How was VY Canis Majoris discovered?

How was VY Canis Majoris discovered?

The first known-recorded observation of VY Canis Majoris is in the star catalogue of the French astronomer Jérôme Lalande in 1801, which lists it as a 7th order of magnitude star. During the 19th century, observers measured at least six discrete components, suggesting that it might be a multiple star.

When was Spica discovered?

Along with Regulus in Leo, Alpha Virginis is believed to be one of the bright stars that made it possible for Hipparchus (160 – 120 BC) to discover the precession of the equinoxes, after comparing his data to that of the Alexandrian Timochares, who had observed Spica and Regulus around 300 BC.

Who discovered Antares?

astronomer Johann Tobias
The smaller star was discovered by the Austrian astronomer Johann Tobias, in 1819 during a lunar occultation. However, the star’s existence was not confirmed until 1846. Antares B is a bluish-white 5th magnitude star that lays only about 3 arcseconds away from Antares A.

Who discovered Cepheid variables?

Leavitt
Leavitt is best known for discovering about 2,400 variable stars between 1907 and 1921 (when she died). She discovered that some of these stars have a consistent brightness no matter where they are located, making these so-called Cepheid variables a good measuring stick for astronomical distances.

Who discovered 7 Canis Majoris?

astronomer Jerome Laland
VY Canis Majoris was first observed and recorded in 1801 by the French astronomer Jerome Laland. It was listed as a 7th magnitude star and further investigations conducted between the 19th and 20th centuries suggested that the star has been fading since 1850.

How was Spica formed?

Formation. Spica is estimated to have formed around 12.5 million years ago from a cloud of dust and gas. Gravity pulled the swirling gas and dust together to form the star that we today now see as Spica. It is unclear whether both stars formed at the same time or separately and somehow ended up together.

Is Antares bigger than Arcturus?

Antares has a diameter of ≈ 700 times that of the Sun, or about 1 billion kilometers. Betelgeuse has a diameter ≈ 1300 times that of the Sun. Arcturus is 20 times bigger than the sun.

What was Edwin Hubble’s discovery?

1373 Cincinnati
Edwin Hubble/Discovered

When did Henrietta Swan Leavitt make her discovery?

1912
Leavitt’s outstanding achievement was her discovery in 1912 that in a certain class of variable stars, the Cepheid variables, the period of the cycle of fluctuation in brightness is highly regular and is determined by the actual luminosity of the star.

What kind of star is VV Cephei?

VV Cephei is a Star type star. VV Cephei is a M2 COMP star based on the spectral type that was recorded in the Hipparcos star catalogue. VV Cephei is not part of the Cepheus constellation outline but is within the borders of the constellation. Based on the spectral type (M2 comp) of the star, the star’s colour is red .

What is the iron abundance of VV Cephei?

VV Cephei Iron Abundance is 0.01 with an error value of 9.99 Fe/H with the Sun has a value of 1 to put it into context. The value comes from the Hipparcos Extended Catalog. VV Cephei has an apparent magnitude of 5.11, this is a measure of the brightness of the star as seen from Earth.

What is the apparent magnitude of Mu Cephei?

Mu Cephei is a prototype for a class of stars known as the Mu Cephei variables. The star’s apparent magnitude varies between magnitude 3.62 and 5 in a period of 2 to 2.5 years, without a recognizable pattern. The star has begun to fuse helium into carbon and it is approaching its final stages of life.

Which is the largest star in the constellation Cephei?

The primary star in the system, VV Cephei A, is one of the largest known stars in the Milky Way. Even though its exact size is uncertain, the red supergiant is believed to have a radius between 1,050 and 1,900 times that of the Sun.

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