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Variable star in the constellation Aquila From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
W Aquilae (W Aql) is a variable star in the constellation of Aquila. It is a type of evolved star known as an S-type star. Due to its relatively close distance of 1,200 light-years (370 pc) and equatorial location, it is easy to observe and heavily studied.[9]
Observation data Epoch J2000 Equinox J2000 | |
---|---|
Constellation | Aquila |
Right ascension | 19h 15m 23.357s[1] |
Declination | −07° 02′ 50.33″[1] |
Apparent magnitude (V) | A: 7.0 - 14.6[2] B:14.8 [3] |
Characteristics | |
A | |
Evolutionary stage | asymptotic giant branch[4] |
Spectral type | S6/6e[4] (S3,9e - S6,9e[2]) |
B−V color index | +2.58[5] |
Variable type | Mira[2] |
B | |
Evolutionary stage | main sequence[4] |
Spectral type | F8/9[4] |
Astrometry | |
Radial velocity (Rv) | −18.0[6] km/s |
Proper motion (μ) | RA: 15.713[1] mas/yr Dec.: 0.103[1] mas/yr |
Parallax (π) | 2.6735 ± 0.1392 mas[1] |
Distance | 1,220 ± 60 ly (370 ± 20 pc) |
Absolute magnitude (MV) | A: −0.7 to +6.9[3] B: +7.1[3] |
Details | |
A | |
Mass | 1.04 - 3[4] M☉ |
Radius | 444[7][lower-alpha 1] R☉ |
Luminosity | 7,500[8] L☉ |
Temperature | 2,800[7] K |
B | |
Mass | 1.04 - 1.09[4] M☉ |
Temperature | 5,900 - 6,170[4] K |
Other designations | |
Database references | |
SIMBAD | data |
W Aquilae is an S-type star with a spectral type of S3,9e to S6,9e, a red giant similar to M-type stars, but in which the dominant spectrum oxides are formed by metals of the fifth period of the periodic table. W Aquilae is also rich in the element technetium. Another feature of this class of stars is the stellar mass loss, in the case of W Aquilae is estimated at 4×10−6 solar masses per year.[10] Its effective temperature is about 2,800 K and its radius is equivalent to 440 solar radii.[7][lower-alpha 1] It is also a very luminous star, 7,500 times more than the sun.[8]
W Aquilae is a variable whose brightness oscillates between magnitude +7.3 and +14.3 over a period of 490.43 days. In Mira variables (which are named after Mira, the prototype), this instability comes from pulsation in the stellar surface, causing changes in color and brightness. W Aquilae, a Mira variable, shows silicon monoxide maser emission.[12]
A magnitude 14.8 companion has been detected 0.47" SW of W Aquilae. This is fainter than W Aquilae at minimum and corresponds to an absolute magnitude of +7.1. Although that absolute magnitude would correspond to a K4 main sequence star, a spectrum was classified as F5 or F8. The separation between the two stars is 160 AU.[3]
A 2014 study of W Aquilae and α Centauri with the ALMA array claimed to have accidentally detected a previously-unknown Solar System object. This received widespread press coverage as a potential discovery of planet X. The paper was withdrawn without being accepted for peer-reviewed publication.[13]
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