Location of KY Cygni in the Sadr region (circled, east is up) | |
Observation data Epoch J2000.0 Equinox J2000.0 (ICRS) | |
---|---|
Constellation | Cygnus |
Right ascension | 20h 25m 58.04s [1] |
Declination | +38° 21′ 07.7″ [1] |
Apparent magnitude (V) | 11.14 [2] (10.60 - 11.74 [3] ) |
Characteristics | |
Spectral type | M3 Ia [4] (M3.5 Ia [5] ) |
U−B color index | +2.91 [2] |
B−V color index | +3.39 [2] |
Variable type | Lc [5] |
Astrometry | |
Proper motion (μ) | RA: –3.556 [1] mas/yr Dec.: –6.061 [1] mas/yr |
Parallax (π) | 0.6687 ± 0.0517 mas [1] |
Distance | 4680+346 −388 ly (1436+106 −119 pc) [6] |
Absolute magnitude (MV) | –8.18 [7] |
Details [8] | |
Mass | 19 M☉ |
Radius | 1,032 [lower-alpha 1] R☉ |
Luminosity | 150,000 L☉ |
Surface gravity (log g) | −0.5 [7] cgs |
Temperature | 3,535 K |
Age | >9 [lower-alpha 2] Myr |
Other designations | |
Database references | |
SIMBAD | data |
KY Cygni is a red supergiant of spectral class M3.5Ia located in the constellation Cygnus. It is approximately 4,700 light-years away.
KY Cyg lies near the bright open cluster NGC 6913, but is not thought to be a member. The location is close to the bright star γ Cygni. [9] It was identified as a variable star in 1930, [10] and later named as KY Cygni. [11] The spectrum was given the MK classification of M3 Ia, with only minor adjustments since. [4]
KY Cygni is heavily reddened due to interstellar extinction, losing an estimated 7.75 magnitudes at visual wavelengths. It would be a naked eye star if no light was lost. [7]
KY Cygni is classified as a luminous red supergiant with a strong stellar wind. It is losing mass at around 4.9×10−6 M☉ and has been described as a cool hypergiant. [2] [12]
Its properties are uncertain, but the temperature is around 3,500 K. A model fit based on K-band infrared brightness gives a luminosity of 273,000 L☉, corresponding to a radius of 1,420 R☉. Another model based on visual brightness gives an unexpectedly large luminosity of 1,107,000 L☉, with the difference due mainly to the assumptions about the level of extinction. The radius corresponding to the higher luminosity would be 2,850 R☉. These parameters are larger and more luminous than expected for any red supergiant, making them doubtful. [7] More recently, integration of the spectral energy distributions across a full range of wavelengths from U band to the 60 micron microwave flux gives an even lower luminosity of 138,000 L☉, [2] and a 2020 paper published a luminosity of 150,000 L☉, which give a smaller radius of 1,032 R☉ using an effective temperature of 3,535 K. [8]
KY Cygni is a variable star with a large amplitude but no clear periodicity. At times, it varies rapidly, at others it is fairly constant for long periods. [9] The photographic magnitude range is given as 13.5 - 15.5, [5] while a visual range is 10.60 - 11.74. [3]
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