MY Camelopardalis
| Observation data Epoch J2000.0 Equinox J2000.0 | |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Camelopardalis |
| Right ascension | 03h 59m 18.2863s[1] |
| Declination | +57° 14′ 13.673″[1] |
| Apparent magnitude (V) | 9.80 - 10.15[2] |
| Characteristics | |
| Spectral type | O6nn[3] (O6V((f)) + O6V((f))[4]) |
| U−B color index | −0.66[3] |
| B−V color index | +0.28[3] |
| Variable type | Ellipsoidal[2] |
| Astrometry | |
| Radial velocity (Rv) | −47[5] km/s |
| Proper motion (μ) | RA: −2.3[6] mas/yr Dec.: −0.3[6] mas/yr |
| Distance | ~4,000[5] pc |
| Absolute magnitude (MV) | −4.1[3] |
| Orbit[5] | |
| Period (P) | 1.175 days |
| Semi-major axis (a) | 19.24 R☉ |
| Eccentricity (e) | 0 |
| Inclination (i) | 62.59° |
| Argument of periastron (ω) (secondary) | 90° |
| Argument of periastron (ω) (primary) | 270° |
| Semi-amplitude (K1) (primary) | 335 km/s |
| Semi-amplitude (K2) (secondary) | 400 km/s |
| Details[5] | |
| Mass | 37.7 M☉ |
| Radius | 7.60 R☉ |
| Surface gravity (log g) | 4.251 cgs |
| Mass | 31.6 M☉ |
| Radius | 7.01 R☉ |
| Surface gravity (log g) | 4.245 cgs |
| Other designations | |
| Database references | |
| SIMBAD | data |
MY Camelopardalis (MY Cam) is a binary star system located in the Alicante 1 open cluster, some 13 kly (4.0 kpc) away in the constellation Camelopardalis. It is one of the most massive known binary star systems.[7] MY Cam is the brightest star in Alicante 1.[8]
The system consists of two hot blue O-type stars with one component having a mass of 32 solar masses and the other 38 solar masses.[9] MY Cam is a contact binary and eclipsing binary, with an orbital period of 1.2 days, and an orbital velocity of 1,000,000 km/h (620,000 mph).[7]
The system is anticipated to merge to form a single massive star of about 60 solar masses. This is expected to be the way that most extremely massive single stars are formed.[7]
When originally discovered, the system was considered to be a single variable star and not a binary system.[7] Its binary nature was only discerned in 2004.[8]
References
- 1 2 Hog, E.; Kuzmin, A.; Bastian, U.; Fabricius, C.; Kuimov, K.; Lindegren, L.; Makarov, V. V.; Roeser, S. (1998). "The TYCHO Reference Catalogue". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 335: L65. Bibcode:1998A&A...335L..65H.
- 1 2 Kazarovets, E. V.; Samus, N. N.; Durlevich, O. V.; Kireeva, N. N.; Pastukhova, E. N. (2008). "The 79th Name-List of Variable Stars". Information Bulletin on Variable Stars. 5863: 1. Bibcode:2008IBVS.5863....1K.
- 1 2 3 4 Haug, U. (1970). "UBV Observations of luminous stars in three Milky Way fields (Cassiopeia, Camelopardalis and Gemini)". Astronomy & Astrophysics Supplement Series. 1: 35. Bibcode:1970A&AS....1...35H.
- ↑ Greaves, John; Wils, Patrick (2004). "NSV 15852 is likely an Elliptical Variable akin in type to AO Cas". Information Bulletin on Variable Stars. 5517: 1. Bibcode:2004IBVS.5517....1G.
- 1 2 3 4 Lorenzo, J.; Negueruela, I.; Val Baker, A. K. F.; García, M.; Simón-Díaz, S.; Pastor, P.; Méndez Majuelos, M. (2014). "MY Camelopardalis, a very massive merger progenitor". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 572: A110. arXiv:1410.5575v1
. Bibcode:2014A&A...572A.110L. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201424345. - 1 2 Høg, E.; Fabricius, C.; Makarov, V. V.; Urban, S.; Corbin, T.; Wycoff, G.; Bastian, U.; Schwekendiek, P.; Wicenec, A. (2000). "The Tycho-2 catalogue of the 2.5 million brightest stars". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 355: L27. Bibcode:2000A&A...355L..27H.
- 1 2 3 4 Andrew Fazekas (9 December 2014). "Astronomers Spy Monster Star Merger on the Move".
- 1 2 Asociación RUVID (5 December 2014). "Astronomers observe two stars so close to each other that they will end up merging into a supermassive star". ScienceDaily.
- ↑ "Astronomers observe two stars so close to each other that they will end up merging into a supermassive star". Phys.org. 6 December 2014. Retrieved 6 December 2014.