N Centauri
N Centauri is a binary star[3] in the southern constellation of Centaurus. It is dimly visible to the naked eye with an apparent visual magnitude of 5.26.[2] The distance to this system is approximately 311 light years based on parallax, and it has an absolute magnitude of +0.76.[2] The system is drifting further away from the Sun with a radial velocity of +27 km/s.[2] It is a candidate member of the Sco OB2 moving group.[11]
Observation data Epoch J2000.0 Equinox J2000.0 | |
---|---|
Constellation | Centaurus |
Right ascension | 13h 52m 04.86241s[1] |
Declination | −52° 48′ 41.4976″[1] |
Apparent magnitude (V) | 5.26[2] (5.24 + 7.89)[3] |
Characteristics | |
Spectral type | B9V + F0Vn[4][5] |
B−V color index | −0.084±0.003[2] |
Astrometry | |
A | |
Radial velocity (Rv) | +27.0±4.2[2] km/s |
Proper motion (μ) | RA: −39.039[1] mas/yr Dec.: −27.426[1] mas/yr |
Parallax (π) | 10.4791 ± 0.1632[1] mas |
Distance | 311 ± 5 ly (95 ± 1 pc) |
Absolute magnitude (MV) | +0.76[2] |
Details | |
A | |
Mass | 3.32[6] M☉ |
Luminosity | 70.18[2] L☉ |
Surface gravity (log g) | 4.32±0.14[6] cgs |
Temperature | 13,032±443[6] K |
Rotational velocity (v sin i) | 205[6] km/s |
Age | 66[6] Myr |
B | |
Mass | 1.48±0.01[7] M☉ |
Radius | 1.61+0.08 −0.09[7] R☉ |
Luminosity | 6.43[8] L☉ |
Temperature | 7,354[8] K |
Metallicity [Fe/H] | −0.01+0.17 −0.15[7] dex |
Age | 1.07+1.56 −0.42[7] Gyr |
Other designations | |
A: GC 18720, HD 120642, HIP 67703, SAO 241239[9] | |
B: GC 18718, HD 120641, HIP 67702, SAO 241238[10] | |
Database references | |
SIMBAD | A |
B |
The double nature of this system was discovered by German astronomer Carl Rümker in 1835. As of 2016, the companion lay at an angular separation of 18.5″ along a position angle of 289° from the primary.[12] They form a co-moving pair with a projected separation of 1,566 AU.[13] The more luminous member is a B-type main-sequence star with a stellar classification of B9V.[3] Its fainter companion is an F-type main-sequence star with a class of F0Vn, where the 'n' suffix indicates that the metal absorption lines in its spectrum are unusual broad ("nebulous") and indicative of rapid rotation.[4][5] Based upon discrepancies in the proper motion measurements, there are hints of a third member of this system.[3]
References
- Brown, A. G. A.; et al. (Gaia collaboration) (August 2018). "Gaia Data Release 2: Summary of the contents and survey properties". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 616. A1. arXiv:1804.09365. Bibcode:2018A&A...616A...1G. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201833051. Gaia DR2 record for this source at VizieR.
- Anderson, E.; Francis, Ch. (2012), "XHIP: An extended hipparcos compilation", Astronomy Letters, 38 (5): 331, arXiv:1108.4971, Bibcode:2012AstL...38..331A, doi:10.1134/S1063773712050015.
- Eggleton, P. P.; Tokovinin, A. A. (September 2008), "A catalogue of multiplicity among bright stellar systems", Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 389 (2): 869–879, arXiv:0806.2878, Bibcode:2008MNRAS.389..869E, doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2008.13596.x.
- Skiff, B. A. (2014), "VizieR Online Data Catalog: Catalogue of Stellar Spectral Classifications (Skiff, 2009- )", VizieR On-line Data Catalog, Bibcode:2014yCat....1.2023S.
- Gahm, G. F.; Ahlin, P.; Lindroos, K. P. (1983), "A study of visual double stars with early type primaries. I. Spectroscopic results", Astronomy and Astrophysics Supplement Series, 51: 143, Bibcode:1983A&AS...51..143G.
- David, Trevor J.; Hillenbrand, Lynne A. (2015), "The Ages of Early-Type Stars: Strömgren Photometric Methods Calibrated, Validated, Tested, and Applied to Hosts and Prospective Hosts of Directly Imaged Exoplanets", The Astrophysical Journal, 804 (2): 146, arXiv:1501.03154, Bibcode:2015ApJ...804..146D, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/804/2/146.
- Bochanski, John J.; et al. (April 2018), "Fundamental Properties of Co-moving Stars Observed by Gaia", The Astronomical Journal, 155 (4): 17, arXiv:1801.00537, Bibcode:2018AJ....155..149B, doi:10.3847/1538-3881/aaaebe, 149.
- Brown, A. G. A.; et al. (Gaia collaboration) (August 2018). "Gaia Data Release 2: Summary of the contents and survey properties". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 616. A1. arXiv:1804.09365. Bibcode:2018A&A...616A...1G. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201833051. Gaia DR2 record for this source at VizieR.
- "N Cen". SIMBAD. Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg. Retrieved 2020-03-03.
- "HD 120641". SIMBAD. Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg. Retrieved 2020-03-03.
- Rizzuto, Aaron; et al. (October 2011), "Multidimensional Bayesian membership analysis of the Sco OB2 moving group", Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 416 (4): 3108–3117, arXiv:1106.2857, Bibcode:2011MNRAS.416.3108R, doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2011.19256.x.
- Mason, B. D.; et al. (2014), The Washington Visual Double Star Catalog, Bibcode:2001AJ....122.3466M, doi:10.1086/323920, retrieved 2015-07-22
- Lindroos, K. P. (1985), "A study of visual double stars with early type primaries. IV Astrophysical data", Astronomy and Astrophysics Supplement Series, 60: 183, Bibcode:1985A&AS...60..183L.