Castor (star)

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Template:Short description

Castor (star)
Template:Location mark
Location of Castor (circled)
Observation data
Epoch J2000      Equinox J2000
Constellation Gemini
Pronunciation Template:IPAc-en[1]
α Geminorum A
Right ascension Template:RA[2]
Declination Template:DEC[2]
Apparent magnitude (V) 1.93[2]
α Geminorum B
Right ascension Template:RA[2]
Declination Template:DEC[2]
Apparent magnitude (V) 2.97[2]
α Geminorum C
Right ascension Template:RA[2]
Declination Template:DEC[2]
Apparent magnitude (V) 9.83[2]
Characteristics
α Geminorum A
Spectral type A1V + dM1e[3]
B−V Template:Engvar +0.03[4]
α Geminorum B
Spectral type Am + dM1e[3]
B−V Template:Engvar +0.04[4]
α Geminorum C
Spectral type dM1e + dM1e[3]
U−B Template:Engvar +1.04[5]
B−V Template:Engvar +1.49[5]
Variable type BY Dra[6]
Astrometry
α Geminorum AB
Radial velocity (Rv)5.40[7] km/s
Proper motion (μ) RA: −175.88 mas/yr[8]
Dec.: −99.28 mas/yr[8]
Parallax (π)66.356±0.041 mas[8]
DistanceScript error: No such module "val". ly
(Script error: No such module "val". pc)[8]
Absolute magnitude (MV)+0.986 / +1.886[4]
α Geminorum C
Radial velocity (Rv)+2.5[9] km/s
Proper motion (μ) RA: –201.406 mas/yr[10]
Dec.: –97.000 mas/yr[10]
Parallax (π)66.3110±0.0238 mas[10]
DistanceTemplate:Rnd ± Template:Rnd ly
(Template:Rnd ± Template:Rnd pc)
Absolute magnitude (MV)+8.950[11]
Details
α Geminorum Aa
MassScript error: No such module "val".[8] Template:Solar mass
RadiusScript error: No such module "val".[8] Template:Solar radius
Surface gravity (log g)4.2[12] cgs
Temperature10,286[13] K
Rotational velocity (v sin i)18[14] km/s
Age290[8] Myr
α Geminorum Ab
MassScript error: No such module "val".[8] Template:Solar mass
Metallicity [Fe/H] dex
Age290[8] Myr
α Geminorum Ba
MassScript error: No such module "val".[8] Template:Solar mass
RadiusScript error: No such module "val".[8] Template:Solar radius
Surface gravity (log g)4.0[12] cgs
Temperature8,842[13] K
Rotational velocity (v sin i)33[14] km/s
Age290[8] Myr
α Geminorum Bb
MassScript error: No such module "val".[8] Template:Solar mass
Metallicity [Fe/H]{{{metal_fe2}}} dex
Age290[8] Myr
α Geminorum Ca/Cb (components are identical)
MassScript error: No such module "val".[11] Template:Solar mass
RadiusScript error: No such module "val".[11] Template:Solar radius
LuminosityScript error: No such module "val".[11] Template:Solar luminosity
Surface gravity (log g)Script error: No such module "val".[11] cgs
TemperatureScript error: No such module "val".[11] K
Metallicity [Fe/H]~0.0[11] dex
Rotational velocity (v sin i)Script error: No such module "val".[11] km/s
Metallicity [Fe/H]{{{metal_fe2}}} dex
Age290[8] Myr
Orbit[8]
Primaryα Geminorum A
Companionα Geminorum B
Period (P)Script error: No such module "val". yr
Semi-major axis (a)Script error: No such module "val".
(101 AU)Template:Efn
Eccentricity (e)Script error: No such module "val".
Inclination (i)Script error: No such module "val".°
Longitude of the node (Ω)41.3°
Periastron epoch (T)2,436,785
Argument of periastron (ω)
(secondary)		251.84°
Orbit[8]
Primaryα Geminorum Aa
Companionα Geminorum Ab
Period (P)Script error: No such module "val". days
Semi-major axis (a)Script error: No such module "val".
(Template:Solar radius calculator)Template:Efn
Eccentricity (e)Script error: No such module "val".
Inclination (i)Script error: No such module "val".°
Longitude of the node (Ω)Script error: No such module "val".°
Periastron epoch (T)HJD 2,455,817.79
Argument of periastron (ω)
(primary)		Script error: No such module "val".°
Semi-amplitude (K1)
(primary)		Script error: No such module "val". km/s
Orbit[8]
Primaryα Geminorum Ba
Companionα Geminorum Bb
Period (P)Script error: No such module "val". days
Semi-major axis (a)Script error: No such module "val".
(Template:Solar radius calculator)Template:Efn
Inclination (i)Script error: No such module "val".°
Longitude of the node (Ω)Script error: No such module "val".°
Periastron epoch (T)HJD 2,456,705.49
Semi-amplitude (K1)
(primary)		Script error: No such module "val". km/s
Orbit[15]
Primaryα Geminorum AB
Companionα Geminorum C
Period (P)14,000 yr
Orbit[11]
Primaryα Geminorum Ca
Companionα Geminorum Cb
Period (P)0.814282212 days
Semi-major axis (a)Script error: No such module "val".Template:Efn
Eccentricity (e)0
Inclination (i)Script error: No such module "val".°
Longitude of the node (Ω)7.315°
Semi-amplitude (K1)
(primary)		Script error: No such module "val". km/s
Semi-amplitude (K2)
(secondary)		Script error: No such module "val". km/s
Other designations
Template:Odlist
A: Template:Odlist
B: Template:Odlist
C: Template:Odlist
Database references
SIMBADdata
Castor A
Castor B
Castor C (YY Gem)

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Castor is the second-brightest object in the zodiac constellation of Gemini. It has the Bayer designation α Geminorum, which is Latinised to Alpha Geminorum and abbreviated Alpha Gem or α Gem. With an apparent visual magnitude of 1.58, it is one of the brightest stars in the night sky. Castor appears singular to the naked eye, but it is actually a sextuple star system organized into three binary pairs. Although it is the 'α' (alpha) member of the constellation, it is half a magnitude fainter than 'β' (beta) Geminorum, Pollux.

Stellar system

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Hierarchy of orbits in the Castor system[16]

Castor is a multiple star system made up of six individual stars; there are three visual components, all of which are spectroscopic binaries. Appearing to the naked eye as a single star, Castor was first recorded as a double star in 1718 by James Pound, but it may have been resolved into at least two sources of light by Cassini as early as 1678. The separation between the binary systems Castor A and Castor B has increased from about 2″ (2 arcseconds of angular measurement) in 1970 to about 6″ in 2017.[17][15] These pairs have magnitudes of 1.9 and 3.0, respectively.

Castor Aa and Ba both have orbits of a few days with a much fainter companion.

Castor C, or YY Geminorum, was discovered to vary in brightness with a regular period. It is an eclipsing binary with additional variations due to areas of different brightness on the surface of one or both stars, as well as irregular flares.[11] The Castor C components orbit in less than a day. Castor C is believed to be in orbit around Castor AB, but with an extremely long period of several thousand years. It is 73″ distant from the bright components.[15]

The combined apparent magnitude of all six stars is +1.58.

Physical properties

File:YYGemLightCurve.png
A visual band light curve for YY Geminorum (Castor C), adapted from Butler et al. (2015)[18]

Castor is 49 light-years away from Earth, determined from its large annual parallax.[8]

The two brightest stars are both A-type main-sequence stars, more massive and brighter than the Sun. The properties of their red dwarf companions are difficult to determine, but they are known to have masses 39% that of the Sun.[8]

Castor B is an Am star, with particularly strong spectral lines of certain metals.

Castor C is a variable star, classified as a BY Draconis type. BY Draconis variables are cool dwarf stars which vary as they rotate due to starspots or other variations in their photospheres. The two red dwarfs of Castor C are almost identical, with masses around Template:Solar mass and luminosities less than 10% of the Sun.[11] Since 2018 it is suspected a brown dwarf with a mass at least Script error: No such module "val". times the mass of Jupiter might be orbiting Castor C with a period of 50 years.[19]

All the red dwarfs in the Castor system have emissions lines in their spectra, and all are flare stars.[12]

Etymology and culture

α Geminorum (Latinised to Alpha Geminorum) is the star system's Bayer designation.

Castor and Pollux are the two "heavenly twin" stars that give the constellation Gemini (meaning twins in Latin) its name. The name Castor refers specifically to Castor, one of the twin sons of Zeus and Leda in Greek and Roman mythology.

The star was annotated by the Arabic description Al Ras al Taum al Muqadim, which translates as the head of the foremost twin. In the catalogue of stars in the Calendarium of al Achsasi al Mouakket, this star was designated Aoul al Dzira, which was translated into Latin as Prima Brachii, meaning the first in the paw.[20]

In Chinese, Script error: No such module "Lang". (Script error: No such module "Lang".), meaning North River, refers to an asterism consisting of Castor, Rho Geminorum, and Pollux.[21] Consequently, Castor itself is known as Script error: No such module "Lang". (Script error: No such module "Lang"., Template:Langx.)[22]

In 2016, the International Astronomical Union organized a Working Group on Star Names (WGSN)[23] to catalog and standardize proper names for stars. The WGSN's first bulletin of July 2016 included a table of the first two batches of names approved by the WGSN; which included Castor for the star α Geminorum Aa.[24]

Castor C also has the variable-star designation YY Geminorum.

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See also

Notes

Template:Notelist

References

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  8. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  9. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  10. ↑ a b Template:Cite Gaia DR3
  11. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  12. ↑ a b c Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
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  18. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  19. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  20. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  21. ↑ Template:In lang 中國星座神話, written by 陳久金. Published by 台灣書房出版有限公司, 2005, Template:ISBN.
  22. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  23. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  24. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".

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External links

Template:Stars of Gemini Template:Portal bar Template:Sky

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