Observation data Epoch J2000 Equinox J2000 | |
---|---|
Constellation | Aquarius |
Right ascension | 21h 46m 31.84949s [2] |
Declination | −02° 12′ 45.9285″ [2] |
Apparent magnitude (V) | 6.37 - 6.82 [3] |
Characteristics | |
Spectral type | M8 III [4] |
Variable type | SRb [3] |
Astrometry | |
Radial velocity (Rv) | +33.98 [5] km/s |
Proper motion (μ) | RA: +25.547 [2] mas/yr Dec.: +20.433 [2] mas/yr |
Parallax (π) | 7.7134 ± 0.4896 mas [2] |
Distance | 420 ± 30 ly (130 ± 8 pc) |
Details | |
Mass | 1.7 [4] M☉ |
Radius | 384 [6] R☉ |
Luminosity | 4,800 [4] L☉ |
Surface gravity (log g) | −0.18 [7] cgs |
Temperature | 3,200 [4] K |
Metallicity [Fe/H] | +0.50 [7] dex |
Other designations | |
Database references | |
SIMBAD | data |
EP Aquarii is a semiregular variable star in the equatorial constellation of Aquarius. At its peak brightness, visual magnitude 6.37, [3] it might be faintly visible to the unaided eye under ideal observing conditions. A cool red giant on the asymptotic giant branch (AGB), its visible light brightness varies by about 1/2 magnitude over a period of 55 days. [4] [3] EP Aquarii has a complex circumstellar envelope (CSE), which has been the subject of numerous studies. [4] [9] [10] [5] [11]
The study of EP Aquarii's extended CSE began in 1984, when a spectral line arising from a rotational transition of carbon monoxide (CO) was detected by Zuckerman and Dyck, using the NRAO 12m telescope. [12] In the early 1990s, analysis of the IRAS satellite data showed the presence of an extended dust shell surrounding the star, with a radius of about 1 lightyear. [13] [14] In the late 1990s, high spectral-resolution observations at the Caltech Submillimeter Observatory (CSO) showed that EP Aquarii's CO line profiles had an unusual shape that suggested the presence of two distinct stellar winds, expanding at dramatically different velocities: 1.4 and 11 km/sec. [15] [11] In the early 2000s, observations of the 21 cm line of atomic hydrogen at the Nançay Radio Observatory confirmed the presence of a large circumstellar shell with multiple velocity components. [11]
The completion of Atacama Large Millimeter Array allowed EP Aquarii to be studied with far higher sensitivity and angular resolution than was available to earlier researchers. The very narrow emission feature (indicating an expansion rate of 1.4 km/sec) seen in the CSO spectra was found to arise from a spiral structure, nearly face-on to our line of sight, which suggested the presence of an unseen companion star. [5] The higher velocity wind arises from a bi-conical outflow, the pole of which is roughly aligned to our line of sight.
Which chemical compounds are found in the CSEs of AGB stars is largely determined by whether or not the stellar atmosphere contains more carbon than oxygen. [16] EP Aquarii's atmosphere contains more oxygen than carbon. [10]
Delta Aquarii, officially named Skat, is the third-brightest star in the constellation of Aquarius. The apparent visual magnitude is 3.3, which can be seen with the naked eye. The distance to this star is about 113 light-years based upon parallax measurements, and it has a close companion.
Beta Aquarii is a single star in the constellation of Aquarius. It has the official name Sadalsuud and the Bayer designation β Aquarii, abbreviated Beta Aqr or β Aqr. Based upon parallax measurements obtained during the Hipparcos mission, this component is located at a distance of approximately 540 light years (165 parsecs) from the Sun. It is drifting further away with a radial velocity of 6.5 km/s. The star serves as an IAU radial velocity standard.
Tau1 Aquarii, Latinized from τ1 Aquarii, is the Bayer designation for a single star in the equatorial constellation of Aquarius. With an apparent visual magnitude of 5.66, it is a faint naked eye that requires dark suburban skies for viewing. Parallax measurements made during the Hipparcos mission yield a distance estimate of roughly 355 light-years from Earth. The star is drifting further away with a radial velocity of +15 km/s. It is a candidate member of the Pisces-Eridanus stellar stream.
Mu Aquarii, Latinized from μ Aquarii, is the Bayer designation for a binary star system in the equatorial constellation of Aquarius. It is visible to the naked eye with a combined apparent visual magnitude of 4.7. Based upon parallax measurements, the distance to this system is about 157 light-years. It is drifting closer to the Sun with a radial velocity of −9.1 km/s.
Upsilon Aquarii, Latinized from υ Aquarii, is the Bayer designation for a binary star system in the equatorial constellation of Aquarius. It is visible to the naked eye as a faint star with an apparent visual magnitude of 5.21. Parallax measurements give a distance estimate of 74.8 light-years from Earth. This is a high proper-motion star that is drifting closer to the Sun with a radial velocity of –2.3 km/s. It is part of the Hercules-Lyra association.
Rho Aquarii, Latinized from ρ Aquarii, is the Bayer designation for a binary star system in the equatorial constellation of Aquarius. It is visible to the naked eye with an apparent visual magnitude of +5.34. Based upon parallax measurements, this star is at a distance of roughly 870 light-years from Earth. It is drifting closer with a radial velocity of –9 km/s. The proximity of this star to the ecliptic means it is subject to lunar occultations.
94 Aquarii is a triple star system in the equatorial constellation of Aquarius. 94 Aquarii is the Flamsteed designation. The brightest member has an apparent visual magnitude of 5.19, making it visible to the naked eye. The parallax measured by the Gaia spacecraft yields a distance estimate of around 73 light-years from Earth.
49 Aquarii, abbreviated 49 Aqr, is a star in the zodiac constellation of Aquarius. 49 Aquarii is its Flamsteed designation. It is a dim star with an apparent visual magnitude of 5.53. The distance to 49 Aqr, as determined from its annual parallax shift of 12.28 mas, is 266 light years. It is moving closer to the Earth with a heliocentric radial velocity of −13 km/s.
5 Aquarii is a single star in the zodiac constellation of Aquarius, located about 830 light years away from the Sun, based on parallax. 5 Aquarii is the Flamsteed designation. It is visible to the naked eye as a faint, blue-white hued star with an apparent visual magnitude of 5.55. This object is moving closer to the Earth with a heliocentric radial velocity of −3 km/s.
50 Aquarii, abbreviated 50 Aqr, is a single star in the zodiac constellation of Aquarius. 50 Aquarii is its Flamsteed designation. It is a faint star with an apparent visual magnitude of 5.76 that is barely visible to the naked eye under good seeing conditions. The star is located near the ecliptic and thus is subject to lunar occultations. Based upon an annual parallax shift of 12.2 mas as seen from Earth orbit, it is located 266 light years away. It is moving closer to the Earth with a heliocentric radial velocity of −21 km/s.
74 Aquarii is a triple star system in the constellation of Aquarius. 74 Aquarii is its Flamsteed designation and it also bears the variable star designation HI Aquarii. The combined apparent visual magnitude is 5.8, although it is very slightly variable, and it is located at a distance of 590 light-years from Earth.
17 Aquarii, abbreviated 17 Aqr, is a spectroscopic binary star system in the constellation of Aquarius. 17 Aquarii is the Flamsteed designation. It appears to the naked eye as a faint sixth magnitude star, having a combined apparent visual magnitude of 5.99. The distance to 17 Aqr can be estimated from its annual parallax shift of 4.9 mas, which yields a separation of around 660 light years. It is moving further away with a heliocentric radial velocity of 18 km/s.
39 Aquarii is a star in the zodiac constellation of Aquarius. 39 Aquarii is its Flamsteed designation. It is a faint naked eye star with an apparent visual magnitude of 6.03. Based upon an annual parallax shift of 23.78 measured with a 3% margin of error, this star is at a distance of around 137 light-years from Earth. It is a double star with a magnitude 9.3 companion at an angular separation of 0.6 arcseconds along a position angle of 257°.
La Superba is a strikingly red giant star in the constellation Canes Venatici. It is a carbon star and semiregular variable.
R Aquarii is a variable star in the constellation Aquarius.
U Aquarii, abbreviated U Aqr, is a variable star in the equatorial constellation of Aquarius. It is invisible to the naked eye, having an apparent visual magnitude that ranges from 10.6 down to as low as 15.9. Based on parallax measurements, the distance to this star is approximately 38 kly (12 kpc). In 1990, W. A. Lawson and associates provided a distance estimate of 43 kly (13.2 kpc) based on the assumption of a bolometric magnitude of −5. It appears to lie several kiloparsecs below the galactic plane, and thus may belong to an old stellar population.
14 Aquarii is red giant star. 14 Aquarii is the Flamsteed designation; it also bears the variable star designation IW Aquarii. It is a semiregular variable with an amplitude of a tenth of a magnitude, and shows variations on a timescale of just one day.
CIT 6 is a carbon star in the constellation Leo Minor. It is a semiregular variable star, with a period of about 628 days, and has been given the variable star designation RW Leonis Minoris. It is perhaps the second most studied carbon star, after CW Leonis. CIT 6 was discovered in 1966 by a group at the California Institute of Technology who found it using the same 62-inch infrared telescope on Mount Wilson that was used to produce the Two-Micron Sky Survey. It is the second brightest carbon star in the near-infrared, after CW Leonis.
RT Virginis is a variable star in the equatorial constellation of Virgo, abbreviated RT Vir. It ranges in brightness from an apparent visual magnitude of 7.7 down to 9.7, which is too faint to be visible to the naked eye. Based on parallax measurements made with the VLBI, the distance to this star is approximately 740 light years. It is receding from the Sun with a radial velocity of 17 km/s.
RS Cancri, also known as HR 3639 and HD 78712, is a star about 490 light years from the Earth in the constellation Cancer. It is a semiregular variable star, ranging in brightness from magnitude 5.4 to 7.3 over a period of about 229 days. During the time intervals when it is brighter than magnitude 6, it may be faintly visible to the naked eye of an observer far from city lights.