DX Cancri is a variable star in the northern zodiac constellation of Cancer. With an apparent visual magnitude of 14.81,[3] it is much too faint to be seen with the naked eye. Visually viewing this star requires a telescope with a minimum aperture of 16 in (41 cm).[14] Based upon parallax measurements, DX Cancri is located at a distance of 11.8 light-years (3.6 parsecs) from Earth. This makes it the 18th closest star (or star system) to the Sun.
Observation data Epoch J2000 Equinox J2000 | |
---|---|
Constellation | Cancer |
Right ascension | 08h 29m 49.345s[2] |
Declination | +26° 46′ 33.74″[2] |
Apparent magnitude (V) | 14.81[3] |
Characteristics | |
Spectral type | M6.5V[4] |
Apparent magnitude (J) | 8.2[3] |
U−B color index | +2.11[5] |
B−V color index | +2.08[5] |
Variable type | Flare star[3] |
Astrometry | |
Radial velocity (Rv) | +9.0[6] km/s |
Proper motion (μ) | RA: −1,140[2] mas/yr Dec.: −602[2] mas/yr |
Parallax (π) | 279.2496 ± 0.0637 mas[7] |
Distance | 11.680 ± 0.003 ly (3.5810 ± 0.0008 pc) |
Absolute magnitude (MV) | 16.98[8] |
Details | |
Mass | 0.09[8] M☉ |
Radius | 0.11[9] R☉ |
Luminosity | 0.00065[10] L☉ |
Temperature | 2,840[11] K |
Rotation | 0.46 days[9] |
Rotational velocity (v sin i) | 11.0[12] km/s |
Age | 200[13] Myr |
Other designations | |
Database references | |
SIMBAD | data |
DX Location of DX Cancri in the constellation Cancer |
The star has a stellar classification of M6.5V,[4] identifying it as a type of main sequence star known as a red dwarf. It has about 9% of the mass of the Sun,[8] and 11% of the Sun's radius.[9] The outer envelope of the star has an effective temperature of 2,840 K,[11] making it an M-type star. It is a flare star that has random, intermittent increases in brightness by up to a factor of five. It is a proposed member of the Castor Moving Group of stars that share a common trajectory through space. This group has an estimated age of 200 million years.[15]