R Aurigae
Star in the constellation Auriga
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
R Aurigae (R Aur) is a Mira variable, a pulsating red giant star in the constellation of Auriga, at a distance of 930 light-years.
| Observation data Epoch J2000.0 Equinox J2000.0 (ICRS) | |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Auriga |
| Right ascension | 05h 17m 17.6916s[2] |
| Declination | +53° 35′ 10.032″[2] |
| Apparent magnitude (V) | 6.7 to 13.9[3] |
| Characteristics | |
| Evolutionary stage | AGB[4] |
| Spectral type | M7IIIe[5] (M6e - M9e)[3] |
| U−B color index | +0.27[6] |
| B−V color index | +1.66[6] |
| Variable type | Mira[3] |
| Astrometry | |
| Radial velocity (Rv) | 7.8±2[7] km/s |
| Proper motion (μ) | RA: +14.708[2] mas/yr Dec.: −14.685[2] mas/yr |
| Parallax (π) | 3.4958±0.1327 mas[2] |
| Distance | 930 ± 40 ly (290 ± 10 pc) |
| Details | |
| Mass | 3.7[8] M☉ |
| Radius | 740[9] R☉ |
| Luminosity | 11,530[10] L☉ |
| Surface gravity (log g) | 1.60[8] cgs |
| Temperature | 2,385[10] K |
| Other designations | |
| R Aur, ADS 3845 A, BD+53 882, CCDM J05173+5335A, GC 6435, HD 34019, HIP 24645, HR 1707, IDS 05092+5328 A, SAO 25112[7] | |
| Database references | |
| SIMBAD | data |
In 1862 R Aurigae was found to be a variable star at Bonn Observatory.[11] It was widely observed in the late 19th century and its spectrum was described in 1890.[12] In 1907 it appeared with its variable star designation in Annie Jump Cannon's Second Catalogue of Variable Stars.[11] R Aurigae has an apparent visual magnitude which varies between 6.7 and 13.9 with a period of 450 days.[3] The light curve varies strongly from cycle to cycle, sometimes having a pronounced hump on the ascending branch and usually having rise and fall times approximately equal. The cycle period has oscillated slowly between about 450 and 465 days.
R Aurigae is catalogued as a component of a double star, with the 10th magnitude HD 233095, although the two stars are unrelated.[13]