BD_Phoenicis

BD Phoenicis

BD Phoenicis

Variable star in the constellation of Phoenix


BD Phoenicis is a variable star in the constellation of Phoenix. From parallax measurements by the Gaia spacecraft, it is located at a distance of 256 light-years (78 parsecs) from Earth.[2] Its absolute magnitude is calculated at 1.5.[1]

Quick Facts Observation data Epoch J2000 Equinox J2000, Constellation ...

Description

BD Phoenicis is a Lambda Boötis star, an uncommon type of peculiar stars that have very low abundances of iron-peak elements. In particular, BD Phoenicis has near-solar carbon and oxygen content, but its iron abundance is only 4% of the solar value.[1] BD Phoenicis is also a pulsating variable of Delta Scuti type, varying its apparent magnitude between 5.90 and 5.94.[3] A study of its light curve detected seven pulsation periods that range from 50 to 84 minutes, the strongest one having a period of 57 minutes and an amplitude of 9 milli-magnitudes. Pulsations are common among Lambda Boötis stars and seem to be more common than on normal main sequence stars of the same spectral type.[1]

BD Phoenicis is an A-type main-sequence star with a spectral type of A1Va.[4] Stellar evolution models indicate it has about double the solar mass and an age of about 800 million years, having completed 83% of its main sequence lifetime.[1] It is radiating 21 times the Sun's luminosity from its photosphere at an effective temperature of 7800 K.[6] BD Phoenicis has a composite spectra that indicate it is a binary star, but nothing is known about the companion.[8][6]

Observations by the Herschel Space Observatory have detected an infrared excess from BD Phoenicis, indicating that there is a debris disk in the system. By modeling the emission as a black body, it is estimated that the dust has a temperature of 55±2 K and is at a distance of 118±10 au from the star. The existence of debris disks is possibly related to the Lambda Boötis phenomenon.[6]


References

  1. Koen, C.; Paunzen, E.; Van Wyk, F.; Marang, F.; Chernyshova, I. V.; Andrievsky, S. M. (2003). "The pulsational characteristics of the λ Bootis type star BD Phe (HD 11413)". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 338 (4): 931. Bibcode:2003MNRAS.338..931K. doi:10.1046/j.1365-8711.2003.06149.x.
  2. Samus', N. N; Kazarovets, E. V; Durlevich, O. V; Kireeva, N. N; Pastukhova, E. N (2017), "General catalogue of variable stars: Version GCVS 5.1", Astronomy Reports, 61 (1): 80, Bibcode:2017ARep...61...80S, doi:10.1134/S1063772917010085, S2CID 125853869.
  3. Gontcharov, G. A. (November 2006), "Pulkovo Compilation of Radial Velocities for 35495 Hipparcos stars in a common system", Astronomy Letters, 32 (11): 759–771, arXiv:1606.08053, Bibcode:2006AstL...32..759G, doi:10.1134/S1063773706110065, S2CID 119231169.
  4. Draper, Z. H.; Matthews, B. C.; Kennedy, G. M.; Wyatt, M. C.; Venn, K. A.; Sibthorpe, B. (2016). "IR excesses around nearby Lambda Boo stars are caused by debris discs rather than ISM bow waves". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 456 (1): 459. arXiv:1511.05919. Bibcode:2016MNRAS.456..459D. doi:10.1093/mnras/stv2696. S2CID 118343020.
  5. Faraggiana, R.; Bonifacio, P.; Caffau, E.; Gerbaldi, M.; Nonino, M. (2004). "λ Bootis stars with composite spectra". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 425 (2): 615–626. arXiv:astro-ph/0406265. Bibcode:2004A&A...425..615F. doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20040216. S2CID 117998682.

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