SS Virginis is a Mira variable star that appears with a strong red hue. It varies in magnitude from a minimum of 9.5 to a maximum of 7.4[5] over a period of 361 days. It is also considered to be a semiregular variable star, as its minimum and maximum magnitude are themselves variable over a period of decades.[6] Its spectral class is C63e. Because it is so rich in carbon, SS Virginis is classified as a carbon star, along with stars like T Geminorum. SS Virginis, like all carbon Mira variables, has a hydrogen-alpha emission line that varies widely, synchronized with the overall variations in light. The hydrogen-alpha emission line becomes far more prominent as the star becomes brighter.[5] Observations made in the near-infrared spectrum indicate that it has a radius of 500 solar radii, and its temperature is between 2405 and 2485 kelvins.[7]
| Observation data Epoch J2000 Equinox J2000 | |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Virgo |
| Right ascension | 12h 25m 14.3952s[2] |
| Declination | +00° 46′ 10.9467″[2] |
| Apparent magnitude (V) | 9.5 to 7.4 |
| Characteristics | |
| Spectral type | C53e[3] |
| Astrometry | |
| Radial velocity (Rv) | 2[4] km/s |
| Proper motion (μ) | RA: −1.448±0.228[2] mas/yr Dec.: 0.571±0.151[2] mas/yr |
| Parallax (π) | 1.4348 ± 0.1018 mas[2] |
| Distance | 2,300 ± 200 ly (700 ± 50 pc) |
| Other designations | |
| Database references | |
| SIMBAD | data |
The location of SS Virginis is two degrees north-following of η Virginis (Eta Virginis, Zaniah).
References
edit- Citations
- ^ "Download Data". aavso.org. AAVSO. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
- ^ a b c d e 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.
- ^ "V* SS Vir". SIMBAD. Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg. Retrieved 25 February 2017.
- ^ Wilson, Ralph Elmer (1953). "General catalogue of stellar radial velocities". Carnegie Institute Washington D.C. Publication. Bibcode:1953GCRV..C......0W.
- ^ a b Mikulášek, Z.; Gráf, T. (2005). "Atlas of Hα emission lines and V light curves of 30 carbon Miras" (PDF). Astronomical Institute of the Slovak Academy of Sciences. 35 (2): 83–106. Bibcode:2005CoSka..35...83M. Retrieved 14 July 2012.
- ^ "SS Virginis". American Association of Variable Star Observers. Retrieved 14 July 2012.
- ^ Richichi, A.; Chandrasekhar, T. (1 June 2006). "Near-infrared observations of the carbon stars TU Geminorum and SS Virginis at milliarcsecond resolution". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 451 (3): 1041–1044. Bibcode:2006A&A...451.1041R. doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20054669.
- References
- Levy, David H. (2005), Deep Sky Objects, Prometheus Books, ISBN 1-59102-361-0