Observation data Epoch J2000.0 [1] Equinox J2000.0 [1] | |
---|---|
Constellation | Canis Major |
Right ascension | 07h 10m 08.14876s |
Declination | −11° 48′ 09.8389″ |
Apparent magnitude (V) | 7.65 [2] |
Characteristics | |
Evolutionary stage | O9.7V [3] |
U−B color index | −0.80 [2] |
B−V color index | −0.05 [2] |
J−H color index | −0.037 [2] |
J−K color index | −0.079 [2] |
Astrometry | |
Radial velocity (Rv) | 34.46±0.27 [4] km/s |
Proper motion (μ) | RA: −2.808 [1] mas/yr Dec.: 1.270 [1] mas/yr |
Parallax (π) | 0.799 ± 0.0347 mas [1] |
Distance | 4,100 ± 200 ly (1,250 ± 50 pc) |
Details [5] | |
Mass | 14±7 M☉ |
Radius | 6.1±1.5 R☉ |
Luminosity | 28200+16500 −10400 L☉ |
Surface gravity (log g) | 4.0±0.1 cgs |
Temperature | 30500±500 K |
Rotation | 2562+63 −58 d [6] |
Age | 5±1 Myr |
Other designations | |
Database references | |
SIMBAD | data |
HD 54879 is a bluish-hued star in the southern constellation of Canis Major, close to the border with Monoceros. It is too faint to be seen by the naked eye, having an apparent magnitude of 7.65, but can be readily observed using a pair of binoculars. [7] The star is located some 4,100 light-years (1,300 pc ) distant according to Gaia EDR3 parallax measurements, and is moving away from the Solar System at a heliocentric radial velocity of 34.46 km/s .
This is an O-type main-sequence star with a stellar classification of O9.7V, indicating that it is near the border between the spectral types O and B. It radiates 28,200 times the luminosity of the Sun from its photosphere at an effective temperature of 30,500 K (30,200 °C; 54,400 °F), over five times hotter than the Sun. Its mass and radius are not well-constrained due to uncertainties in the star's distance, but simulations show that it likely formed with a mass of 16 ± 1 M☉ about 5 million years ago. [5]
The star was found to have a strong magnetic field in 2014 [8] with an average strength of 2,954 G and a dipole strength of 3,939 G, [6] thousands of times stronger than Earth's magnetic field (0.25–0.65 G [9] ). Its strength slowly varies with a period of 7.41 years. [10] This is related to the extremely slow rotation of HD 54879 [11] with a period of 7.02 years, the second longest recorded in an O-type star after HD 108. [6]
Since the magnetic fields trap stellar winds to an Alfvén radius of ≳12 times the stellar radius, HD 54879 experiences very little mass loss, estimated at 6.3×10−11M☉/yr, compared to the ~1×10−9M☉/yr if the star did not possess a magnetic field. [5] The entrapped gas forms a disk around the star in the equatorial plane of the magnetic field, which is probably the source of the Hα emissions seen in the star's spectra. [10]
In 2021, a spectroscopic study proposed the possibility that the stellar atmosphere was inhomogeneous in elemental makeup, with helium lines forming at much higher altitudes than the emission lines of oxygen and silicon. [3] This, however, was refuted in 2024, and a more uniform chemical composition is now favored. [6]
In 2019, a research team announced that a sudden spike occurred in the strength of the magnetic field, the spectral type of the star shifted from O9.7V to B2V, and that the star displays radial velocity variations indicative of a long-period binary. [12] These findings were later retracted, the apparent changes attributed to an inadequate signal-to-noise ratio related to instabilities in the data reduction pipelines. [13] However, a follow-up study by another team was unable to confirm such instabilities and instead accredited the faulty results to human error. [14]
Kappa Volantis, Latinized from κ Volantis, is a quadruple star system in the southern constellation of Volans. The primary component has an apparent visual magnitude of 5.37, while the secondary companion is magnitude 5.65; individually, both a bright enough to be faintly visible to the naked eye. Based upon parallax measurements, the stars appear to be around 420−430 light-years from the Sun.
Przybylski's Star, or HD 101065, is a rapidly oscillating Ap star at roughly 356 light-years from the Sun in the southern constellation of Centaurus. It has a unique spectrum showing over-abundances of most rare-earth elements, including some short-lived radioactive isotopes, but under-abundances of more common elements such as iron.
HD 85725, also known as HR 3916, is a yellow hued star located in the southern constellation Antlia. It has an apparent magnitude of 6.29, placing it near the limit for naked eye visibility. The object is relatively close at a distance of 176 light-years, but is receding with a heliocentric radial velocity of 61.6 km/s.
HD 27245, also known as HR 1335 or rarely 25 H. Camelopardalis is a solitary red-hued star located in the northern circumpolar constellation Camelopardalis. It has an apparent magnitude of 5.4, making it faintly visible to the naked eye. Gaia DR3 Parallax measurements place it approximately 607 light years away from it the Solar System and is drifting further away with a heliocentric radial velocity of 25.2 km/s. At its current distance, HD 27245's brightness is diminished by 0.36 magnitudes due to extinction from interstellar dust. It has an absolute magnitude of −0.27.
46 Aquilae is a star in the constellation of Aquila, located to the north of Tarazed. 46 Aquilae is its Flamsteed designation. It is a dim, blue-white hued star that is a challenge to view with the naked eye, having an apparent visual magnitude of 6.33. This object is located approximately 830 light years from the Sun, based on parallax. It is moving closer to the Earth with a heliocentric radial velocity of −25 km/s.
Rho Ophiuchi is a multiple star system in the constellation Ophiuchus. The central system has an apparent magnitude of 4.63. Based on the central system's parallax of 9.03 mas, it is located about 360 light-years away. The other stars in the system are slightly farther away.
N Scorpii, also known as HD 148703, is a solitary, bluish-white hued star located in the southern constellation Scorpius. It has an apparent magnitude of 4.23, making it readily visible to the naked eye. N Scorpii was initially given the Bayer designation Alpha Normae by Lacaille but it was later moved from Norma to Scorpius. N Scorpii is currently located 550 light years away based on parallax measurements from the Hipparcos satellite and is part of the Upper Scorpius–Centaurus region of the Scorpius–Centaurus association.
HD 63399 is an orange hued star located in the southern constellation Puppis, the poop deck. It has an apparent magnitude of 6.45, placing it near the limit for naked eye visibility. Based on parallax measurements from Gaia DR3, the object is estimated to be 445 light years distant. It appears to be receding with a spectroscopic radial velocity of 28.5 km/s. At its current distance, HD 63399 is diminished by 0.29 magnitudes due to interstellar dust.
HD 137366 is a solitary blue-hued star located in the southern circumpolar constellation Apus. It has an apparent magnitude of 6.38, placing it near the limit for naked eye visibility, even under ideal conditions. The object is located relatively far at a distance of approximately 1,100 light-years based on Gaia DR3 parallax measurements, but its heliocentric radial velocity is not known. At its current distance, HD 137366's brightness is diminished by three-tenths of a magnitudes due to interstellar extinction and it has an absolute magnitude of −1.54.
Theta Hydri, Latinized from θ Hydri, is a blue-white hued star in the southern constellation of Hydrus. It is faintly visible to the naked eye with an apparent visual magnitude of +5.53. Based upon an annual parallax shift of 6.50 mas as seen from Earth, it is located approximately 502 light years. At that distance, the visual magnitude of the star is diminished by an extinction of 0.10 due to interstellar dust. It is moving away from the Sun with a radial velocity of +12.3 km/s.
HD 55151 is a solitary star located in the circumpolar constellation Volans. With an apparent magnitude of 6.47, it is near the limit of naked eye visibility. The star is located 512 light years away from the Solar System, but is drifting closer with a heliocentric radial velocity of -13 km/s.
HD 196775 is a solitary star in the equatorial constellation Delphinus. It has an apparent magnitude of 5.98, allowing it to be faintly seen with the naked eye. The object is relatively far at a distance of 1,050 light years but is approaching the Solar System with a heliocentric radial velocity of −4.6 km/s. HD 196775 has a high peculiar velocity of 21.8+1.9
−4.1 km/s compared to neighboring stars, indicating that it may be a runaway star.
HD 89571 is a binary star located in the northern circumpolar constellation Camelopardalis. It is faintly visible to the naked eye with a combined apparent magnitude of 5.51 and is estimated to be 142 light years away from the Solar System. However, it is receding with a heliocentric radial velocity of 3.5 km/s.
AF Columbae, also known as HD 42682, is a solitary, red hued variable star located in the southern constellation Columba, the dove. It has an apparent magnitude that fluctuates between 5.6 and 5.71. Nevertheless, it is faintly visible to the naked eye. Parallax measurements from the Gaia spacecraft place the star relatively far at a distance of 820 light years. However, it is approaching the Solar System with a poorly constrained radial velocity of −19 km/s.
HD 34255, also known HR 1720, is a star located in the northern circumpolar constellation Camelopardalis, the giraffe. It has an apparent magnitude of 5.60, allowing it to be faintly visible to the naked eye. The object is located relatively far at a distance of about 1.65 kly but is approaching the Solar System with a heliocentric radial velocity of −7.7 km/s.
HD 115088, also known as HIP 64951, is a star located in the southern circumpolar constellation Chamaeleon. It has an apparent magnitude of 6.33, placing it near the limit for naked eye visibility. Based on parallax measurements from the Gaia spacecraft, the object is estimated to be 412 light years distant. At that distance, its brightness is diminished by 0.37 magnitudes due to interstellar dust.
V686 Coronae Australis is a solitary, bluish-white-hued variable star located in the southern constellation Corona Australis. It has an apparent magnitude that ranges between 5.25 and 5.41, which makes it faintly visible to the naked eye. Gaia DR3 parallax measurements imply a distance of 480 light years and it is slowly receding with a heliocentric radial velocity of 1.3 km/s. At its current distance V686 CrA's average brightness is diminished by 0.35 magnitudes due to extinction from interstellar dust and it has an absolute visual magnitude of −0.24.
HD 177765 is a white-hued star in the southern constellation of Sagittarius. With an apparent magnitude of 9.15, it is too faint to be seen by the naked eye from Earth, but is dimly visible using binoculars. It is located at a distance of 1,284 light-years according to Gaia EDR3 parallax measurements.
HD 166473 is a rapidly oscillating Ap star and an α2 CVn variable located about 455 light-years away in the southern constellation of Corona Australis. It has the variable star designation V694 Coronae Australis. With an apparent magnitude of 7.953, it is too faint to be seen by the naked eye from Earth, but can be observed using binoculars.
HD 194783 is a solitary star located in the southern constellation Microscopium near the border with Sagittarius. It is barely visible to the naked eye as a bluish-white-hued point of light with an apparent magnitude of 6.08. The object is located relatively far at a distance of 740 light-years based on Gaia DR3 parallax measurements, but it is drifting closer with a heliocentric radial velocity of −9.7 km/s. At its current distance, HD 194783's brightness is diminished by an interstellar extinction of 0.31 magnitudes and it has an absolute magnitude of either −0.59 or −1.10, depending on the source.
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