Circinus X-1

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Circinus X-1
Circinus X-1.jpg
X-ray image of Circinus X-1
Credit: Chandra X-ray Observatory
Observation data
Epoch J2000        Equinox J2000
Constellation Circinus
Right ascension 15h 20m 40.85s [1]
Declination −57° 10′ 00.1″ [1]
Apparent magnitude  (V)21.40 [2]
Characteristics
Spectral type B5–A0 I [3]
Variable type HMXB [4]
Astrometry
Distance 31000+2600
−3300  ly
(9400+800
−1000 [5]   pc)
Orbit [3]
Period (P)16.68 ± 0.15 d
Eccentricity (e)0.45 ± 0.07
Periastron epoch (T)JD 2453473.8 ± 0.4
Argument of periastron (ω)
(secondary)		2 ± 12°
Semi-amplitude (K1)
(primary)		25 ± 2 km/s
Other designations
INTREF 645, 2U 1516-56, BR Cir, 2MASS J15204084-5710001 [4]
Database references
SIMBAD data

Circinus X-1 is an X-ray binary star system that includes a neutron star. Observation of Circinus X-1 in July 2007 revealed the presence of X-ray jets normally found in black hole systems; it is the first of the sort to be discovered that displays this similarity to black holes. Circinus X-1 may be among the youngest X-ray binaries observed.

Contents

Location, distance

On June 14, 1969, an Aerobee 150 rocket, launched from Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, obtained X-ray data during a scan of the Norma-Lupus-Circinus region that detected a well-isolated source at ℓ = 321.4±0.9° b = -0.5±2° (galactic), RA 15h 14m Dec −57° 49′ within the constellation Circinus and referred to as Circinus XR-1 (Cir XR-1). [6] The distance of Circinus X-1 was not well established, with a low estimate of 13,400 light years [7] and high estimate of 26,000 light years. [8]

On June 23, 2015, an article published on NASA's Chandra X-Ray Observatory's website, revealed that an international team of astronomers has succeeded in determining its distance from Earth with more precision - via a method of triangulation of X-ray light emitted by the star, echoing through stellar clouds and interstellar dust - as being about 30,700 light-years. [9]

A 16.6 day X-ray period was found by Kaluzienski et al. [10] The X-ray source is assumed to be a neutron star as part of a low-mass X-ray binary (LMXB), type-I X-ray burster. [11] The X-ray and radio nebulae surrounding Circinus X-1 have properties consistent with a young supernova remnant. This rare case of an X-ray binary apparently associated with a supernova remnant suggests the binary is very young on cosmic time scales, possibly less than 4600 years old. [12] An association of Circinus X-1 with a different nearby supernova remnant, G321.9-0.3, has been ruled out. [11]

X-ray light rings from a neutron star in Circinus X-1 (24 June 2015; Chandra X-ray Observatory). 15-137-CircinusX1-XRayLightRings-NeutronStar-Chandra-20150624.jpg
X-ray light rings from a neutron star in Circinus X-1 (24 June 2015; Chandra X-ray Observatory).

Other spectral regions

The binary nature of Cir X-1 has been established. [13] The binary's radio component and a possible visual counterpart were identified by Whelan et al. [14] Its infrared counterpart was located and found to flare with a 16.6-day period by Glass. [15] A (heavily reddened) precise optical counterpart (now known as BR Cir) was identified by Moneti. [16]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Supernova</span> Explosion of a star at its end of life

A supernova is a powerful and luminous explosion of a star. A supernova occurs during the last evolutionary stages of a massive star or when a white dwarf is triggered into runaway nuclear fusion. The original object, called the progenitor, either collapses to a neutron star or black hole, or is completely destroyed to form a diffuse nebula. The peak optical luminosity of a supernova can be comparable to that of an entire galaxy before fading over several weeks or months.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SN 1987A</span> 1987 supernova event in the constellation Dorado

SN 1987A was a type II supernova in the Large Magellanic Cloud, a dwarf satellite galaxy of the Milky Way. It occurred approximately 51.4 kiloparsecs from Earth and was the closest observed supernova since Kepler's Supernova. 1987A's light reached Earth on February 23, 1987, and as the earliest supernova discovered that year, was labeled "1987A". Its brightness peaked in May, with an apparent magnitude of about 3.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Large Magellanic Cloud</span> Magellanic spiral galaxy that is a satellite of the Milky Way in the constellation Dorado

The Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) is a satellite galaxy of the Milky Way. At a distance of around 50 kiloparsecs (160 kly), the LMC is the second- or third-closest galaxy to the Milky Way, after the Sagittarius Dwarf Spheroidal (c. 16 kpc (52 kly) away) and the possible dwarf irregular galaxy called the Canis Major Overdensity. Based on the D25 isophote at the B-band (445 nm wavelength of light), the Large Magellanic Cloud is about 9.86 kpc (32.2 kly) across. It is roughly one-hundredth the mass of the Milky Way and is the fourth-largest galaxy in the Local Group, after the Andromeda Galaxy (M31), the Milky Way, and the Triangulum Galaxy (M33).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gamma-ray burst</span> Flashes of gamma rays from distant galaxies

In gamma-ray astronomy, gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are immensely energetic explosions that have been observed in distant galaxies. They are the most energetic and luminous electromagnetic events since the Big Bang. Bursts can last from ten milliseconds to several hours. After an initial flash of gamma rays, a longer-lived "afterglow" is usually emitted at longer wavelengths.

A Thorne–Żytkow object, also known as a hybrid star, is a conjectured type of star wherein a red giant or red supergiant contains a neutron star at its core, formed from the collision of the giant with the neutron star. Such objects were hypothesized by Kip Thorne and Anna Żytkow in 1977. In 2014, it was discovered that the star HV 2112, located in the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC), was a strong candidate. Another possible candidate is the star HV 11417, also located in the SMC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Norma (constellation)</span> Constellation in the southern celestial hemisphere

Norma is a small constellation in the Southern Celestial Hemisphere between Ara and Lupus, one of twelve drawn up in the 18th century by French astronomer Nicolas-Louis de Lacaille and one of several depicting scientific instruments. Its name is Latin for normal, referring to a right angle, and is variously considered to represent a rule, a carpenter's square, a set square or a level. It remains one of the 88 modern constellations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Circinus</span> Constellation in the southern celestial hemisphere

Circinus is a small, faint constellation in the southern sky, first defined in 1756 by the French astronomer Nicolas-Louis de Lacaille. Its name is Latin for compass, referring to the drafting tool used for drawing circles. Its brightest star is Alpha Circini, with an apparent magnitude of 3.19. Slightly variable, it is the brightest rapidly oscillating Ap star in the night sky. AX Circini is a Cepheid variable visible with the unaided eye, and BX Circini is a faint star thought to have been formed from the merger of two white dwarfs. Two sun-like stars have planetary systems: HD 134060 has two small planets, and HD 129445 has a Jupiter-like planet. Supernova SN 185 appeared in Circinus in 185 AD and was recorded by Chinese observers. Two novae have been observed more recently, in the 20th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Superluminous supernova</span> Supernova at least ten times more luminous than a standard supernova

A super-luminous supernova is a type of stellar explosion with a luminosity 10 or more times higher than that of standard supernovae. Like supernovae, SLSNe seem to be produced by several mechanisms, which is readily revealed by their light-curves and spectra. There are multiple models for what conditions may produce an SLSN, including core collapse in particularly massive stars, millisecond magnetars, interaction with circumstellar material, or pair-instability supernovae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stellar black hole</span> Black hole formed by a collapsed star

A stellar black hole is a black hole formed by the gravitational collapse of a star. They have masses ranging from about 5 to several tens of solar masses. The process is observed as a hypernova explosion or as a gamma ray burst. These black holes are also referred to as collapsars.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Circinus Galaxy</span> Closest Seyfert Galaxy in the constellation Circinus

The Circinus Galaxy is a Seyfert galaxy in the constellation of Circinus. It is located 4 degrees below the Galactic plane, and, at a distance of 4.0 Mpc (13 Mly), is one of the closest major galaxies to the Milky Way. The galaxy is undergoing tumultuous changes, as rings of gas are likely being ejected from the galaxy. Its outermost ring is 1400 light-years across while the inner ring is 260 light-years across. Although the Circinus galaxy can be seen using a small telescope, it was not noticed until 1977 because it lies close to the plane of the Milky Way and is obscured by galactic dust. The Circinus Galaxy is a Type II Seyfert galaxy and is one of the closest known active galaxies to the Milky Way, though it is probably slightly farther away than Centaurus A.

Cygnus X-3 is a high-mass X-ray binary (HMXB), one of the stronger binary X-ray sources in the sky. It is often considered to be a microquasar, and it is believed to be a compact object in a binary system which is pulling in a stream of gas from an ordinary star companion. It is one of only two known HMXBs containing a Wolf-Rayet star. It is invisible visually, but can be observed at radio, infrared, X-ray, and gamma-ray wavelengths.

The Tolman–Oppenheimer–Volkoff limit is an upper bound to the mass of cold, non-rotating neutron stars, analogous to the Chandrasekhar limit for white dwarf stars. If the mass of a neutron star reaches the limit it will collapse to a denser form, most likely a black hole.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ultraluminous X-ray source</span>

An ultraluminous X-ray source (ULX) is an astronomical source of X-rays that is less luminous than an active galactic nucleus but is more consistently luminous than any known stellar process (over 1039 erg/s, or 1032 watts), assuming that it radiates isotropically (the same in all directions). Typically there is about one ULX per galaxy in galaxies which host them, but some galaxies contain many. The Milky Way has not been shown to contain a ULX, although SS 433 may be a possible source. The main interest in ULXs stems from their luminosity exceeding the Eddington luminosity of neutron stars and even stellar black holes. It is not known what powers ULXs; models include beamed emission of stellar mass objects, accreting intermediate-mass black holes, and super-Eddington emission.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">4U 1700-37</span>

4U 1700-37 is one of the stronger binary X-ray sources in the sky, and is classified as a high-mass X-ray binary. It was discovered by the Uhuru satellite. The "4U" designation refers to the fourth Uhuru catalog.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A0620-00</span> Binary star in the constellation Monoceros

A0620-00 is a binary star system in the constellation of Monoceros, with an apparent magnitude of 11.2

<span class="mw-page-title-main">X Persei</span> Variable star in the constellation Perseus

X Persei is a high-mass X-ray binary system located in the constellation Perseus, approximately 950 parsecs away. It is catalogued as 4U 0352+309 in the final Uhuru catalog of X-ray objects.

In astronomy, a calcium-rich supernova is a subclass of supernovae that, in contrast to more well-known traditional supernova classes, are fainter and produce unusually large amounts of calcium. Since their luminosity is located in a gap between that of novae and other supernovae, they are also referred to as "gap" transients. Only around 15 events have been classified as a calcium-rich supernova – a combination of their intrinsic rarity and low luminosity make new discoveries and their subsequent study difficult. This makes calcium-rich supernovae one of the most mysterious supernova subclasses currently known.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aquila X-1</span> Star in the constellation Aquila

Aquila X-1 is a low-mass x-ray binary (LMXB) and the most luminous X-Ray source in the constellation Aquila. It was first observed by the satellite Vela 5B which detected several outbursts from this source between 1969 and 1976. Its optical counterpart is variable, so it was named V1333 Aql according to the IAU standards. The system hosts a neutron star that accretes matter from a main sequence star of spectral type K4. The binary's orbital period is 18.9479 hours.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">UY Volantis</span> Low mass X-ray binary in the constellation Volans

UY Volantis, also known as EXO 0748-676, is a low mass X-ray binary system located in the constellation Volans. With an apparent magnitude of 16.9, it requires a powerful telescope to see. With a radial velocity of 20 km/s, it is drifting away from the Solar System, and is currently located 26,000 light years away.

References

  1. 1 2 Cutri, Roc M.; Skrutskie, Michael F.; Van Dyk, Schuyler D.; Beichman, Charles A.; Carpenter, John M.; Chester, Thomas; Cambresy, Laurent; Evans, Tracey E.; Fowler, John W.; Gizis, John E.; Howard, Elizabeth V.; Huchra, John P.; Jarrett, Thomas H.; Kopan, Eugene L.; Kirkpatrick, J. Davy; Light, Robert M.; Marsh, Kenneth A.; McCallon, Howard L.; Schneider, Stephen E.; Stiening, Rae; Sykes, Matthew J.; Weinberg, Martin D.; Wheaton, William A.; Wheelock, Sherry L.; Zacarias, N. (2003). "VizieR Online Data Catalog: 2MASS All-Sky Catalog of Point Sources (Cutri+ 2003)". CDS/ADC Collection of Electronic Catalogues. 2246: II/246. Bibcode:2003yCat.2246....0C. S2CID   115529446.
  2. ↑ Liu, Q. Z; Van Paradijs, J; Van Den Heuvel, E. P. J (2007). "A catalogue of low-mass X-ray binaries in the Galaxy, LMC, and SMC (Fourth edition)". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 469 (2): 807. arXiv: 0707.0544 . Bibcode:2007A&A...469..807L. doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20077303. S2CID   14673570.
  3. 1 2 Jonker, P. G; Nelemans, G; Bassa, C. G (2007). "Detection of the radial velocity curve of the B5-A0 supergiant companion star of Cir X-1?". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 374 (3): 999–1005. arXiv: astro-ph/0605497 . Bibcode:2007MNRAS.374..999J. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2006.11210.x. S2CID   7474465.
  4. 1 2 "V* BR Cir". SIMBAD . Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg . Retrieved 22 September 2017.
  5. ↑ Heinz, S; Burton, M; Braiding, C; Brandt, W. N; Jonker, P. G; Sell, P; Fender, R. P; Nowak, M. A; Schulz, N. S (2015). "Lord of the Rings: A Kinematic Distance to Circinus X-1 from a Giant X-Ray Light Echo Lord of the Rings: A Kinematic Distance to Circinus X-1 from a Giant X-Ray Light Echo". The Astrophysical Journal. 806 (2): 265. arXiv: 1506.06142 . Bibcode:2015ApJ...806..265H. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/806/2/265. S2CID   17657655.
  6. ↑ Margon B; Lampton M; Bowyer S; Cruddace R (October 1971). "A Pulsing X-Ray Source in Circinus". Astrophys. J. 169 (10): L23–5. Bibcode:1971ApJ...169L..23M. doi:10.1086/180806. hdl: 2060/19710026671 .
  7. ↑ R. Iaria; M. Spano; T. DiSalvo; N.R. Robba; et al. (January 2005). "On The Soft Excess In The X-Ray Spectrum Of Circinus X-1: Revisitation Of The Distance To Circinus X-1". The Astrophysical Journal. 619 (1): 503–516. arXiv: astro-ph/0410259 . Bibcode:2005ApJ...619..503I. doi:10.1086/426422. S2CID   18973228.
  8. ↑ "Circinus X-1: Neutron Stars Join The Black Hole Jet Set". Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. Retrieved 5 December 2013.
  9. ↑ "NASA's Chandra Captures X-Ray Echoes Pinpointing Distant Neutron Star". 23 June 2015. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
  10. ↑ Kaluzienski, L. J.; Holt, S. S.; Boldt, E. A.; Serlemitsos, P. J. (1976). "Evidence for a 16.6 day period from Circinus X-1". Astrophysical Journal. 208: L71–L75. Bibcode:1976ApJ...208L..71K. doi:10.1086/182235.
  11. 1 2 Mignani RP; De Luca A; Caraveo PA; Mirabel IF (2002). "HST observations rule out the association between Cir X-1 and SNR G321.9-0.3". Astron. Astrophys. 386 (2): 487–91. arXiv: astro-ph/0202268 . Bibcode:2002A&A...386..487M. doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20020224. S2CID   18606269.
  12. ↑ S. Heinz; P. Sell; R.P. Fender; P.G. Jonker; et al. (December 2013). "The Youngest Known X-ray Binary: Circinus X-1 and its Natal Supernova Remnant". The Astrophysical Journal. 779 (2): 171. arXiv: 1312.0632 . Bibcode:2013ApJ...779..171H. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/779/2/171. S2CID   6064052.
  13. ↑ Jones C; Tananbaum H; Giacconi R (1973). "UHURU Observations of the Binary Nature of Circinus X-1". 141st Meeting Amer Astron Soc. Tucson, Arizona. 5: 395. Bibcode:1973BAAS....5..395J.
  14. ↑ Whelan, J. A. J.; Mayo, S. K.; Wickramasinghe, D. T.; Murdin, P. G.; et al. (1977). "The optical and radio counterpart of Circinus X-1 /3U 1516-56/". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 181 (2): 259–271. Bibcode:1977MNRAS.181..259W. doi: 10.1093/mnras/181.2.259 .
  15. ↑ Glass, I.S. (1978). "Variations of Circinus X-1 in the infrared". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 183 (3): 335–340. Bibcode:1978MNRAS.183..335G. doi: 10.1093/mnras/183.3.335 .
  16. ↑ Moneti, A. (1992). "Optical and infrared observations of Circinus X-1". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 260: L7–L10. Bibcode:1992A&A...260L...7M.
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