Xi1 Canis Majoris

Summary

Xi1 Canis Majoris, Latinized from ξ1 Canis Majoris, is a Beta Cephei variable star in the constellation Canis Major. It is approximately 1,400 light years from Earth.

ξ1 Canis Majoris
Location of ξ1 Canis Majoris (circled)
Observation data
Epoch J2000.0      Equinox J2000.0
Constellation Canis Major
Right ascension 06h 31m 51.36636s[1]
Declination −23° 25′ 06.3181″[1]
Apparent magnitude (V) 4.33 – 4.36[2]
Characteristics
Spectral type B1 III[3]
U−B color index −0.98[4]
B−V color index −0.24[4]
Variable type β Cep[3]
Astrometry
Radial velocity (Rv)+26.9[5] km/s
Proper motion (μ) RA: −2.91[1] mas/yr
Dec.: +6.22[1] mas/yr
Parallax (π)2.36 ± 0.20 mas[1]
Distance1,400 ± 100 ly
(420 ± 40 pc)
Absolute magnitude (MV)−3.86[6]
Details
Mass14.2±0.4[6] M
Radius7.9±0.6[6] R
Luminosity30,900+8,900
−6,900
[6] L
Surface gravity (log g)3.78±0.07[6] cgs
Temperature27,000±1,000[6] K
Metallicity [Fe/H]−0.18[7] dex
Rotational velocity (v sin i)0[6] km/s
Age11.1±0.7[6] Myr
Other designations
ξ1 CMa, 4 Canis Majoris, CD−23°3991, GC 8496, HD 46328, HIP 31125, HR 2387, SAO 171895, ADS 5176, CCDM 06319-2325
Database references
SIMBADdata

ξ1 Canis Majoris is a blue-white B-type star. It has generally been assigned a luminosity class of III (giant) or IV (subgiant), for example B1III[3] or B0.5IV.[6] Comparison of its properties with model evolutionary tracks suggest that it is a main sequence star about three quarters of the way through its main sequence lifetime.[6]

A light curve for Xi1 Canis Majoris, plotted from TESS data[8]

The apparent magnitude varies from +4.33 to +4.36 with a period of 5.03 hours.[2] Its pulsations cause its radius to vary by 1.0% to 1.5%. At the same time its effective temperature by about 500 K above and below its mean temperature.[6]

ξ1 Canis Majoris has the longest known rotation period of any B class star, taking around 30 years to complete one revolution on its axis.[9] This is thought to be due to magnetic braking; ξ1 Canis Majoris has the strongest magnetic field of any β Cephei star and would be expected to spin down completely in around four million years. It also has the strongest and hardest X-ray emission of any β Cephei star.[6]

ξ1 Canis Majoris forms a naked eye pairing with ξ2 Canis Majoris a little less than a degree away. The Washington Double Star Catalog lists two 14th magnitude companions about 27 away.[10] In addition, an unseen close companion is suspected due to some faint emission lines in the spectrum that are best explained by a Be star invisible against the brighter primary.[6]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e van Leeuwen, F. (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. S2CID 18759600.
  2. ^ a b "International Variable Star Index". Retrieved 2018-11-13.
  3. ^ a b c Hubrig, S.; et al. (January 2009). "New magnetic field measurements of beta Cephei stars and Slowly Pulsating B stars". Astronomische Nachrichten. 330 (4): 317. arXiv:0902.1314. Bibcode:2009AN....330..317H. doi:10.1002/asna.200811187. S2CID 17497112.
  4. ^ a b Johnson, H. L.; et al. (1966). "UBVRIJKL photometry of the bright stars". Communications of the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory. 4 (99): 99. Bibcode:1966CoLPL...4...99J.
  5. ^ Evans, D. S. (June 20–24, 1966). "The Revision of the General Catalogue of Radial Velocities". In Batten, Alan Henry; Heard, John Frederick (eds.). Determination of Radial Velocities and their Applications, Proceedings from IAU Symposium no. 30. Determination of Radial Velocities and Their Applications. Vol. 30. p. 57. Bibcode:1967IAUS...30...57E.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Shultz, M.; Wade, G. A.; Rivinius, Th.; Neiner, C.; Henrichs, H.; Marcolino, W.; MiMeS Collaboration (2017). "The pulsating magnetosphere of the extremely slowly rotating magnetic β Cep star ξ1 CMa". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 471 (2): 2286. arXiv:1706.08820. Bibcode:2017MNRAS.471.2286S. doi:10.1093/mnras/stx1632.
  7. ^ 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. S2CID 119257644.
  8. ^ "MAST: Barbara A. Mikulski Archive for Space Telescopes". Space Telescope Science Institute. Retrieved 20 August 2022.
  9. ^ Shultz, M.; Kochukhov, O.; Wade, G. A.; Rivinius, Th (2018). "The pulsationally modulated radial crossover signature of the slowly rotating magnetic B-type star ξ1 CMa". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 478 (1): L39. arXiv:1804.07535. Bibcode:2018MNRAS.478L..39S. doi:10.1093/mnrasl/sly070.
  10. ^ Mason, Brian D.; Wycoff, Gary L.; Hartkopf, William I.; Douglass, Geoffrey G.; Worley, Charles E. (2001). "The 2001 US Naval Observatory Double Star CD-ROM. I. The Washington Double Star Catalog". The Astronomical Journal. 122 (6): 3466. Bibcode:2001AJ....122.3466M. doi:10.1086/323920.