Jump to content

VX Sagittarii

Page semi-protected
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

VX Sagittarii

A visual band light curve for VX Sagittarii, plotted from AAVSO data[1]
Observation data
Epoch J2000.0      Equinox J2000.0 (ICRS)
Constellation Sagittarius
Right ascension 18h 08m 04.04831s[2]
Declination −22° 13′ 26.6327″[2]
Apparent magnitude (V) 6.5 - 14.0[3]
Characteristics
Evolutionary stage OH/IR (ERSG/RHG,[4] AGB/Super-AGB,[5] or TŻO)[5]
Spectral type M4eIa - M10eIa[6]
Apparent magnitude (U) 11.72
Apparent magnitude (B) 9.41
Apparent magnitude (V) 6.52
Apparent magnitude (I) 2.11
Apparent magnitude (J) 1.23
Apparent magnitude (H) 0.13
Apparent magnitude (K) −0.50
Apparent magnitude (L) −1.61
Variable type SRc[3]
Astrometry
Radial velocity (Rv)+6.47±3.37[4] km/s
Proper motion (μ) RA: +0.36±0.76[4] mas/yr
Dec.: −2.92±0.78[4] mas/yr
Parallax (π)0.64±0.04 mas[4]
Distance5,100 ± 300 ly
(1,560 ± 100 pc)
Details
Mass10 to 12[5] M
Radius1,360+250
−230
,[5] between 1,120 and 1,550[4], 1,350–1,940 (pulsation)[7], 1,480[8] R
Luminosity195,000±62,000[4] L
Temperature2,900[9] (near min), 3,200-3,400 (near max)[10], 2,400–3,300[7] K
Other designations
VX Sgr, AAVSO 1802-22, BD−22°4575, CD−22°12589, HD 165674, HIP 88838, 2MASS J18080404-2213266
Database references
SIMBADdata

VX Sagittarii (abbreviated to VX Sgr) is a luminous cool OH/IR pulsating variable star with an unusually large magnitude range located in the constellation of Sagittarius and more than one kiloparsec away from the Sun. Although it is often treated as an unusually cool red supergiant (or hypergiant), it may be instead either an extremely large asymptotic giant branch star or a possible but unlikely Thorne–Żytkow object.[5] Nonetheless, it is one of the largest stars discovered and also one of the most luminous and massive cool stars in the Milky Way, with a radius pulsating between 1,350 and 1,940 solar radii (940,000,000 and 1.35×109 km; 6.3 and 9.0 au).

Assuming it is an AGB star, VX Sgr would be the most luminous known of its kind, exceeding the theoretical limit for the bolometric magnitude at −8.0.[5]

Observations

In 1904, it was announced that Henrietta Leavitt had discovered that the star, then known as BD −22°4575, is a variable star.[11] It was given its variable star designation, VX Sagittarii, in 1911.[12] The star is classed as a cool semiregular variable of type SRc with a pulsational period of 732 days. The variations sometimes have an amplitude comparable to a long period variable, at other times they are much smaller. The spectral type varies between M4e around visual maximum and M9.8e at minimum light, and the luminosity class is Ia indicating a bright supergiant. The spectrum shows emission lines indicating that the star is losing mass through a strong stellar wind.[7]

The annual parallax of VX Sagittarii has been measured as 0.64±0.06 mas, indicating a distance of about 5,100 light years. This is compatible with the distance to Sagittarius OB1, the stellar association that VX Sagittarii is thought to belong to. Its radial velocity and proper motions are also consistent with other members of the association.[4]

Stellar characteristics

The effective temperature of VX Sagittarii is variable from around 2,400 K at visual minimum to around 3,300 K near maximum. Such low temperatures are comparable to the very coolest AGB stars and unprecedented for a massive supergiant.[10][7] Its atmosphere is extended, irregular, and variable during the pulsations of the star, but the bolometric luminosity varies less than the visual brightness and is calculated to be about 195,000 L. At an effective temperature of 3,300 K, the radius is expected to be somewhere between 1,120 R and 1,550 R.[4] Older studies frequently calculated higher luminosities.[13][14]

The atmosphere of VX Sgr shows molecular water layers and SiO masers in the atmosphere, typical of an OH/IR star.[15] The SiO masers have been used to derive a distance of 1.57±0.27 kiloparsecs.[16] The spectrum also indicates strong VO and CN. In many respects, the atmosphere is similar to low mass AGB stars such as Mira variables, but with a supergiant's luminosity and size.[10]

Another paper from May 2018 suggests that VX Sagitarii may be a hypergiant.[4] This would make it one of the very rare red hypergiant stars. However, a 2021 paper concludes that VX Sagittarii is a massive AGB star, rather than a red supergiant or hypergiant. Because it displays rubidium in its spectrum and has a high mass loss and luminosity, it may be a type of AGB star known as a super-AGB star, a type of star with masses in between low-mass stars and high-mass stars.[5]

See also

Other late-type red supergiants

Other Thorne–Żytkow object candidates

  • HV 2112 – A former supergiant TŻO candidate
  • HV 11417 – Another possible supergiant TŻO candidate

References

  1. ^ "Download Data". aavso.org. AAVSO. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
  2. ^ a b Van Leeuwen, F. (2007). "Validation of the new Hipparcos reduction". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 474 (2): 653–664. arXiv:0708.1752. Bibcode:2007A&A...474..653V. doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20078357. S2CID 18759600.
  3. ^ a b Samus, N. N.; Durlevich, O. V.; et al. (2009). "VizieR Online Data Catalog: General Catalogue of Variable Stars (Samus+ 2007-2013)". VizieR On-line Data Catalog: B/GCVS. Originally Published in: 2009yCat....102025S. 1. Bibcode:2009yCat....102025S.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Xu, Shuangjing; Zhang, Bo; Reid, Mark J; Menten, Karl M; Zheng, Xingwu; Wang, Guangli (2018). "The Parallax of the Red Hypergiant VX Sgr with Accurate Tropospheric Delay Calibration". The Astrophysical Journal. 859 (1): 14. arXiv:1804.00894. Bibcode:2018ApJ...859...14X. doi:10.3847/1538-4357/aabba6. S2CID 55572194.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g Tabernero, H. M.; Dorda, R.; Negueruela, I.; Marfil, E. (2021). "On the nature of VX Sagitarii. Is it a TZO, a RSG or a high-mass AGB star?". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 646: A98. arXiv:2011.09184. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202039236. S2CID 227013580.
  6. ^ Kiss, L. L.; Szabó, G. M.; Bedding, T. R. (2006). "Variability in red supergiant stars: Pulsations, long secondary periods and convection noise". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 372 (4): 1721–1734. arXiv:astro-ph/0608438. Bibcode:2006MNRAS.372.1721K. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2006.10973.x. S2CID 5203133.
  7. ^ a b c d Lockwood, G. W.; Wing, R. F. (1982). "The light and spectrum variations of VX Sagittarii, an extremely cool supergiant". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 198 (2): 385–404. Bibcode:1982MNRAS.198..385L. doi:10.1093/mnras/198.2.385. ISSN 0035-8711.
  8. ^ Wallstrom, S. H. J.; Danilovich, T.; Muller, H. S. P.; Gottlieb, C. A.; Maes, S.; Van de Sande, M.; Decin, L.; Richards, A. M. S.; Baudry, A.; Bolte, J.; Ceulemans, T.; De Ceuster, F.; de Koter, A.; Mellah, I. El; Esseldeurs, M. (7 December 2023). "ATOMIUM: Molecular inventory of 17 oxygen-rich evolved stars observed with ALMA". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 681: A50. arXiv:2312.03467. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202347632. ISSN 0004-6361.
  9. ^ García-Hernández, D. A; García-Lario, P; Plez, B; Manchado, A; d'Antona, F; Lub, J; Habing, H (2007). "Lithium and zirconium abundances in massive Galactic O-rich AGB stars". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 462 (2): 711. arXiv:astro-ph/0609106. Bibcode:2007A&A...462..711G. doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20065785. S2CID 16016698.
  10. ^ a b c Chiavassa, A.; Lacour, S.; Millour, F.; Driebe, T.; Wittkowski, M.; Plez, B.; Thiébaut, E.; Josselin, E.; Freytag, B.; Scholz, M.; Haubois, X. (2009). "VLTI/AMBER spectro-interferometric imaging of VX Sgr's inhomogenous outer atmosphere". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 511: A51. arXiv:0911.4422. Bibcode:2010A&A...511A..51C. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/200913288. S2CID 55877127.
  11. ^ Leavitt, Henrietta; Pickering, Edward C (August 1904). "Sixteen New Variable Stars in Sagittarius". Harvard College Observatory Circular. 91: 1. Bibcode:1904HarCi..91....1L. Retrieved 22 December 2024.
  12. ^ Dunér; Hartwig; Müller (December 1911). "Benennung von neu entdeckten veränderlichen Sternen". Astronomische Nachrichten. 190 (4): 57–72. Bibcode:1911AN....190...57.. doi:10.1002/asna.19111900402. Retrieved 22 December 2024.
  13. ^ De Jager, C.; Nieuwenhuijzen, H.; Van Der Hucht, K. A. (1988). "Mass loss rates in the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram". Astronomy and Astrophysics Supplement Series. 72: 259. Bibcode:1988A&AS...72..259D.
  14. ^ Mauron, N.; Josselin, E. (2010). "The mass-loss rates of red supergiants and the de Jager prescription". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 526: A156. arXiv:1010.5369v1. Bibcode:2011A&A...526A.156M. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201013993. ISSN 0004-6361. S2CID 119276502.
  15. ^ Greenhill, L. J.; et al. (1995). "The sio masers and dust shell of VX sgr". Astrophysics and Space Science. 224 (1–2): 469–470. Bibcode:1995Ap&SS.224..469G. doi:10.1007/BF00667909. ISSN 0004-640X. S2CID 189849486.
  16. ^ Chen, X.; Shen, Z. Q.; Xu, Y. (2007). "Measuring the Distance of VX Sagittarii with SiO Maser Proper Motions". Chinese Journal of Astronomy and Astrophysics. 7 (4): 531. Bibcode:2007ChJAA...7..531C. doi:10.1088/1009-9271/7/4/09.

Further reading