Sigma Canis Majoris

Sigma Canis Majoris
Diagram showing star positions and boundaries of the Canis Major constellation and its surroundings


Location of σ Canis Majoris (circled)

Observation data
Epoch J2000      Equinox J2000
Constellation Canis Major
Right ascension 07h 01m 43.14779s[1]
Declination –27° 56 05.3898[1]
Apparent magnitude (V) +3.47[2]
Characteristics
Spectral type M1.5 Iab[3]
U−B color index +1.88[2]
B−V color index +1.73[2]
Variable type LC[4]
Astrometry
Radial velocity (Rv)+22.11[5] km/s
Proper motion (μ) RA: –5.98[1] mas/yr
Dec.: +4.59[1] mas/yr
Parallax (π)2.91 ± 0.19[1] mas
Distance1,120 ± 70 ly
(340 ± 20 pc)
Absolute magnitude (MV)–5.14[6]
Details
Mass12.3 ± 0.1[7] M
Radius420[6] R
Luminosity32,000[8] L
Surface gravity (log g)1.00[9] cgs
Temperature3,877[9] K
Metallicity [Fe/H]+0.16[9] dex
Age16.4 ± 0.5[7] Myr
Other designations
22 Canis Majoris, ADS 5719, CD 27° 3544, FK5 1183, HD 52877, HIP 33856, HR 2646, SAO 172797, Unurgunite.[10]
Database references
SIMBADdata

Sigma Canis Majoris (σ CMa, σ Canis Majoris) is a star in the southern constellation of Canis Major. It is approximately 1,120 light-years (340 parsecs) from Earth and has an average apparent visual magnitude of +3.41.

σ CMa is a supergiant star with a stellar classification of M1.5 Iab.[3] This is a type of star that is in the late stages of its evolution, having consumed the hydrogen at its core and ballooned out to 420 times the Sun's radius.[6] At 1.95 Astronomical Units,[11] this radius is nearly double the average distance of the Earth from the Sun. It is currently radiating about 32,000[8] times the luminosity of the Sun from its outer envelope at an effective temperature of around 3,877 K.[9] This gives it the cool orange-red hue of an M-type star.[12]

It is classified as an irregular variable star and its brightness varies from magnitude +3.43 to +3.51. The magnetic field of this star has a strength below 1 G.[3] It is suspected of being a member of the Collinder 121 stellar association of co-moving stars,[6] but this is disputed.[13]

Culture signification

The indigenous Boorong people of northwestern Victoria saw it as Unurgunite, flanked by his wives (Epsilon and Delta Canis Majoris).[10]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 van Leeuwen, Floor (November 2007), "Validation of the new Hipparcos reduction", Astronomy and Astrophysics, 474 (2): 653–664, arXiv:0708.1752v1Freely accessible, Bibcode:2007A&A...474..653V, doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20078357 Note: see VizieR catalogue I/311.
  2. 1 2 3 Ducati, J. R. (2002). "VizieR Online Data Catalog: Catalogue of Stellar Photometry in Johnson's 11-color system". CDS/ADC Collection of Electronic Catalogues. 2237: 0. Bibcode:2002yCat.2237....0D.
  3. 1 2 3 Grunhut, J. H.; et al. (November 2010), "Systematic detection of magnetic fields in massive, late-type supergiants", Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 408 (4): 2290–2297, arXiv:1006.5891Freely accessible, Bibcode:2010MNRAS.408.2290G, doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2010.17275.x
  4. Samus, N. N.; Durlevich, O. V.; et al. (2009). "VizieR Online Data Catalog: General Catalogue of Variable Stars (Samus+ 2007-2013)". VizieR On-line Data Catalog: B/gcvs. Originally published in: 2009yCat....102025S. 1: 02025. Bibcode:2009yCat....102025S.
  5. Mermilliod, J. C.; Mayor, M.; Udry, S. (July 2008), "Red giants in open clusters. XIV. Mean radial velocities for 1309 stars and 166 open clusters", Astronomy and Astrophysics, 485 (1): 303–314, Bibcode:2008A&A...485..303M, doi:10.1051/0004-6361:200809664
  6. 1 2 3 4 Levesque, Emily M.; et al. (August 2005), "The Effective Temperature Scale of Galactic Red Supergiants: Cool, but Not As Cool As We Thought", The Astrophysical Journal, 628 (2): 973–985, arXiv:astro-ph/0504337Freely accessible, Bibcode:2005ApJ...628..973L, doi:10.1086/430901
  7. 1 2 Tetzlaff, N.; Neuhäuser, R.; Hohle, M. M. (January 2011), "A catalogue of young runaway Hipparcos stars within 3 kpc from the Sun", Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 410 (1): 190–200, arXiv:1007.4883Freely accessible, Bibcode:2011MNRAS.410..190T, doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2010.17434.x
  8. 1 2 Mallik, Sushma V. (December 1999), "Lithium abundance and mass", Astronomy and Astrophysics, 352: 495–507, Bibcode:1999A&A...352..495M
  9. 1 2 3 4 Mallik, Sushma V. (October 1998), "Chromospheric activity in cool stars and the lithium abundance", Astronomy and Astrophysics, 338: 623–636, Bibcode:1998A&A...338..623M
  10. 1 2 Hamacher, Duane W.; Frew, David J. (2010). "An Aboriginal Australian Record of the Great Eruption of Eta Carinae" (PDF). Journal of Astronomical History & Heritage. 13 (3): 220–34. arXiv:1010.4610Freely accessible. Bibcode:2010JAHH...13..220H.
  11. 1 solar radius = 0.0046491 Astronomical Units, so 420 × 0.00465 = 1.95.
  12. "The Colour of Stars", Australia Telescope, Outreach and Education, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, December 21, 2004, retrieved 2012-01-16
  13. de Zeeuw, P. T.; et al. (January 1999), "A HIPPARCOS Census of the Nearby OB Associations", The Astronomical Journal, 117 (1): 354–399, arXiv:astro-ph/9809227Freely accessible, Bibcode:1999AJ....117..354D, doi:10.1086/300682
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