Observation data Epoch J2000.0 Equinox J2000.0 | |
---|---|
Constellation | Canis Major |
Right ascension | 07h 26m 59.48269s [1] |
Declination | −23° 05′ 09.6897″ [1] |
Apparent magnitude (V) | 4.8 - 6.25 [2] |
Characteristics | |
Spectral type | B0.5 IVe [3] |
Variable type | γ Cas [2] |
Astrometry | |
Proper motion (μ) | RA: −6.692±0.038 [1] mas/yr Dec.: +4.054±0.078 [1] mas/yr |
Parallax (π) | 1.7919 ± 0.0645 mas [1] |
Distance | 1,820 ± 70 ly (560 ± 20 pc) |
Absolute magnitude (MV) | −2.23 [4] |
Orbit [5] | |
Primary | Be star |
Companion | hot subdwarf |
Period (P) | 37.257±0.003 d |
Inclination (i) | >66 [6] ° |
Periastron epoch (T) | 2448529.64±0.15 |
Semi-amplitude (K1) (primary) | 14.4±0.9 km/s |
Semi-amplitude (K2) (secondary) | 128.2±2.2 km/s |
Details | |
Be star | |
Mass | 10-13 [6] M☉ |
Radius | 6.8 [6] R☉ |
Luminosity | 26,915 [6] L☉ |
Temperature | 27,500±3,000 [5] K |
Rotational velocity (v sin i) | 340±40 [5] km/s |
hot subdwarf | |
Mass | 1.1-1.5 [6] M☉ |
Radius | 0.81 [6] R☉ |
Luminosity | 2,399 [6] L☉ |
Temperature | 45,000±5,000 [5] K |
Rotational velocity (v sin i) | 41±5 [5] km/s |
Other designations | |
Database references | |
SIMBAD | data |
FY Canis Majoris (FY CMa), also known as HD 58978, is a star about 1,800 light years from the Earth, in the constellation Canis Major (very near the border of Puppis). It is usually a 5th magnitude star, so it will be visible to the naked eye of an observer far from city lights. It is a Gamma Cassiopeiae variable star, whose brightness varies from magnitude 4.8 to 6.25.
In 1967, Alejandro Feinstein detected low amplitude (0.14 magnitude) variability in HD 58978's brightness, from photoelectric observations at La Plata Observatory. [10] The star was given the variable star designation FY Canis Majoris in 1973. [11] During an outburst in 2009, the star brightened to magnitude 4.8, its historical peak brightness. [2] TESS data show that FY CMa pulsates at many different frequencies, with periods ranging from 1.07 hours to 5.8 days. [12]
In 1905, Edward King noted that FY CMa has a peculiar spectrum with an unusually bright Hβ (and other) emission lines. [13] Paul Merrill et al. listed it as a Be star in 1925. [14] Spectra taken by various observers over several decades of the 20th century showed that the strength and relative intensities of the star's emission line are variable, [3] and could change on a timescale of just a few days. [15]
In 2008, Geraldine Peters et al. obtained high resolution spectra from the IUE and found that the Be star has hot, far less massive subdwarf companion star, with which it forms a spectroscopic binary. [5]
Hui-Lau Cao calculated that FY CMa is losing mass at a rate of about 6 × 10−8M☉/year via a stellar wind with a terminal velocity of about 750 km/sec. [16]
Eta Canis Majoris, also named Aludra, is a star in the constellation of Canis Major. Since 1943, the spectrum of this star has served as one of the stable anchor points by which other stars are classified.
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.
Epsilon Canis Majoris is a binary star system and the second-brightest object in the constellation of Canis Major. Its name is a Bayer designation that is Latinised from ε Canis Majoris, and abbreviated Epsilon CMa or ε CMa. This is the 22nd-brightest star in the night sky with an apparent magnitude of 1.50. About 4.7 million years ago, it was the brightest star in the night sky, with an apparent magnitude of −3.99. Based upon parallax measurements obtained during the Hipparcos mission, it is about 430 light-years distant from the Sun.
Gamma Canis Majoris, also named Muliphein, is a star in the constellation of Canis Major. It is unclear exactly why this relatively faint star was given the 'gamma' designation, but possibly because it is in the same part of the constellation as Sirius (alpha) and Mirzam (beta).
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.
Kappa Canis Majoris, Latinized from κ Canis Majoris, is a solitary, blue-white hued star in the constellation Canis Major. It is visible to the naked eye with an apparent visual magnitude of +3.87. Based upon an annual parallax shift of 7.70 mas as seen from Earth, this star is located about 660 light years from the Sun.
Pi Canis Majoris is a binary star system in the southern constellation of Canis Major. It is visible to the naked eye, having an apparent visual magnitude of +4.69. Based upon an annual parallax shift of 33.80 mas as seen from Earth, this system is located 96.5 light years from the Sun. The star is moving in the general direction of the Sun with a radial velocity of −37.9 km/s. It will make its closest approach in around 733,000 years when it comes within 23 ly (7 pc).
Sigma Canis Majoris, also named Unurgunite, is a variable star in the southern constellation of Canis Major. It is approximately 1,120 light-years from the Sun and has an average apparent visual magnitude of +3.41.
Tau Canis Majoris is a multiple star system in the constellation Canis Major. It is approximately 5,000 light years distant from Earth and is the brightest member of the open cluster NGC 2362.
Omega Canis Majoris, Latinized from ω Canis Majoris, is a solitary, blue-white-hued star in the equatorial constellation of Canis Major. It is visible to the naked eye with an apparent visual magnitude of about 4. Based upon an annual parallax shift of just 3.58 mas as seen from Earth, this system is located roughly 910 light-years from the Sun.
10 Canis Majoris is a single variable star in the southern constellation of Canis Major, located roughly 1,980 light years away from the Sun. It has the variable star designation FT Canis Majoris; 10 Canis Majoris is the Flamsteed designation. This body is visible to the naked eye as a faint, blue-white hued star with a baseline apparent visual magnitude of 5.23. It is moving away from the Earth with a heliocentric radial velocity of +34 km/s.
26 Canis Majoris is a variable star in the southern constellation of Canis Major, located around 1,010 light years away from the Sun. It has the variable star designation MM Canis Majoris; 26 Canis Majoris is the Flamsteed designation. This object is visible to the naked eye as a dim, blue-white hued star with a baseline apparent visual magnitude of 5.89. It is moving further from the Earth with a heliocentric radial velocity of +22 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.
UW Canis Majoris is a star in the constellation Canis Major. It is classified as a Beta Lyrae eclipsing contact binary and given the variable star designation UW Canis Majoris. Its brightness varies from magnitude +4.84 to +5.33 with a period of 4.39 days. Bode had initially labelled it as Tau2 Canis Majoris, but this designation had been dropped by Gould and subsequent authors.
VY Canis Majoris is an extreme oxygen-rich (O-rich) red hypergiant (RHG) or red supergiant (RSG) and pulsating variable star 1.2 kiloparsecs from the Solar System in the slightly southern constellation of Canis Major. It is one of the largest known stars, one of the most luminous and massive red supergiants, and one of the most luminous stars in the Milky Way.
NR Canis Majoris is a binary star system in the southern constellation of Canis Major, located to the east of Sirius and Gamma Canis Majoris near the constellation border with Puppis. It has a yellow-white hue and is dimly visible to the naked eye with a combined apparent visual magnitude that fluctuates around 5.60. It is located at a distance of approximately 297 light years from the Sun based on parallax. The system is drifting closer to the Sun with a radial velocity of −29 km/s, and in about three million years it is predicted to approach within 14.1+4.7
−4.0 ly. At that time, the star will become the brightest in the night sky, potentially reaching magnitude −0.88.
Mu Canis Majoris is a binary star system in the southern constellation of Canis Major. The pair can be located a little to the southwest of the point midway between Gamma and Theta Canis Majoris, and the components can be split with a small telescope. The system is faintly visible to the naked eye with an apparent visual magnitude of 5.12. Based upon an annual parallax shift of just 2.62 mas as seen from Earth, this system is located roughly 1,200 light years from the Sun.
W Canis Majoris is a carbon star in the constellation Canis Major. A cool star, it has a surface temperature of around 2,900 K and a radius 234 times that of the Sun, with a bolometric absolute magnitude of −4.13 and distance estimated at 443 or 445 parsecs based on bolometric magnitude or radius. The Gaia Data Release 2 parallax of 1.8049±0.1454 milliarcseconds implies a distance of about 555 parsecs.
UX Ursae Majoris is an Algol type binary star system in the northern circumpolar constellation of Ursa Major. It is classified as a nova-like variable star similar to DQ Herculis, although no eruptions have been reported. Since its discovery in 1933, this system has been the subject of numerous studies attempting to determine its properties. The combined apparent visual magnitude of UX UMa ranges from 12.57 down to 14.15. The system is located at a distance of approximately 952 light years from the Sun based on parallax, and is drifting further away with a radial velocity of 112 km/s.
BE Ursae Majoris is a binary star system in the northern circumpolar constellation of Ursa Major, abbreviated BE UMa. The two components are an unusual M-class dwarf star and a subdwarf O star, borderline white dwarf. It is classified as a detached Algol variable and ranges in brightness from an apparent visual magnitude of 14.8 down to 17.8. This is too faint to be visible to the naked eye. The distance to this system is approximately 4,600 light years based on parallax measurements.