β Cep
Astrometry
Radial velocity (Rv)+3.0[4] km/s
Proper motion (μ) RA: −15.30[1] mas/yr
Dec.: −11.72[1] mas/yr
Parallax (π)7.63 ± 0.48 mas[1]
Distance430 ± 30 ly
(131 ± 8 pc)
Absolute magnitude (MV)–3.9[5]
Details
Mass11.60 ± 1.06[3] M☉
Luminosity15,217[3] L☉
Surface gravity (log g)3.68[5] cgs
Temperature24,000[3] K
Metallicity [Fe/H]–0.14 ± 0.10[6] dex
Rotational velocity (v sin i)160[7] km/s
Age15.8 ± 5.7[8] Myr
Other designations
Al Birdhaun, CP−52 6655, FK5 504, HD 118716, HIP 66657, HR 5132, SAO 241047.
Database references
SIMBADdata

Epsilon Centauri (ε Cen, ε Centauri) is a star in the southern constellation of Centaurus. It is one of the brightest stars in the constellation with an apparent visual magnitude of +2.34.[2] Parallax measurements put it at a distance of around 430 light-years (130 parsecs) from Earth.[1]

In Chinese, 南門 (Nán Mén), meaning Southern Gate, refers to an asterism consisting of ε Centauri and α Centauri.[9] Consequently, ε Centauri itself is known as 南門一 (Nán Mén yī, Template:Lang-en.)[10]

ε Centauri is a massive star with nearly 12 times the mass of the Sun.[3] The spectrum matches a stellar classification of B1 III,[3] indicating this is an evolved giant star. It is radiating more than 15,000[3] times the luminosity of the Sun from its outer atmosphere at an effective temperature of 24,000 K,[3] giving it the blue-white hue of a B-type star.[11] This is classified as a Beta Cephei type variable star with a primary period of 0.16961 days (4 hours 4 minutes), completing 5.9 cycles per day.[6] During each cycle, the brightness of the star varies from apparent magnitude +2.29 to +2.31.

This star is a proper motion member of the Lower-Centaurus Crux sub-group in the Scorpius-Centaurus OB association, the nearest such association of co-moving massive stars to the Sun.[5] Epsilon Centauri is a relatively young star, with an age of around 16 million years.[8]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f van Leeuwen, F. (November 2007), "Validation of the new Hipparcos reduction", Astronomy and Astrophysics, 474 (2): 653–664, arXiv:0708.1752, Bibcode:2007A&A...474..653V, doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20078357
  2. ^ a b c d Gutierrez-Moreno, Adelina; Moreno, Hugo (June 1968), "A photometric investigation of the Scorpio-Centaurus association", Astrophysical Journal Supplement, 15: 459, Bibcode:1968ApJS...15..459G, doi:10.1086/190168
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h Hohle, M. M.; Neuhäuser, R.; Schutz, B. F. (April 2010), "Masses and luminosities of O- and B-type stars and red supergiants", Astronomische Nachrichten, 331 (4): 349, arXiv:1003.2335, Bibcode:2010AN....331..349H, doi:10.1002/asna.200911355
  4. ^ Evans, D. S. (June 20–24, 1966), Batten, Alan Henry; Heard, John Frederick (eds.), The Revision of the General Catalogue of Radial Velocities, University of Toronto: International Astronomical Union, Bibcode:1967IAUS...30...57E {{citation}}: Unknown parameter |booktitle= ignored (help)
  5. ^ a b c de Geus, P. T.; de Zeeuw; Lub, J. (June 1989), "Physical parameters of stars in the Scorpio-Centaurus OB association", Astronomy and Astrophysics, 216 (1–2): 44–61, Bibcode:1989A&A...216...44D
  6. ^ a b Daszyńska-Daszkiewicz, J.; Niemczura, E. (April 2005), "Metallicity of mono- and multiperiodic β Cephei stars", Astronomy and Astrophysics, 433 (3): 1031–1035, arXiv:astro-ph/0410442, Bibcode:2005A&A...433.1031D, doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20040397
  7. ^ Balona, L. A.; Dziembowski, W. A. (October 1999), "Excitation and visibility of high-degree modes in stars", Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 309 (1): 221–232, Bibcode:1999MNRAS.309..221B, doi:10.1046/j.1365-8711.1999.02821.x{{citation}}: CS1 maint: unflagged free DOI (link)
  8. ^ a b Tetzlaff, N.; Neuhäuser, R.; Hohle, M. M. (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, arXiv:1007.4883, Bibcode:2011MNRAS.410..190T, doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2010.17434.x{{citation}}: CS1 maint: unflagged free DOI (link)
  9. ^ Template:Zh icon 中國星座神話, written by 陳久金. Published by 台灣書房出版有限公司, 2005, ISBN 978-986-7332-25-7.
  10. ^ Template:Zh icon AEEA (Activities of Exhibition and Education in Astronomy) 天文教育資訊網 2006 年 7 月 25 日
  11. ^ "The Colour of Stars", Australia Telescope, Outreach and Education, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, December 21, 2004, retrieved 2012-01-16
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