Psi Centauri

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Template:Short description

Psi Centauri
Template:Location mark
Location of ψ Centauri (circled)
Observation data
Epoch J2000.0      Equinox J2000.0
Constellation Centaurus
Right ascension Template:RA[1]
Declination Template:DEC[1]
Apparent magnitude (V) +4.05[2]
Characteristics
Spectral type A0 IV[3] (B9 and A2)[4]
U−B Template:Engvar −0.11[3]
B−V Template:Engvar −0.03[3]
Variable type eclipsing[4]
Astrometry
Radial velocity (Rv)Script error: No such module "val".[5] km/s
Proper motion (μ) RA: Script error: No such module "val".[1] mas/yr
Dec.: Script error: No such module "val".[1] mas/yr
Parallax (π)13.049±0.063 mas[6]
DistanceScript error: No such module "val". ly
(Script error: No such module "val". pc)[6]
Absolute magnitude (MV)Script error: No such module "val".[7]
Orbit[6]
Period (P)Script error: No such module "val".
Semi-major axis (a)Script error: No such module "val".
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".°
Argument of periastron (ω)
(secondary)
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Semi-amplitude (K1)
(primary)
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Semi-amplitude (K2)
(secondary)
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Details[6]
ψ Cen A
MassScript error: No such module "val". Template:Solar mass
RadiusScript error: No such module "val". Template:Solar radius
LuminosityScript error: No such module "val". Template:Solar luminosity
Surface gravity (log g)Script error: No such module "val".[8] cgs
TemperatureScript error: No such module "val". K
Metallicity [Fe/H]+Script error: No such module "val". dex
RotationScript error: No such module "val".[4]
Rotational velocity (v sin i)123.7[8] km/s
AgeScript error: No such module "val". Myr
ψ Cen B
MassScript error: No such module "val". Template:Solar mass
RadiusScript error: No such module "val". Template:Solar radius
LuminosityScript error: No such module "val". Template:Solar luminosity
Surface gravity (log g)Script error: No such module "val".[8] cgs
TemperatureScript error: No such module "val". K
Metallicity [Fe/H]+Script error: No such module "val". dex
Rotational velocity (v sin i)126.9[8] km/s
AgeScript error: No such module "val". Myr
Other designations
Template:Odlist[9]
Database references
SIMBADdata

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Psi Centauri, which is Latinized from ψ Centauri, is a binary star[10] system in the southern constellation of Centaurus. It is visible to the naked eye with a baseline apparent visual magnitude of +4.05.[2] The distance to this system is 250 light years based on parallax.[6] The radial velocity is poorly constrained, but it appears to be slowly drifting away from the Sun at the rate of +2 km/s.[5]

File:PsiCenLightCurve.png
A light curve for Psi Centauri, plotted from data published by Bruntt et al. (2006)[4]

This is a detached eclipsing binary system with the secondary eclipse being total.[4] The pair are orbiting each other with a period of 38.81 days and an eccentricity of 0.55.[6]The brightness of the system dips by 0.28 and 0.16 magnitude during the two eclipses per orbit.[4] The system displays an infrared excess at a wavelength of 60 μm, indicating the presence of a circumstellar debris disk with a temperature of 120 K, orbiting at a distance of 64 AU.[11]

The pair have a combined stellar classification of A0 IV,[3] matching a white-hued A-type subgiant.[2] The two components appear to be at different evolutionary stages.[4] Both have high rotation rates, with projected rotational velocities over 120 km/s.[8] The primary has 3.814 times the Sun's radius while the secondary is 1.896 times.[6] The primary showed evidence of pulsational behavior with 1.996 and 5.127 cycles per day,[4] which suggests it is a slowly pulsating B star.[8] But this remains unconfirmed as of 2017,[12] and the finding may instead be the result of instrumental error.[8]

References

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Template:Stars of Centaurus