Wray 17-96
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Observation data Epoch J2000 Equinox J2000 | |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Scorpius |
| Right ascension | 17h 41m 35.436s[1] |
| Declination | −30° 06′ 38.78″[1] |
| Apparent magnitude (V) | ~13.0[2] |
| Characteristics | |
| Spectral type | B[e]:[3] |
| Apparent magnitude (B) | 17.8[4] |
| Apparent magnitude (R) | 14.23[5] |
| Apparent magnitude (J) | 6.707[6] |
| Apparent magnitude (H) | 5.52[6] |
| Apparent magnitude (K) | 4.796[6] |
| Variable type | LBV?[7] |
| Astrometry | |
| Proper motion (μ) | RA: −0.176[1] mas/yr Dec.: −1.278[1] mas/yr |
| Parallax (π) | 0.1457±0.0871 mas[1] |
| Distance | approx. 20,000 ly (approx. 7,000 pc) |
| Details[8] | |
| Radius | 140[a] R☉ |
| Luminosity | 2,820,000 L☉ |
| Temperature | 20,000 K |
| Other designations | |
| 2MASS J17413543-3006389, Hen 3-1453 | |
| Database references | |
| SIMBAD | data |
Wray 17-96 is a very luminous star in the Scorpius constellation, about 20,000 light-years (7 kpc) away. It is a suspected luminous blue variable (LBV), although it has not shown the characteristic spectral variations.
Wray 17-96 has an absolute bolometric magnitude of −10.9 (1.8 million times the Sun's luminosity), making it one of the most luminous stars known. The spectral type is peculiar, showing emission and absorption, sometimes both in the same line. Photospheric helium lines are visible indicating that the star is at least somewhat evolved. It is highly reddened by interstellar extinction and the visual brightness is reduced by nearly 9 magnitudes.[3]
Wray 17-96 is also notable for its highly symmetrical ring-shaped 10 M☉ gas shell,[3] which was originally classified as a planetary nebula.[10]
