N Centauri is a binary star[13] in the southern constellation of Centaurus. The brighter star is dimly visible to the naked eye with an apparent visual magnitude of 5.26, and it is approximately 304 light years away based on parallax. It has an absolute magnitude of +0.76 and is drifting further away from the Sun with a radial velocity of +27 km/s. It is a candidate member of the Sco OB2 moving group.[14]

N Centauri
Observation data
Epoch J2000.0      Equinox J2000.0
Constellation Centaurus
A
Right ascension 13h 52m 04.86231s[1]
Declination −52° 48′ 41.5063″[1]
Apparent magnitude (V) 5.26[2]
B
Right ascension 13h 52m 02.97130s[3]
Declination −52° 48′ 35.7079″[3]
Apparent magnitude (V) 7.49[2]
Characteristics
Spectral type B9V + F0Vn[4][5]
B−V color index −0.084±0.003[2]
Astrometry
A
Radial velocity (Rv)+27.0±4.2[2] km/s
Proper motion (μ) RA: −38.997[1] mas/yr
Dec.: −26.863[1] mas/yr
Parallax (π)10.7449 ± 0.0882 mas[1]
Distance304 ± 2 ly
(93.1 ± 0.8 pc)
Absolute magnitude (MV)+0.76[2]
Details
A
Mass3.04[6] M
Radius2.458[6] R
Luminosity70.18[2] L
Surface gravity (log g)4.32±0.14[7] cgs
Temperature13,032±443[7] K
Rotational velocity (v sin i)205[7] km/s
Age66[7] Myr
B
Mass1.48±0.01[8] M
Radius1.61+0.08
−0.09
[8] R
Luminosity6.43[9] L
Surface gravity (log g)4.29[10] cgs
Temperature7,354[9] K
Metallicity [Fe/H]−0.01+0.17
−0.15
[8] dex
Age1.07+1.56
−0.42
[8] Gyr
Other designations
N Cen, CPD−52°6787, FK5 2985, CCDM J13521-5249, WDS J13521-5249[11]
A: GC 18720, HD 120642, HIP 67703, HR 5207, SAO 241239[11]
B: CD−52°5831, GC 18718, HD 120641, HIP 67702, SAO 241238[12]
Database references
SIMBADA
B

The double nature of this system was discovered by German astronomer Carl Rümker in 1835. As of 2016, the companion lay at an angular separation of 18.5 along a position angle of 289° from the primary.[15] They form a co-moving pair with a projected separation of 1,566 AU.[16] The more luminous member is a B-type main-sequence star with a stellar classification of B9V.[13] Its fainter companion is an F-type main-sequence star with a class of F0Vn, where the 'n' suffix indicates that the metal absorption lines in its spectrum are unusual broad ("nebulous") and indicative of rapid rotation.[4][5] Based upon discrepancies in the proper motion measurements, there are hints of a third member of this system.[13]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Brown, A. G. A.; et al. (Gaia collaboration) (2021). "Gaia Early Data Release 3: Summary of the contents and survey properties". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 649: A1. arXiv:2012.01533. Bibcode:2021A&A...649A...1G. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202039657. S2CID 227254300. (Erratum: doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202039657e). Gaia EDR3 record for this source at VizieR.
  2. ^ a b c d e f 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.
  3. ^ a b Brown, A. G. A.; et al. (Gaia collaboration) (2021). "Gaia Early Data Release 3: Summary of the contents and survey properties". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 649: A1. arXiv:2012.01533. Bibcode:2021A&A...649A...1G. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202039657. S2CID 227254300. (Erratum: doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202039657e). Gaia EDR3 record for this source at VizieR.
  4. ^ a b Skiff, B. A. (2014), "VizieR Online Data Catalog: Catalogue of Stellar Spectral Classifications (Skiff, 2009- )", VizieR On-line Data Catalog, Bibcode:2014yCat....1.2023S.
  5. ^ a b Gahm, G. F.; Ahlin, P.; Lindroos, K. P. (1983), "A study of visual double stars with early type primaries. I. Spectroscopic results", Astronomy and Astrophysics Supplement Series, 51: 143, Bibcode:1983A&AS...51..143G.
  6. ^ a b Stassun K.G.; et al. (October 2019), "The revised TESS Input Catalog and Candidate Target List", The Astronomical Journal, 158 (4): 138, arXiv:1905.10694, Bibcode:2019AJ....158..138S, doi:10.3847/1538-3881/ab3467, S2CID 166227927.
  7. ^ a b c d David, Trevor J.; Hillenbrand, Lynne A. (2015), "The Ages of Early-Type Stars: Strömgren Photometric Methods Calibrated, Validated, Tested, and Applied to Hosts and Prospective Hosts of Directly Imaged Exoplanets", The Astrophysical Journal, 804 (2): 146, arXiv:1501.03154, Bibcode:2015ApJ...804..146D, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/804/2/146, S2CID 33401607.
  8. ^ a b c d Bochanski, John J.; et al. (April 2018), "Fundamental Properties of Co-moving Stars Observed by Gaia", The Astronomical Journal, 155 (4): 17, arXiv:1801.00537, Bibcode:2018AJ....155..149B, doi:10.3847/1538-3881/aaaebe, S2CID 119256051, 149.
  9. ^ a b 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.
  10. ^ Anders, F.; Khalatyan, A.; Chiappini, C.; Queiroz, A. B.; Santiago, B. X.; Jordi, C.; Girardi, L.; Brown, A. G. A.; Matijevic, G.; Monari, G.; Cantat-Gaudin, T. (2019-08-01), "Photo-astrometric distances, extinctions, and astrophysical parameters for Gaia DR2 stars brighter than G = 18", Astronomy and Astrophysics, 628: A94, arXiv:1904.11302, Bibcode:2019A&A...628A..94A, doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201935765, ISSN 0004-6361, S2CID 131780028.
  11. ^ a b "N Cen". SIMBAD. Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg. Retrieved 2020-03-03.
  12. ^ "HD 120641". SIMBAD. Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg. Retrieved 2020-03-03.
  13. ^ a b c Eggleton, P. P.; Tokovinin, A. A. (September 2008), "A catalogue of multiplicity among bright stellar systems", Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 389 (2): 869–879, arXiv:0806.2878, Bibcode:2008MNRAS.389..869E, doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2008.13596.x, S2CID 14878976.
  14. ^ Rizzuto, Aaron; et al. (October 2011), "Multidimensional Bayesian membership analysis of the Sco OB2 moving group", Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 416 (4): 3108–3117, arXiv:1106.2857, Bibcode:2011MNRAS.416.3108R, doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2011.19256.x, S2CID 54510608.
  15. ^ Mason, B. D.; et al. (2014), "The Washington Visual Double Star Catalog", The Astronomical Journal, 122 (6): 3466, Bibcode:2001AJ....122.3466M, doi:10.1086/323920, retrieved 2015-07-22
  16. ^ Lindroos, K. P. (1985), "A study of visual double stars with early type primaries. IV Astrophysical data", Astronomy and Astrophysics Supplement Series, 60: 183, Bibcode:1985A&AS...60..183L.