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R Arae
Variable star in the constellation Ara From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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R Arae is an Algol-type eclipsing binary in the constellation Ara. Located approximately 298 parsecs (970 ly) distant, it normally shines at magnitude 6.17, but during eclipses can fall as low as magnitude 7.32.[3] When an eclipse is not occurring, it will be faintly visible to the naked eye under ideal observing conditions.
In 1892, R Ara was discovered to be an eclipsing binary by Alexander William Roberts at Lovedale observatory in South Africa. The discovery was published in 1894.[7] Roberts referred to the star as "(5949) Arae", its designation as an unconfirmed variable star in Seth Carlo Chandler's catalog of variable stars.[8] It was listed with its modern variable star designation, R Arae, in Annie Jump Cannon's 1907 Second Catalogue of Variable Stars.[9]
It has been suggested by multiple studies that mass transfer is occurring between the two stars of this system,[10][11] and the period of eclipses seems to be increasing over time.[11] The primary is a blue-white main sequence star of spectral type B5V that is 5 times as massive as the Sun, while the secondary is a yellow-white star of spectral type F1IV that is 1.5 times as massive as the Sun. Stellar material is being stripped off the secondary and accreting on the primary.[5]
R Arae has an 8th-magnitude companion 3″ away.[5] The companion star is at a similar distance.[12]
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