Beta Virginis

Beta Virginis
Diagram showing star positions and boundaries of the Virgo constellation and its surroundings


Location of β Virginis (circled)

Observation data
Epoch J2000      Equinox J2000
Constellation Virgo
Right ascension 11h 50m 41.71824s[1]
Declination +1° 45′ 52.9910″[1]
Apparent magnitude (V) 3.604[2]
Characteristics
Spectral type F9 V[3]
U−B color index +0.090[2]
B−V color index +0.553[2]
Astrometry
Radial velocity (Rv)+4.1[4] km/s
Proper motion (μ) RA: +740.23[1] mas/yr
Dec.: -270.43[1] mas/yr
Parallax (π)91.50 ± 0.22[1] mas
Distance35.65 ± 0.09 ly
(10.93 ± 0.03 pc)
Absolute magnitude (MV)3.41[4]
Details
Mass1.25[5] M☉
Radius1.681 ± 0.008[6] R☉
Luminosity3.572 ± 0.052[6] L☉
Surface gravity (log g)4.25[7] cgs
Temperature6,132 ± 26[6] K
Metallicity [Fe/H]0.20[7] dex
Rotational velocity (v sin i)4.3[5] km/s
Age2.9 ± 0.3[4] Gyr
Other designations
Zavijava, Zavijah, Alaraph, Minelauva, 5 Virginis, BD +02°2489, FK5 445, Gl 449, HD 102870, HIP 57757, HR 4540, SAO 119076.[8]
Database references
SIMBADdata
ARICNSdata

Beta Virginis (β Virginis, abbreviated Beta Vir, β Vir), also named Zavijava,[9] is (despite its designation 'beta') the fifth-brightest star in the constellation of Virgo. Larger and more massive than the Sun, it is comparatively metal-rich (that is, it has a higher preponderance of elements heavier than helium).[7]

Since it is close to the ecliptic, it can be occulted by the Moon and (very rarely) by planets. The next planetary occultation of Zavijava will take place on 11 August 2069, by Venus.

Nomenclature

β Virginis (Latinised to Beta Virginis) is the star's Bayer designation.

It bore the traditional names Zavijava (also Zavijah, Zavyava and Zawijah) and Alaraph.[10] Zavijava is from the Arabic زاوية العواء zāwiyat al-cawwa’ 'corner of the barking (dog)'. In 2016, the International Astronomical Union organized a Working Group on Star Names (WGSN)[11] to catalog and standardize proper names for stars. The WGSN approved the name Zavijava for this star on 21 August 2016 and it is now so entered in the IAU Catalog of Star Names.[9]

In Chinese, 太微右垣 (Tài Wēi Yòu Yuán), meaning Right Wall of Supreme Palace Enclosure, refers to an asterism consisting of Beta Virginis, Sigma Leonis, Iota Leonis, Theta Leonis and Delta Leonis.[12] Consequently, Beta Virginis itself is known as 太微右垣一 (Tài Wēi Zuǒ Yuán yī, English: the First Star of Right Wall of Supreme Palace Enclosure.),[13] representing 右執法 (Yòuzhífǎ), meaning The The Right Law Administrator.[14] 右執法 (Yòuzhífǎ), spelled Yew Chi Fa by R.H. Allen, means "the Right-hand Maintainer of Law" [15]

Hunt for substellar objects

According to Nelson & Angel (1998),[16] Beta Virginis could host two or three jovian planets in wide orbits. The authors have set an upper limit of 1.9, 5 and 23 Jupiter masses for the putative planets with orbital periods of 15, 25 and 50 years respectively. Also Campbell et al. 1988[17] inferred the existence of planetary objects or even brown dwarfs around Beta Virginis. However more recent studies have not confirmed the existence of any substellar companion around Beta Virginis yet. McDonald Observatory team has set limits to the presence of one or more planets[18] with masses between 0.16 and 4.2 Jupiter masses and average separations spanning between 0.05 and 5.2 Astronomical Units.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 van Leeuwen, F. (November 2007), "Validation of the new Hipparcos reduction", Astronomy and Astrophysics, 474 (2): 653–664, arXiv:0708.1752Freely accessible, Bibcode:2007A&A...474..653V, doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20078357
  2. 1 2 3 Gutierrez-Moreno, Adelina; Moreno, Hugo (June 1968), "A photometric investigation of the Scorpio-Centaurus association", Astrophysical Journal Supplement, 15: 459, Bibcode:1968ApJS...15..459G, doi:10.1086/190168
  3. ↑ Morgan, W. W.; Keenan, P. C. (1973), "Spectral Classification", Annual Review of Astronomy and Astrophysics, 11 (1): 29, Bibcode:1973ARA&A..11...29M, doi:10.1146/annurev.aa.11.090173.000333
  4. 1 2 3 Holmberg, J.; Nordström, B.; Andersen, J. (July 2009), "The Geneva-Copenhagen survey of the solar neighbourhood. III. Improved distances, ages, and kinematics", Astronomy and Astrophysics, 501 (3): 941–947, arXiv:0811.3982Freely accessible, Bibcode:2009A&A...501..941H, doi:10.1051/0004-6361/200811191
  5. 1 2 Carrier, F.; Eggenberger, P.; D'Alessandro, A.; Weber, L. (2005). "Solar-like oscillations in the F9 V β Virginis". New Astronomy. 10 (4): 315–323. arXiv:astro-ph/0502014Freely accessible. Bibcode:2005NewA...10..315C. doi:10.1016/j.newast.2004.11.003. Retrieved 2007-06-05.
  6. 1 2 3 Boyajian, Tabetha S.; et al. (February 2012), "Stellar Diameters and Temperatures. I. Main-sequence A, F, and G Stars", The Astrophysical Journal, 746 (1): 101, arXiv:1112.3316Freely accessible, Bibcode:2012ApJ...746..101B, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/746/1/101. See Table 10.
  7. 1 2 3 Gehren, T. (1978). "On the chemical composition and age of Beta VIR". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 65 (3): 427–433. Bibcode:1978A&A....65..427G.
  8. ↑ "LHS 2465 -- High proper-motion Star", SIMBAD Astronomical Object Database, Centre de Données astronomiques de Strasbourg, retrieved 2012-03-20
  9. 1 2 "IAU Catalog of Star Names". Retrieved 28 July 2016.
  10. ↑ Atlas of the Heavens, part II, catalogue, Antonín Bečvář
  11. ↑ "IAU Working Group on Star Names (WGSN)". Retrieved 22 May 2016.
  12. ↑ (Chinese) 中國星座神話, written by 陳久金. Published by 台灣書房出版有限公司, 2005, ISBN 978-986-7332-25-7.
  13. ↑ (Chinese) 香港太空館 - 研究資源 - 亮星中英對照表, Hong Kong Space Museum. Accessed on line November 23, 2010.
  14. ↑ (Chinese) English-Chinese Glossary of Chinese Star Regions, Asterisms and Star Name, Hong Kong Space Museum. Accessed on line November 23, 2010.
  15. ↑
  16. ↑ The Range of Masses and Periods Explored by Radial Velocity Searches for Planetary Companions
  17. ↑ A search for substellar companions to southern solar-type stars
  18. ↑ Detection Limits from the McDonald Observatory Planet Search Program
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