Wolf 424

Wolf 424 A/B
Observation data
Epoch J2000      Equinox J2000
Constellation Virgo
Right ascension 12h 33m 17.38s[1]
Declination +09° 01′ 15.8″[1]
Apparent magnitude (V) A: 13.22 ± 0.01
B: 13.21 ± 0.01[2]
Characteristics
Spectral type dM6e/dM6e[3]
U−B color index 1.19/
B−V color index 1.84/
Variable type Flare stars
Astrometry
Radial velocity (Rv) −2[4] km/s
Proper motion (μ) RA: −1730[5] mas/yr
Dec.: +203[5] mas/yr
Parallax (π) 227.90 ± 4.60[6] mas
Distance 14.3 ± 0.3 ly
(4.39 ± 0.09 pc)
Absolute magnitude (MV) 15.03/15.02[7]
Orbit[2]
Primary GJ 473 A
Companion GJ 473 B
Period (P) 15.532 ± 0.096 yr
Semimajor axis (a) 0.9257 ± 0.0049"
(4.062 ± 0.098 AU)
Eccentricity (e) 0.2950 ± 0.0035
Inclination (i) 103.00 ± 0.15°
Longitude of the node (Ω) 143.48 ± 0.19°
Periastron epoch (T) 1992.297 ± 0.056
Argument of periastron (ω)
(secondary)		 347.2 ± 1.5°
Details
Mass A: 0.143 ± 0.011
B: 0.131 ± 0.010[2] M☉
Other designations
V* FL Vir, G 60-14, LFT 923, Ci 20 716, G 12-43, LHS 333, Cl* Melotte 25, GJ 473, USNO-B1.0 0990-00217846, GSC 00874-00306, LTT 13546, VVO 74, Wolf 424, 2E 2769, JP11 5148, GCRV 7553, JP11 5149, PLX 2890.

Wolf 424 is a binary star system comprising two red dwarf stars at a distance of approximately 14.2 light years from the Sun. It is located in the constellation Virgo, between the stars ε Virginis and δ Virginis.

The close binary nature of this star was discovered by Dutch American astronomer Dirk Reuyl in 1941, based upon an elongation of the star found in photographs.[2] The two stars in the Wolf 424 system orbit about each other with a semi-major axis of 4.1 AU and an eccentricity of 0.3. The stars have an orbital period of 15.5 years and have a combined apparent magnitude of about 12.5.

Wolf 424A is a cool main sequence red dwarf star of approximately 0.14 solar masses (147 Jupiters) and a radius of 0.17 solar radii. Its companion, Wolf 424B, is a cool main sequence red dwarf star of approximately 0.13 solar masses (136 Jupiters) and a radius of 0.14 solar radii. They are two of the dimmest objects within 15 light years of the Sun. In 1967, it was discovered that both are flare stars that undergo random increases in luminosity. The system has been designated FL Virginis, and may experience sunspot activity. The stars may undergo variation in the level of flare activity over periods lasting several years.[3]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Cutri, R. M.; et al (March 2003). "2MASS All-Sky Catalog of Point Sources (Cutri+ 2003)". VizieR On-line Data Catalog: II/246. University of Massachusetts and Infrared Processing and Analysis Center, IPAC/California Institute of Technology. Bibcode 2003yCat.2246....0C. 
  2. ^ a b c d Torres, Guillermo; et al (January 1999). "The Nearby Low-Mass Visual Binary Wolf 424". The Astronomical Journal 117 (1): 562–573. Bibcode 1999AJ....117..562T. doi:10.1086/300708. 
  3. ^ a b Pettersen, B. R. (May 2006). "Flare variability in the close binary FL Vir". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 368 (3): 1392–1394. Bibcode 2006MNRAS.368.1392P. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2006.10210.x. 
  4. ^ Wilson, Ralph Elmer (1953). General Catalogue of Stellar Radial Velocities. Washington: Carnegie Institution of Washington. Bibcode 1953QB901.W495...... 
  5. ^ a b Lépine, Sébastien; Shara, Michael M. (March 2005). "A Catalog of Northern Stars with Annual Proper Motions Larger than 0.15" (LSPM-NORTH Catalog)". The Astronomical Journal 129 (3): 1483–1522. arXiv:astro-ph/0412070. Bibcode 2005AJ....129.1483L. doi:10.1086/427854. 
  6. ^ van Altena, W. F.; Lee, J. T.; Hoffleit, E. D. (1995). The General Catalogue of Trigonometric [Stellar] Parallaxes (4th ed.). New Haven, CT: Yale University Observatory. Bibcode 1995GCTP..C......0V. 
  7. ^ Staff (January 1, 2010). "List of the Nearest 100 Stellar Systems". Research Consortium on Nearby Stars. http://www.recons.org/TOP100.posted.htm. Retrieved 2011-07-01. 

External links