Beta Cephei variables, also known as Beta Canis Majoris stars, are variable stars that exhibit small rapid variations in their brightness due to pulsations of the stars' surfaces, thought due to the unusual properties of iron at temperatures of 200,000 K in their interiors. These stars are usually hot blue-white stars of spectral class B and should not be confused with Cepheid variables, which are named after Delta Cephei and are luminous supergiant stars.
Beta Cephei variables are somewhat evolved stars of masses between about 7 and 20 M (that is, 7–20 times as massive as the Sun). Among their number are some of the brightest stars in the sky, such as Beta Crucis and Beta Centauri; Spica is also classified as a Beta Cephei variable but mysteriously stopped pulsating in 1970. [2] Typically, they change in brightness by 0.01 to 0.3 magnitudes with periods of 0.1 to 0.3 days (2.4–7.2 hours). [2] The prototype of these variable stars, Beta Cephei, shows variation in apparent magnitude from +3.16 to +3.27 with a period of 4.57 hours. The point of maximum brightness occurs when the star is smallest and hottest. Their variation in brightness is much greater—up to 1 magnitude—in ultraviolet wavelengths. [3] A small number of stars have been identified with periods shorter than one hour, corresponding to 1/4 of the fundamental radial pulsation period and 3/8 of the fundamental period. They also have relatively low amplitudes and a very narrow range of spectral types B2-3 IV-V. They are known as the short period group and the GCVS acronym BCEPS. [4] [5]
The pulsations of Beta Cephei variables are driven by the kappa mechanism and p-mode pulsations. At a depth within the star where the temperature reaches 200,000 K, there is an abundance of iron. Iron at these temperatures will increase (rather than decrease) in opacity, resulting in the buildup of energy within the layer. This results in increased pressure that pushes the layer back out again, the cycle repeating itself in a matter of hours. This is known as the Fe bump or Z bump (Z standing for the star's metallicity). [6] The similar slowly pulsating B stars show g-mode pulsations driven by the same iron opacity changes, but in less massive stars and with longer periods. [7]
American astronomer Edwin Brant Frost discovered the variation in radial velocity of Beta Cephei in 1902, initially concluding it was a spectroscopic binary. Paul Guthnick was the first to detect a variation in brightness, in 1913. [8] Beta Canis Majoris and Sigma Scorpii were found to be variable not long afterwards, [3] Vesto Slipher noted in 1904 that Sigma Scorpii's radial velocity was variable, and R.D. Levee and Otto Struve concluded this was due to the star's pulsations in 1952 and 1955 respectively. [9] These variables were often called Beta Canis Majoris variables because Beta Canis Majoris was the most closely studied example in the first half of the 20th century, though its location in the southern sky meant that its lowness in the sky hampered observations. [10] However, Beta Cephei was the first member of the class to be discovered and so they are generally called Beta Cephei variables—despite the similarity of name (and risk of confusion) with Cepheid variables. [3]
Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin and Sergei Gaposchkin catalogued 17 probable members of the class in their 1938 Variable Stars, though classified them with Delta Scuti variables. [11] 16 Lacertae was another star extensively studied before 1952. [10] The number known jumped from 18 to 41 in 1966. [12] Otto Struve studied these stars extensively in the 1950s, however research declined after his death. [3]
Christiaan L. Sterken and Mikolaj Jerzykiewicz classed 59 stars as definite and 79 more as suspected Beta Cephei variables in 1993. [13] Stankov listed 93 members of the class in a 2005 catalogue, plus 77 candidates and 61 poor or rejected stars. [14] Six stars, namely Iota Herculis, 53 Piscium, Nu Eridani, Gamma Pegasi, HD 13745 (V354 Persei) and 53 Arietis had been found to exhibit both Beta Cephei and SPB variability. [15]
In 2021 β Cru became the first star of any kind to have its pulsation modes identified using polarimetric asteroseismology. [16]
Designation (name) | Constellation | Discovery | Maximum Apparent magnitude (mV) [17] | Minimum Apparent magnitude (mV) [17] | Period (hours) [14] | Spectral class [14] | Comment |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
β CMa | Canis Major | 1909 (William Wallace Campbell [18] ) | 1m.93 | 2m.00 | 6.031 | B1II-III | Pulsations of 6.03, 6.00, and 4.74 hours. [19] |
ξ1 CMa | Canis Major | [20] | 4m.33 | 4m.36 | 5.030 | B0.5IV | |
15 CMa | Canis Major | [20] | 4m.79 | 4m.84 | 4.429 | B1III-IV | |
V376 Car [21] | Carina | 4m.91 | 4m.96 | 0.4992 | B2IV-V | BCEPS star | |
V372 Car | Carina | [22] | 5m.70 | 2.78 | B2III | ||
β Cen | Centaurus | 0m.61 | 3.768 [13] | B1II | |||
ε Cen | Centaurus | 2m.29 | 2m.31 | 4.070 | B1V | ||
κ Cen | Centaurus | 3m.13 | 3m.14 | 2.288 | B2IV | ||
χ Cen [21] | Centaurus | 4m.40 [14] | 0.84 | B2V | BCEPS star | ||
β Cep | Cepheus | 1902 (Edwin Brant Frost) [23] | 3m.16 | 3m.27 | 4.572 | B2IIIe | Prototype |
δ Cet | Cetus | [20] | 4m.05 | 4m.1 | 3.867 | B2IV | |
β Cru | Crux | 1m.23 | 1m.31 | 4.589 | B0.5IV | ||
δ Cru [17] [24] | Crux | 2m.78 | 2m.84 | 3.625 | B2IV | ||
ω1 Cyg | Cygnus | 4m.94 | B2.5IV | confirmed on hi res spectroscopy. [24] | |||
ν Eri | Eridanus | 3m.87 | 4m.01 | 4.164 | B2III | Multiperiodic; also a slowly pulsating B star | |
12 Lac | Lacerta | 5m.16 | 5m.28 | 4.634 | B1.5III | Also a slowly pulsating B star | |
16 Lac | Lacerta | 5m.30 (B) | 5m.52 (B) | 4.109 | B2IV | ||
α Lup | Lupus | 1956 (Bernard Pagel) [25] | 2m.29 | 2m.34 | 6.235 | B1.5III | |
δ Lup [14] | Lupus | 3m.20 | 3m.24 | 3.972 | B2IV | ||
ε Lup [26] | Lupus | 3m.36 | 3m.38 | 2.316 | B2IV + B3V | Triple star system; primary is a spectroscopic binary | |
ι Lup [27] | Lupus | 3m.54 | 3m.3.55 | B2.5IV | not recorded as BCEP since 1997 | ||
τ1 Lup [14] | Lupus | 4m.54 | 4m.58 | 4.257 | B2IV | ||
19 Mon | Monoceros | 4m.96 | 5m.01 | 4.589 | B1IV-Vea | ||
α Mus [17] | Musca | 2m.68 | 2m.73 | 2.167 | B2IV-V | initially questionable, confirmed on hi res spectroscopy. [24] | |
θ Oph | Ophiuchus | 3m.25 | 3m.31 | 3.373 | B2IV | ||
η Ori | Orion | 3m.31 | 3m.35 | 7.247 | B0.5Vea + B3V | Quadruple star; also an Algol variable; component Ab is the pulsating star | |
γ Peg | Pegasus | 1953 (D. Harold McNamara) | 2m.78 | 2m.89 | 3.643 | B2IV | Also a slowly pulsating B star |
ε Per | Perseus | 2m.88 | 3m.00 | 3.847 | B0.5V | ||
PT Pup | Puppis | [14] | 5m.72 | 5m.74 | 3.908 | B2III | |
λ Sco | Scorpius | 1m.59 | 1m.65 | 5.129 | B1.5IV + PMS + B2IV | Triple system; also an Algol variable | |
κ Sco | Scorpius | 2m.41 | 2m.42 | 4.795 | B1.5III | ||
σ Sco | Scorpius | 1904 (Vesto Slipher) | 2m.86 | 2m.94 | 5.923 | B1III | Quadruple system |
Spica | Virgo | 0m.85 | 1m.05 | 6.520 | B1IV | Brightness variations stopped in 1970 [28] | |
BW Vul | Vulpecula | 6m.44 | 6m.68 | 4.8 | B2IIIv | Beta Cephei variable with largest change in radial velocity | |
Designation (name) | Constellation | Discovery | Maximum Apparent magnitude (mV) [17] | Minimum Apparent magnitude (mV) [17] | Period (hours) [14] | Spectral class [14] | Comment |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ι CMa | Canis Major | 4m.36 | 4m.40 | 33.6 [17] | B3Ib/II | Not considered a β Cep variable [14] [29] | |
FN CMa [30] | Canis Major | 5m.38 | 5m.42 | 36.7 [31] | B0.5IV | No longer considered a β Cep variable [14] | |
χ Car [32] | Carina | 3m.46 | 2.42 | B2IV | Not considered a β Cep variable [14] | ||
V343 Car | Carina | 4m.30 [14] | 57.11 | B1.5III | Not considered a β Cep variable [14] | ||
ζ Cha [27] | Chamaeleon | 5m.06 | 5m.17 | 25.91 [27] | B5V | considered as a SBP as of 2011 [22] | |
λ Cru | Crux | 4m.60 | 4m.64 | 9.482 [17] | B4Vne | Not considered a β Cep variable [14] | |
θ2 Cru | Crux | 4m.70 | 4m.74 | 2.134 [17] | B2IV | Not considered a β Cep variable [14] | |
25 Cyg | Cygnus | 5m.09 [33] | 5m.21 [33] | 5.04 [34] | B3IVe | γ Cas variable, not considered a β Cep variable [14] | |
ι Her | Hercules | 2m.93 | B3IV | No longer classed as Beta Cephei type [14] | |||
η Hya | Hydra | 4m.27 | 4m.33 | ~4 [32] | B3V | No longer classed as Beta Cephei type [14] | |
NW Pup | Puppis | 5m.04 | 5m.18 | 3.00 | B3Vea | Also a rotating ellipsoidal variable, not considered a β Cep variable [14] | |
α Pyx [20] | Pyxis | 3m.67 | 3m.70 | B1.5III | Candidate β Cephei variable | ||
Merope | Taurus | 4m.17 | 4m.19 | B6IVe | B(e) star, not Beta Cephei type [14] | ||
IS Vel [17] | Vela | 5m.23 | 2.592 | B1IVn | Candidate β Cephei variable [14] | ||
HR 3440 (HW Vel) [17] | Vela | 5m.46 | 5m.52 | 6.275 | B6V | Candidate β Cephei variable [14] | |
2 Vul | Vulpecula | 5m.36 | 5m.48 | 14.63 | O8IV-B0.5IVeV | B(e) star, not Beta Cephei type [14] | |
Beta Centauri is a triple star system in the southern constellation of Centaurus. It is officially called Hadar. The Bayer designation of Beta Centauri is Latinised from β Centauri, and abbreviated Beta Cen or β Cen. The system's combined apparent visual magnitude of 0.61 makes it the second-brightest object in Centaurus and the eleventh brightest star in the night sky. According to parallax measurements from the astrometric Hipparcos satellite, the distance to this system is about 390 light-years.
Beta Canis Majoris, also named Mirzam, is a star in the southern constellation of Canis Major, the "Great Dog", located at a distance of about 500 light-years (150 parsecs) from the Sun. In the modern constellation it lies at the position of the dog's front leg.
Gamma Pegasi is a star in the constellation of Pegasus, located at the southeast corner of the asterism known as the Great Square. It has the formal name Algenib ; the Bayer designation Gamma Pegasi is Latinized from γ Pegasi and abbreviated Gamma Peg or γ Peg. The average apparent visual magnitude of +2.84 makes this the fourth-brightest star in the constellation. The distance to this star has been measured using the parallax technique, yielding a value of roughly 470 light-years.
Zeta Canis Majoris, or ζ Canis Majoris, also named Furud, is a binary star system in the southern constellation of Canis Major. This system has an apparent visual magnitude of +3.0, making it one of the brighter stars in the constellation and hence readily visible to the naked eye. Parallax measurements from the Hipparcos mission yield a distance estimate of around 362 ly (111 pc) from the Sun. It is drifting further away with a radial velocity of +32 km/s.
Iota Canis Majoris, Latinized from ι Canis Majoris, is a solitary variable supergiant star in the southern constellation of Canis Major. It is visible to the naked eye with an apparent visual magnitude that varies between +4.36 and +4.40. The distance to this star is approximately 2,500 light years based on spectroscopic measurements. It is drifting further away with a radial velocity of +42 km/s.
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.
Sigma Canis Majoris, also named Unurgunite, is a variable star in the southern constellation of Canis Major. It is approximately 1,290 light-years from the Sun and has an average apparent visual magnitude of +3.41.
15 Canis Majoris is a variable star in the southern constellation of Canis Major, located roughly 1,200 light years away from the Sun. It has the variable star designation EY Canis Majoris; 15 Canis Majoris is the Flamsteed designation. The star is visible to the naked eye as a faint, blue-white hued star with a baseline apparent visual magnitude of +4.82. It is moving away from the Earth with a heliocentric radial velocity of 28 km/s.
27 Canis Majoris is a binary star system in the northern constellation of Canis Major, located approximately 1,700 light years away from the Sun. It has the variable star designation EW Canis Majoris; 27 Canis Majoris is the Flamsteed designation. This system is visible to the naked eye as a dim, blue-white hued star with an apparent visual magnitude of +4.65. It is moving away from the Earth with a heliocentric radial velocity of 16 km/s.
DL Crucis is a variable star in the constellation Crux.
Omega1 Cygni, Latinized from ω1 Cygni, is the Bayer designation for a solitary star in the northern constellation of Cygnus. It is visible to the naked eye with an apparent visual magnitude of 4.94. Based upon an annual parallax shift of 2.59 mas, it is estimated to lie roughly 1,260 light years from the Sun. Relative to its neighbors, this star has a peculiar velocity of 25.7±2.2 km/s.
Nu Eridani is a star in the constellation Eridanus. It is visible to the naked eye with an apparent visual magnitude of 3.93. The distance to this star is roughly 520 light years, based upon an annual parallax shift of 0.00625 arcseconds. If the star were 33 ly (10 pc) from the Sun, it would be the brightest star in the night sky with an apparent magnitude of −2.84.
Tau1 Lupi, Latinized from τ1 Lupi, is a solitary star in the southern constellation of Lupus. It is visible to the naked eye with an apparent visual magnitude of 4.5. Based upon an annual parallax shift of only 2.99 mas as seen from Earth, it is located about 1,090 light years from the Sun. Tau1 Lupi may be a runaway star having a peculiar velocity of 32.6±3.6 km/s. It is a member of the Upper Centaurus–Lupus sub-group of the nearby Sco OB2 association.
HD 54893, often called A Puppis is a suspected variable star in the constellation Puppis. Its apparent magnitude is 4.83 and is approximately 860 light years away based on parallax.
BW Vulpeculae or BW Vul, is a variable star in the northern constellation of Vulpecula. It is near the lower limit of visibility to the naked eye with a typical apparent visual magnitude of 6.54. Based on an annual parallax shift of 1.15 mas, the distance to BW Vul is about 2,800 light years. It is moving closer to the Earth with a baseline heliocentric radial velocity of around −6 km/s.
FN Canis Majoris is a binary star system in the southern constellation Canis Major, near the northern constellation border with Monoceros. It is dimly visible to the naked eye with a combined apparent visual magnitude of 5.41. The system is located at a distance of approximately 3,000 light years from the Sun based on parallax, and is drifting further away with a radial velocity of +31 km/s. It is a runaway star associated with the Sh 2-296 nebula in the CMa OB1 association, and has a conspicuous bow-shock feature.
Psi2 Orionis a binary star system in the equatorial constellation of Orion. It has an apparent visual magnitude of 4.6, indicating that it is visible to the naked eye. Based upon an annual parallax shift of 2.87 mass, it is roughly 1,100 light years distant from the Sun.
12 Lacertae is a wide binary star system in the northern constellation of Lacerta, located roughly 1,260 light years away from the Sun based on parallax. It is visible to the naked eye as a dim, blue-white hued point of light with a baseline apparent visual magnitude of 5.23. The system is drifting closer to the Earth with a mean heliocentric radial velocity of –12.5. It is a probable member of the I Lacertae OB association.
FG Virginis is a well-studied variable star in the equatorial constellation of Virgo. It is a dim star, near the lower limit of visibility to the naked eye, with an apparent visual magnitude that ranges from 6.53 down to 6.58. The star is located at a distance of 273.5 light years from the Sun based on parallax measurements, and is drifting further away with a radial velocity of +16 km/s. Because of its position near the ecliptic, it is subject to lunar occultations.
V2052 Ophiuchi, also known as HR 6684, is a star about 920 light years from Earth in the constellation Ophiuchus. It is a 5th-magnitude star, making it faintly visible to the naked eye of an observer far from city lights. V2052 Ophiuchi is a Beta Cephei variable star, varying slightly in brightness from magnitude 5.81 to 5.84 over a period of about 3.4 hours.
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