Alpha Sculptoris

star in the southern constellation of Sculptor

Alpha Sculptoris is the brightest star in the generally faint constellation Sculptor, it is the brightest star in the constellation because it has an apparent visual magnitude of +4.30.[1] Parallax measurements collected during the Hipparcos mission give an estimated distance for this star at about 780 light-years (240 parsecs), with a 4% margin of error.[2]

α Sculptoris
Location of α Sculptoris (circled)
Observation data
Epoch J2000.0      Equinox J2000.0
Constellation Sculptor
Right ascension  00h 58m 36.35930s[2]
Declination −29° 21′ 26.8247″[2]
Apparent magnitude (V) +4.30[1]
Characteristics
Spectral type B7 IIIp[3]
U−B color index −0.515[4]
B−V color index −0.155[4]
Variable type SX Ari[5]
Astrometry
Radial velocity (Rv)+10.2[1] km/s
Proper motion (μ) RA: +20.13[2] mas/yr
Dec.: +5.31[2] mas/yr
Parallax (π)4.20 ± 0.18[2] mas
Distance780 ± 30 ly
(240 ± 10 pc)
Absolute magnitude (MV)−2.58[6]
Details
Mass5.01[7] M
Radius7.52[8] R
Luminosity1,549[7] L
Surface gravity (log g)3.20[9] cgs
Temperature13,600[9] K
Metallicity [Fe/H]0.90[10] dex
Rotational velocity (v sin i)17[9] km/s
Age93[7] Myr
Other designations
α Scl, CD−30°297, FK5 35, HD 5737, HIP 4577, HR 280, SAO 166716[11]
Database references
SIMBADdata

Alpha Sculptoris is a B-type giant star. It is classified as an SX Arietis type variable star. It's magnitude changes by less than a tenth of a magnitude.[5]

The luminosity of Alpha Sculptoris is about 1,500 times brighter than that of the Sun and is very hot with a surface temperature of 13,600 K. It is 7 times larger than the Sun in radius and is 5 times massive than the Sun.

References change

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Wielen, R.; et al. (1999). "Sixth Catalogue of Fundamental Stars (FK6). Part I. Basic fundamental stars with direct solutions". Veröff. Astron. Rechen-Inst. Heidelb. 35 (35). Astronomisches Rechen-Institut Heidelberg: 1. Bibcode:1999VeARI..35....1W.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 van Leeuwen, F. (November 2007). "Validation of the new Hipparcos reduction". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 474 (2): 653–664. arXiv:0708.1752. Bibcode:2007A&A...474..653V. doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20078357. S2CID 18759600.
  3. Houk, Nancy (1979). Michigan catalogue of two-dimensional spectral types for the HD stars. Vol. 3. Ann Arbor, Michigan: Dept. of Astronomy, University of Michigan. Bibcode:1982mcts.book.....H.
  4. 4.0 4.1 Gutierrez-Moreno, Adelina; et al. (1966). "A System of photometric standards". Publ. Dept. Astron. Univ. Chile. 1. Publicaciones Universidad de Chile, Department de Astronomy: 1–17. Bibcode:1966PDAUC...1....1G.
  5. 5.0 5.1 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. Bibcode:2009yCat....102025S.
  6. Anderson, E.; Francis, Ch. (2012). "XHIP: An extended hipparcos compilation". Astronomy Letters. 38 (5): 331. arXiv:1108.4971. Bibcode:2012AstL...38..331A. doi:10.1134/S1063773712050015. S2CID 119257644.
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 Kochukhov, O.; Bagnulo, S. (2006). "Evolutionary state of magnetic chemically peculiar stars". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 450 (2): 763. arXiv:astro-ph/0601461. Bibcode:2006A&A...450..763K. doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20054596. S2CID 18596834.
  8. Shulyak, D.; Paladini, C.; Causi, G. Li; Perraut, K.; Kochukhov, O. (2014). "Interferometry of chemically peculiar stars: Theoretical predictions versus modern observing facilities". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 443 (2): 1629. arXiv:1406.6093. Bibcode:2014MNRAS.443.1629S. doi:10.1093/mnras/stu1259.
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 Saffe, C.; Levato, H. (2014). "On the nature of sn stars. I. A detailed abundance study". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 562: A128. arXiv:1401.5764. Bibcode:2014A&A...562A.128S. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201322091. S2CID 119261402.
  10. Schmitt, A. (March 1973). "The weak-helium-line star α Sculptoris. I. The line-spectrum". Astronomy and Astrophysics Supplement. 9: 427. Bibcode:1973A&AS....9..427S.
  11. "alf Scl". SIMBAD. Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg. Retrieved 2012-04-08.