Observation data Epoch J2000 Equinox J2000 | |
---|---|
Constellation | Cassiopeia |
Right ascension | 23h 44m 03.28104s [1] |
Declination | +61° 47′ 22.1823″ [1] |
Apparent magnitude (V) | 8.90 [2] (8.2 – 10.2 [3] ) |
Characteristics | |
Evolutionary stage | Red supergiant |
Spectral type | M3Ia [4] |
U−B color index | +1.32 [2] |
B−V color index | +2.58 [2] |
Variable type | SRc [5] + Cepheid [6] |
Astrometry | |
Radial velocity (Rv) | –45.68 ± 0.68 [7] km/s |
Proper motion (μ) | RA: −4.15 [1] mas/yr Dec.: −3.55 [1] mas/yr |
Parallax (π) | 0.356 ± 0.026 mas [8] |
Distance | 2,810+220 −190 [8] pc |
Absolute magnitude (MV) | −7.89 [9] |
Details | |
Radius | (1190 ± 238) – (1940 ± 388); [10] 1364 [11] R☉ |
Luminosity | 229,000 [12] L☉ |
Surface gravity (log g) | −0.5 [9] cgs |
Temperature | 3,605±170 [13] K |
Age | 8 – 10 [8] Myr |
Other designations | |
Database references | |
SIMBAD | data |
PZ Cassiopeiae is a red supergiant star located in the constellation of Cassiopeia, and a semi-regular variable star.
PZ Cassiopeiae is a luminous red supergiant star, one of the largest stars currently known with a radius over 1,000 times the Sun's radius (R☉), and also one of the most luminous of its type, around 200,000 times more luminous than the Sun (L☉). It is likely to be part of the Cas OB5 stellar association although apparently much younger than the other stars in the association. [8] The star is losing mass at around 2.6×10−5 M☉ per year and has also once been described as a hypergiant. [14] [15]
Its distance from Earth was initially estimated to be around 7,800 light-years (2.4 kiloparsecs). Subsequent studies of the star using the water masers that surround it have allowed to refine both the distance and the parameters of this star, deriving an accurate parallax of 0.356±0.026 mas , corresponding to a distance of 9,160 light-years (2.81 kiloparsecs), that translates a luminosity for it around 229,000 L☉, and an initial mass of 20 to 25 times that of the Sun. These parameters are all similar to those estimated for the red hypergiant VY Canis Majoris. [8] [12]
A less reliable Gaia Data Release 2 parallax of 0.42±0.09 mas gives the star a luminosity below 180,000 L☉ with a corresponding radius of 1,062 R☉. [13]
PZ Cas is a slow semi-regular variable star with the period quoted as 925 days in the General Catalogue of Variable Stars, [17] although periods of 850 and 3,195 days have been derived. [5] [3] The visual range is approximate magnitude 8–10, large for this type of variable. [3]
PZ Cas has traditionally been treated as a massive supergiant, comparable to others such as VY CMa, but there is some evidence that it is a possible less massive O-rich S- or SC-type Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) or post-AGB star. It shows enrichment of Zr and Ba, but not Li as would be expected for a true supergiant. [18]
PZ Cas has a Cepheid variable companion, a 13th magnitude star 12" away. [6]
Red supergiants (RSGs) are stars with a supergiant luminosity class of spectral type K or M. They are the largest stars in the universe in terms of volume, although they are not the most massive or luminous. Betelgeuse and Antares A are the brightest and best known red supergiants (RSGs), indeed the only first magnitude red supergiant stars.
Rho Cassiopeiae is a yellow hypergiant star in the constellation Cassiopeia. It is about 3,400 light-years (1,000 pc) from Earth, yet can still be seen by the naked eye as it is over 300,000 times brighter than the Sun. On average it has an absolute magnitude of −9.5, making it visually one of the most luminous stars known. Its diameter measures between 636 and 981 times that of the Sun, approximately 1,125,000,000 kilometers, or almost four times the size of Earth's orbit.
Mu Cephei, also known as Herschel's Garnet Star, Erakis, or HD 206936, is a red supergiant or hypergiant star in the constellation Cepheus. It appears garnet red and is located at the edge of the IC 1396 nebula. Since 1943, the spectrum of this star has served as a spectral standard by which other stars are classified.
KY Cygni is a red supergiant of spectral class M3.5Ia located in the constellation Cygnus. It is approximately 5,000 light-years away.
Phi Cassiopeiae is a multiple star in the constellation Cassiopeia with a combined apparent magnitude of +4.95. The two brightest components are A and C, sometimes called φ1 and φ2 Cas. φ Cas A is an F0 bright supergiant of magnitude 4.95 and φ Cas C is a 7.08 magnitude B6 supergiant at 134".
A yellow hypergiant (YHG) is a massive star with an extended atmosphere, a spectral class from A to K, and, starting with an initial mass of about 20–60 solar masses, has lost as much as half that mass. They are amongst the most visually luminous stars, with absolute magnitude (MV) around −9, but also one of the rarest, with just 20 known in the Milky Way and six of those in just a single cluster. They are sometimes referred to as cool hypergiants in comparison with O- and B-type stars, and sometimes as warm hypergiants in comparison with red supergiants.
KW Sagittarii is a red supergiant, located approximately 1,900 parsecs away from the Sun in the direction of the constellation Sagittarius. It is one of the largest-known stars. If placed at the center of the Solar System, the star's surface would engulf Mars.
V354 Cephei is a red supergiant star located within the Milky Way. It is an irregular variable located over 8,900 light-years away from the Sun. It has an estimated radius of 685 solar radii. If it were placed in the center of the Solar System, it would extend to between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter.
Zeta Cephei is a star in the constellation of Cepheus. Zeta Cephei marks the left shoulder of Cepheus, the King of Joppa (Ethiopia). It is one of the fundamental stars of the MK spectral sequence, defined as type K1.5 Ib.
S Persei is a red supergiant or hypergiant located near the Double Cluster in Perseus, north of the cluster NGC 869. It is a member of the Perseus OB1 association and one of the largest known stars. If placed in the Solar System, its photosphere would engulf the orbit of Jupiter. It is also a semiregular variable, a star whose variations are less regular than those of Mira variables.
NO Aurigae is a pulsating variable star in the constellation Auriga. It is an unusually-luminous asymptotic giant branch star about 3,500 light years away.
6 Cassiopeiae is a white hypergiant in the constellation Cassiopeia, and a small-amplitude variable star.
A hypergiant (luminosity class 0 or Ia+) is a very rare type of star that has an extremely high luminosity, mass, size and mass loss because of its extreme stellar winds. The term hypergiant is defined as luminosity class 0 (zero) in the MKK system. However, this is rarely seen in literature or in published spectral classifications, except for specific well-defined groups such as the yellow hypergiants, RSG (red supergiants), or blue B(e) supergiants with emission spectra. More commonly, hypergiants are classed as Ia-0 or Ia+, but red supergiants are rarely assigned these spectral classifications. Astronomers are interested in these stars because they relate to understanding stellar evolution, especially star formation, stability, and their expected demise as supernovae.
V602 Carinae is a red supergiant and variable star of spectral type of M3 in the constellation Carina. It is one of largest known stars.
TZ Cassiopeiae(TZ Cas, HIP 117763, SAO 20912) is a variable star in the constellation Cassiopeia with an apparent magnitude of around +9 to +10. It is approximately 8,400 light-years away from Earth. The star is a red supergiant star with a spectral type of M3 and a temperature around 3,600 K.
BC Cygni is a red supergiant and pulsating variable star of spectral type M3.5Ia in the constellation Cygnus.
RW Cygni is a semiregular variable star in the constellation Cygnus, about a degree east of 2nd magnitude γ Cygni. Its apparent magnitude varies between 8.05 and 9.70 and its spectral type between M3 and M4.
BI Cygni(BI Cyg, IRC +40408, BD+36 4025) is a red supergiant in the constellation Cygnus. It is an irregular variable star with a maximum brightness of magnitude 8.4 and a minimum of magnitude 9.9. It is considered a member of the stellar Cygnus OB1 association, its distance is around 2,600 parsecs (8,500 ly) of the Solar System. It is less than a degree south of another variable red supergiant, BC Cygni.
V528 Carinae is a variable star in the constellation Carina.
BO Carinae, also known as HD 93420, is an irregular variable star in the constellation Carina.