Beta Comae Berenices (β Comae Berenices, β Com) is a main sequence dwarf star in the northern constellation of Coma Berenices. It is located at a distance of about 29.95 light-years (9.18 parsecs) from Earth. The Greek letter beta (β) usually indicates that the star has the second highest visual magnitude in the constellation. However, with an apparent visual magnitude of 4.3,[2] this star is actually slightly brighter than α Comae Berenices. It can be seen with the naked eye, but may be too dim to be viewed from a built-up urban area.
 Location of β Coma Bernices (upper left) | |
| Observation data Epoch J2000 Equinox J2000 | |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Coma Berenices |
| Right ascension | 13h 11m 52.39379s[1] |
| Declination | +27° 52′ 41.4535″[1] |
| Apparent magnitude (V) | 4.26[2] |
| Characteristics | |
| Spectral type | G0 V[3] |
| U−B color index | +0.08[2] |
| B−V color index | +0.58[4] |
| Astrometry | |
| Radial velocity (Rv) | +6.1[5] km/s |
| Proper motion (μ) | RA: -803.372 ± 1.370[6] mas/yr Dec.: +882.512 ± 0.526[6] mas/yr |
| Parallax (π) | 108.8951 ± 0.3487 mas[6] |
| Distance | 29.95 ± 0.10 ly (9.18 ± 0.03 pc) |
| Absolute magnitude (MV) | 4.46[7] |
| Details | |
| Mass | 1.15[8] M☉ |
| Radius | 1.106 ± 0.011[9] R☉ |
| Luminosity | 1.357 ± 0.014[9] L☉ |
| Surface gravity (log g) | 4.38[4] cgs |
| Temperature | 5,936 ± 33[9] K |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | +0.07[4] dex |
| Rotation | 12.3 ± 1.1[10] days |
| Rotational velocity (v sin i) | 4.10 ± 0.06[11] km/s |
| Age | 1.5–2.5[12] Gyr |
| Other designations | |
| Database references | |
| SIMBAD | data |
The star is similar to the Sun, being only slightly larger and brighter in absolute magnitude. It has a stellar classification of G0 V,[3] compared to G2 V for the Sun. The effective temperature of the outer envelope is 5,936 K,[9] giving it a yellow hue of a G-type star.[14] In terms of age it is younger than the Sun, being about 3 billion years old.[12]
Observations of short term variations in the chromatic activity suggest that the star undergoes differential rotation,[15] with a rotation period of about 11–13 days.[11] Its surface has a measured activity cycle of 16.6 years, compared to 11 years on the Sun. It may also have a secondary activity cycle of 9.6 years.[16] At one time it was thought that this star might have a spectroscopic companion. However, this was ruled out by means of more accurate radial velocity measurements. No planets have yet been detected around it, and there is no evidence of a dusty disk.
The habitable zone for this star, defined as the locations where liquid water could be present on an Earth-like planet, is 0.918–1.96 AU, where 1 AU is the average distance from the Earth to the Sun.[17]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b van Leeuwen, Floor (November 2007), "Validation of the new Hipparcos reduction", Astronomy and Astrophysics, 474 (2): 653–664, arXiv:0708.1752v1, Bibcode:2007A&A...474..653V, doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20078357, S2CID 18759600 Note: see VizieR catalogue I/311.
- ^ a b c Johnson, H. L.; et al. (1966), "UBVRIJKL photometry of the bright stars", Communications of the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, 4 (99): 99, Bibcode:1966CoLPL...4...99J
- ^ a b Gray, R. O.; Napier, M. G.; Winkler, L. I. (April 2001), "The Physical Basis of Luminosity Classification in the Late A-, F-, and Early G-Type Stars. I. Precise Spectral Types for 372 Stars", The Astronomical Journal, 121 (4): 2148–2158, Bibcode:2001AJ....121.2148G, doi:10.1086/319956
- ^ a b c 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.
- ^ Wilson, Ralph Elmer (1953). "General Catalogue of Stellar Radial Velocities". Carnegie Institute Washington D.C. Publication. Washington: Carnegie Institution of Washington. Bibcode:1953GCRV..C......0W.
- ^ a b c Brown, A. G. A.; et al. (Gaia collaboration) (August 2018). "Gaia Data Release 2: Summary of the contents and survey properties". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 616. A1. arXiv:1804.09365. Bibcode:2018A&A...616A...1G. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201833051. Gaia DR2 record for this source at VizieR.
- ^ Holmberg, J.; et al. (July 2009), "The Geneva-Copenhagen survey of the solar neighbourhood. III. Improved distances, ages, and kinematics", Astronomy and Astrophysics, 501 (3): 941–947, arXiv:0811.3982, Bibcode:2009A&A...501..941H, doi:10.1051/0004-6361/200811191, S2CID 118577511.
- ^ Takeda, G.; et al. (2007). "Stellar parameters of nearby cool stars. II. Physical properties of ~1000 cool stars from the SPOCS catalog". Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series. 168 (2): 297–318. arXiv:astro-ph/0607235. Bibcode:2007ApJS..168..297T. doi:10.1086/509763. S2CID 18775378. Note: see VizieR catalogue J/ApJS/168/297.
- ^ a b c d Boyajian, Tabetha S.; et al. (February 2012), "Stellar Diameters and Temperatures. I. Main-sequence A, F, and G Stars", The Astrophysical Journal, 746 (1): 101, arXiv:1112.3316, Bibcode:2012ApJ...746..101B, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/746/1/101, S2CID 18993744. See Table 10.
- ^ Brandenburg, Axel; et al. (August 2017), "Evolution of Co-existing Long and Short Period Stellar Activity Cycles", The Astrophysical Journal, 845 (1): 79, arXiv:1704.09009, Bibcode:2017ApJ...845...79B, doi:10.3847/1538-4357/aa7cfa
- ^ a b Gray, David F.; Baliunas, Sallie L. (January 1997), "The Rotation of the G0 Dwarf beta Comae", Astrophysical Journal, 475 (1): 303–312, Bibcode:1997ApJ...475..303G, doi:10.1086/303522
- ^ a b Mamajek, Eric E.; Hillenbrand, Lynne A. (November 2008). "Improved Age Estimation for Solar-Type Dwarfs Using Activity-Rotation Diagnostics". The Astrophysical Journal. 687 (2): 1264–1293. arXiv:0807.1686. Bibcode:2008ApJ...687.1264M. doi:10.1086/591785. S2CID 27151456.
- ^ "LHS 348 -- High proper-motion Star", SIMBAD, Centre de Données astronomiques de Strasbourg, retrieved 2012-02-04
- ^ "The Colour of Stars", Australia Telescope, Outreach and Education, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, December 21, 2004, archived from the original on 2012-03-18, retrieved 2012-01-16
- ^ Donahue, Robert A.; Baliunas, Sallie L. (July 1992), "Evidence of differential surface rotation in the solar-type star HD 114710", Astrophysical Journal Letters, 393 (2): L63–L66, Bibcode:1992ApJ...393L..63D, doi:10.1086/186452
- ^ Baliunas, S. L.; et al. (January 1995), "Chromospheric variations in main-sequence stars", Astrophysical Journal, Part 1, 438 (1): 269–287, Bibcode:1995ApJ...438..269B, doi:10.1086/175072 See appendix A.
- ^ Cantrell, Justin R.; et al. (October 2013), "The Solar Neighborhood XXIX: The Habitable Real Estate of Our Nearest Stellar Neighbors", The Astronomical Journal, 146 (4): 99, arXiv:1307.7038, Bibcode:2013AJ....146...99C, doi:10.1088/0004-6256/146/4/99, S2CID 44208180