Astronomy:Alpha Monocerotis

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Short description: Star in the constellation Monoceros
α Monocerotis
Monoceros constellation map.svg
Red circle.svg
Location of α Monocerotis (circled)
Observation data
Equinox J2000.0]] (ICRS)
Constellation Monoceros
Right ascension  07h 41m 14.833s[1]
Declination −09° 33′ 04.07″[1]
Apparent magnitude (V) 3.94[2]
Characteristics
Spectral type G9.5 III-IIIb Fe-0.5[3]
B−V color index 1.022[2]
Astrometry
Radial velocity (Rv)+10.50[2] km/s
Proper motion (μ) RA: −74.61±0.14[1] mas/yr
Dec.: −19.59±0.10[1] mas/yr
Parallax (π)22.07 ± 0.18[1] mas
Distance148 ± 1 ly
(45.3 ± 0.4 pc)
Absolute magnitude (MV)0.71±0.08[4]
Details
Mass2.02±0.29[4] M
Radius10.1±0.5[4] R
Luminosity63.7±1.3[5] L
Surface gravity (log g)2.71±0.09[4] cgs
Temperature4,879[4] K
Metallicity [Fe/H]−0.01[4] dex
Rotation326 days[6]
Rotational velocity (v sin i)1.9[6] km/s
Age1.18±0.42[4] Gyr
Other designations
α Mon, 26 Monocerotis, BD−09° 2172, HD 61935, HIP 37447, HR 2970, SAO 134986[7]
Database references
SIMBADdata

Alpha Monocerotis, Latinised from α Monocerotis, is the Bayer designation for the brightest star in the equatorial constellation of Monoceros. It can be viewed with the naked eye, having an apparent visual magnitude of 3.94.[2] Based upon an annual parallax shift of 22.07 mas as seen from Earth,[1] it is located 148 light-years away from the Sun. The star is moving away from the Sun with a radial velocity of +10.5 km/s.[2]

The stellar classification of G9.5 III-IIIb Fe-0.5[3] indicates this is an evolved giant star of type G, which means the hydrogen has been depleted at its core and the outer envelope has expanded and cooled. The 'Fe−0.5' notation indicates the spectrum displays a slight underabundance of iron relative to other stars of this temperature. It is a red clump giant, which means it is generating energy through helium fusion at its core.[8] At the age of 1.18 billion years, this yellow-hued star has an estimated two times the mass of the Sun and 10 times the Sun's radius.[4] It is spinning sedately with a rotation period of about 326 days.[6]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 van Leeuwen, F. (2007). "Validation of the new Hipparcos reduction". Astronomy and Astrophysics 474 (2): 653–664. doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20078357. Bibcode2007A&A...474..653V. http://www.aanda.org/articles/aa/abs/2007/41/aa8357-07/aa8357-07.html.  Vizier catalog entry
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Hekker, S. et al. (August 2006), "Precise radial velocities of giant stars. I. Stable stars", Astronomy and Astrophysics 454 (3): 943–949, doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20064946, Bibcode2006A&A...454..943H. 
  3. 3.0 3.1 Keenan, Philip C; McNeil, Raymond C (1989), "The Perkins catalog of revised MK types for the cooler stars", Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series 71: 245, doi:10.1086/191373, Bibcode1989ApJS...71..245K. 
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 da Silva, L. et al. (November 2006), "Basic physical parameters of a selected sample of evolved stars", Astronomy and Astrophysics 458 (2): 609–623, doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20065105, Bibcode2006A&A...458..609D. 
  5. Baines, Ellyn K.; Thomas Armstrong, J.; Clark, James H.; Gorney, Jim; Hutter, Donald J.; Jorgensen, Anders M.; Kyte, Casey; Mozurkewich, David et al. (2021). "Angular Diameters and Fundamental Parameters of Forty-four Stars from the Navy Precision Optical Interferometer". The Astronomical Journal 162 (5): 198. doi:10.3847/1538-3881/ac2431. Bibcode2021AJ....162..198B. 
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 Setiawan, J. et al. (July 2004), "Precise radial velocity measurements of G and K giants. Multiple systems and variability trend along the Red Giant Branch", Astronomy and Astrophysics 421: 241–254, doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20041042-1, Bibcode2004A&A...421..241S. 
  7. "alf Mon". SIMBAD. Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg. http://simbad.u-strasbg.fr/simbad/sim-basic?Ident=alf+Mon. 
  8. Laney, C. D.; Joner, M. D.; Pietrzyński, G. (2012), "A new Large Magellanic Cloud K-band distance from precision measurements of nearby red clump stars", Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 419 (2): 1637, doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2011.19826.x, Bibcode2012MNRAS.419.1637L. 

External links