AH Scorpii (abbreviated to AH Sco) is a red supergiant variable star located in the constellation Scorpius. It is one of the largest stars known by radius and is also one of the most luminous red supergiant stars in the Milky Way.
Observation data Epoch J2000 Equinox J2000 | |
---|---|
Constellation | Scorpius |
Right ascension | 17h 11m 17.01945s[1] |
Declination | −32° 19′ 30.7140″[1] |
Apparent magnitude (V) | 6.5 - 9.6[2] |
Characteristics | |
Spectral type | M4-5 Ia-Iab[3] |
B−V color index | +2.57[4] |
Variable type | SRc[3] |
Astrometry | |
Radial velocity (Rv) | −13.40±2.4[5] km/s |
Proper motion (μ) | RA: −2.322±0.115[1] mas/yr Dec.: −2.610±0.068[1] mas/yr |
Parallax (π) | 0.5632 ± 0.0799 mas[1] |
Distance | 7,400±620 ly (2,260±190[6] pc) |
Absolute magnitude (MV) | −5.8[7] |
Details | |
Mass | 10[6] M☉ |
Radius | 1,411±124[4] R☉ |
Luminosity | 330,000+270,000 −150,000[4] L☉ |
Surface gravity (log g) | −0.5[4] cgs |
Temperature | 3,450[8] - 3,682[4] K |
Other designations | |
Database references | |
SIMBAD | data |
The distance of AH Scorpii is considered to be uncertain. VLBI measurements of the masers have provided an accurate distance of 2,260 parsecs based on observation of SiO, H2O, and OH masers in its oxygen-rich circumstellar material. The masers were observed to be approaching the star at 13 km/s, indicating overall contraction at around phase 0.55 of the visual variations.[6]
AH Scorpii is a dust-enshrouded red supergiant[10] and is classified as a semiregular variable star with a main period of 714 days. The total visual magnitude range is 6.5 - 9.6.[2] No long secondary periods have been detected.[11] Modelling of AH Scorpii near maximum light has determined an effective temperature of 3,682±190 K and a luminosity of 330,000+270,000
−150,000 L☉. A radius of 1,411±124 R☉ was determined from an angular diameter of 5.81±0.15 mas and the given distance of 2.26±0.19 kpc.[4]