Recent from talks
Nothing was collected or created yet.
Delta Scorpii
View on Wikipedia| Observation data Epoch J2000 Equinox J2000 | |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Scorpius |
| Right ascension | 16h 00m 20.00528s[1] |
| Declination | −22° 37′ 18.1431″[1] |
| Apparent magnitude (V) | 1.59 - 2.32[2] |
| Characteristics | |
| Spectral type | B0.3 IV[3] + B1-3V[4] |
| U−B color index | −0.920[5] |
| B−V color index | −0.124[5] |
| Variable type | γ Cas[6] |
| Astrometry | |
| Radial velocity (Rv) | −7[7] km/s |
| Proper motion (μ) | RA: −10.21[1] mas/yr Dec.: −35.41[1] mas/yr |
| Parallax (π) | 6.64±0.89 mas[1] |
| Distance | 136.0[4] pc |
| Absolute magnitude (MV) | −3.8[8] |
| Orbit[4][9] | |
| Period (P) | 10.8092±0.0005 yr |
| Semi-major axis (a) | 0.09874±0.00007" (13.5±0.1 AU) |
| Eccentricity (e) | 0.936±0.003 |
| Inclination (i) | 36±1° |
| Longitude of the node (Ω) | 174.0±2.5° |
| Periastron epoch (T) | 2011 July 3rd |
| Argument of periastron (ω) (secondary) | −2.3±3.8° |
| Semi-amplitude (K1) (primary) | 23.9±0.8 km/s |
| Details | |
| δ Sco A | |
| Mass | 13[4] M☉ |
| Radius | 8.5[9] R☉ |
| Luminosity | 38,000[10] L☉ |
| Surface gravity (log g) | 3.92[8] cgs |
| Temperature | 27,400[10] K |
| Rotational velocity (v sin i) | 180[3] km/s |
| δ Sco B | |
| Mass | 8.2[4] M☉ |
| Temperature | 20-24,000[4] K |
| Age | 9-10[4][10] Myr |
| Other designations | |
| Dschubba, Dzuba,[11] Al Jabba,[11] Iclarkrau,[11] 7 Scorpii, BD−22°4068, HD 143275, HIP 78401, HR 5953, FK5 594, SAO 184014, CCDM 16003-2237 | |
| Database references | |
| SIMBAD | data |
Delta Scorpii (Latinised from δ Scorpii, abbreviated Delta Sco, δ Sco) is a binary star (the presence of a third star in the system is being debated[4]) in the constellation of Scorpius. The primary star is named Dschubba /ˈdʒʌbə/.[12][13]
Observation
[edit]
Delta Scorpii is 2.0 degrees south of the ecliptic. It is a binary star with two components of magnitudes 2.4 and 4.6 separated by 0.2″.[16] In 1981 it was occulted by Saturn's rings as seen by Voyager 2, with starlight unexpectedly blocked even by the apparently empty gaps, indicating that "there is very little empty space anywhere in the main ring system."[17]
Variability
[edit]Delta Scorpii A is a Gamma Cassiopeiae variable star. This type of star shows irregular slow brightness variations of a few hundredths of a magnitude due to material surrounding the star.
In June 2000 Delta Scorpii was observed by Sebastian Otero to be 0.1 magnitudes brighter than normal; its brightness has varied since then and has reached at least as high as magnitude 1.6, altering the familiar appearance of Scorpius. Spectra taken after the outburst began have shown that the star is throwing off luminous gases from its equatorial region. The companion passed close by in 2011, again resulting in the star peaking at 1.65 between 5 and 15 July 2011.[4][18]
Nomenclature
[edit]
δ Scorpii (Latinised to Delta Scorpii) is the system's Bayer designation. The two components are designated Delta Scorpii A and B.
Delta Scorpii bore the traditional name Dschubba, which comes from Arabic جبهة العقرب jabhet al-aqrab meaning 'the forehead of the scorpion'. In 2016 the International Astronomical Union organized a Working Group on Star Names (WGSN)[19] to catalogue and standardize proper names for stars. The WGSN approved the name Dschubba for δ Scorpii A on 21 August 2016 and it is now so entered in the IAU Catalog of Star Names.[13]
In Chinese, 房宿 (Fáng Xiù), meaning Room, refers to an asterism consisting of δ Scorpii, β1 Scorpii, β2 Scorpii, π Scorpii, and ρ Scorpii.[20] Consequently, the Chinese name for δ Scorpii itself is 房宿三 (Fáng Xiù sān), "the Third Star of Room".[21]
Properties
[edit]δ Scorpii was once used as a spectroscopic standard for the B0 IV classification, but is now considered too unusual and variable.[4]
The primary, δ Scorpii A, is a B class subgiant surrounded by a disc of material spun off by the rapidly rotating star. The secondary, δ Scorpii B, orbits every 10.5 years in a highly elongated elliptical orbit; it appears to be a normal B class main sequence star. There have been reports that Delta Scorpii A is itself a very close spectroscopic binary, but this does not appear to be the case.[4]
δ Scorpii is a proper motion member of the Upper Scorpius subgroup of the Scorpius–Centaurus OB association, the nearest such co-moving association of massive stars to the Sun.[8][10] The Upper Scorpius subgroup contains thousands of young stars with mean age 11 million years at average distance of 470 light years (145 parsecs).[10]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e van Leeuwen, F. (November 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.
- ^ "Delta Sco". International Variable Star Index. AAVSO. Retrieved 2022-07-29.
- ^ a b Balona, L. A.; Dziembowski, W. A. (October 1999). "Excitation and visibility of high-degree modes in stars". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 309 (1): 221–232. Bibcode:1999MNRAS.309..221B. doi:10.1046/j.1365-8711.1999.02821.x.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Miroshnichenko, A. S.; Pasechnik, A. V.; Manset, N.; Carciofi, A. C.; Rivinius, Th.; Štefl, S.; Gvaramadze, V. V.; Ribeiro, J.; Fernando, A.; Garrel, T.; Knapen, J. H.; Buil, C.; Heathcote, B.; Pollmann, E.; Mauclaire, B.; Thizy, O.; Martin, J.; Zharikov, S. V.; Okazaki, A. T.; Gandet, T. L.; Eversberg, T.; Reinecke, N. (2013). "THE 2011 PERIASTRON PASSAGE OF THE Be BINARY δ Scorpii". The Astrophysical Journal. 766 (2): 119. arXiv:1302.4021. Bibcode:2013ApJ...766..119M. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/766/2/119. S2CID 38692193.
- ^ a b 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.
- ^ 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: 02025. Bibcode:2009yCat....102025S.
- ^ Evans, D. S. (June 20–24, 1966). "The Revision of the General Catalogue of Radial Velocities". In Batten, Alan Henry; Heard, John Frederick (eds.). Determination of Radial Velocities and their Applications. IAU Symposium no. 30. Vol. 30. University of Toronto: International Astronomical Union. p. 57. Bibcode:1967IAUS...30...57E.
- ^ a b c de Geus, E. J.; de Zeeuw, P. T.; Lub, J. (June 1989). "Physical parameters of stars in the Scorpio-Centaurus OB association". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 216 (1–2): 44–61. Bibcode:1989A&A...216...44D.
- ^ a b Meilland, A.; et al. (August 2011). "The binary Be star δ Scorpii at high spectral and spatial resolution. I. Disk geometry and kinematics before the 2011 periastron". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 532: A80. arXiv:1106.1746. Bibcode:2011A&A...532A..80M. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201116798. S2CID 118501743.
- ^ a b c d e Mark J. Pecaut; Eric E. Mamajek & Eric J. Bubar (February 2012). "A Revised Age for Upper Scorpius and the Star Formation History among the F-type Members of the Scorpius-Centaurus OB Association". Astrophysical Journal. 746 (2): 154. arXiv:1112.1695. Bibcode:2012ApJ...746..154P. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/746/2/154. S2CID 118461108.
- ^ a b c Moore, Patrick (2010). "Scorpion in the Sky". The Sky at Night. pp. 95–98. doi:10.1007/978-1-4419-6409-0_24. ISBN 978-1-4419-6408-3.
- ^ Kunitzsch, Paul; Smart, Tim (2006). A Dictionary of Modern star Names: A Short Guide to 254 Star Names and Their Derivations (2nd rev. ed.). Cambridge, Massachusetts: Sky Pub. ISBN 978-1-931559-44-7.
- ^ a b "IAU Catalog of Star Names". Retrieved 28 July 2016.
- ^ Suffak, M. W.; Jones, C. E.; Tycner, C.; Henry, G. W/; Carciofi, A. C.; Mota, B. C.; Rubio, A. C. (February 2020). "The Large-scale Behavior in the Disk of δ Scorpii from 2000 to 2018". The Astrophysical Journal. 890 (1): 86. arXiv:2001.04966. Bibcode:2020ApJ...890...86S. doi:10.3847/1538-4357/ab68dc. S2CID 210473366.
- ^ Miroshnichenko, A. S.; Fabregat, J.; Bjorkman, K. S.; Knauth, D. C.; Morrison, N. D.; Tarasov, A. E.; Reig, P.; Negueruela, I.; Blay, P. (October 2001). "Spectroscopic observations of the δ Scorpii binary during its recent periastron passage" (PDF). Astronomy and Astrophysics. 377 (2): 485–495. arXiv:astro-ph/0106492. Bibcode:2001A&A...377..485M. doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20010911. S2CID 14372764. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
- ^ Mason, B. D.; et al. (2014). "The Washington Visual Double Star Catalog". The Astronomical Journal. 122 (6): 3466–3471. Bibcode:2001AJ....122.3466M. doi:10.1086/323920.
- ^ Moore, Patrick (2000). The Data Book of Astronomy. CRC Press. ISBN 9781420033441.
- ^ Sigismondi, Costantino (2011), Differential photometry of delta Scorpii during 2011 periastron, vol. 1112, p. 2356, arXiv:1112.2356, Bibcode:2011arXiv1112.2356S
- ^ IAU Working Group on Star Names (WGSN), International Astronomical Union, archived from the original on 10 June 2016, retrieved 22 May 2016.
- ^ (in 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.
- ^ (in Chinese) 香港太空館 - 研究資源 - 亮星中英對照表 Archived 2008-10-25 at the Wayback Machine, Hong Kong Space Museum. Accessed on line November 23, 2010.
External links
[edit]- Jim Kaler's Stars, University of Illinois: Dschubba
- Delta Scorpii brighter than ever (Sky and Telescope, February 4, 2002)
- Delta Scorpii still showing off (Sky and Telescope, June 25, 2003)
- Delta Scorpii: the birth of a Be star (AAVSO article)
Delta Scorpii
View on GrokipediaNomenclature
Proper names
The Bayer designation for Delta Scorpii is δ Scorpii, assigned by German astronomer Johann Bayer in his 1603 star atlas Uranometria, which systematically named stars using Greek letters followed by the Latin genitive of their constellation.[6][7] The primary proper name for the system's main star (δ Scorpii A) is Dschubba, a traditional designation derived from the Arabic phrase al-jubbah (or jabhat al-ʿaqrab), translating to "the forehead of the scorpion" and reflecting its location at the center of Scorpius's head.[8][7] This name was formally approved by the International Astronomical Union's Working Group on Star Names on August 21, 2016, and included in the official IAU Catalog of Star Names to standardize historical nomenclature for bright stars. In traditional Chinese astronomy, Delta Scorpii holds the name Fáng Xiù sān (房宿三), literally "Third Star of the Room," as it forms the third component of the Room (Fáng) asterism, a lunar mansion comprising several stars in Scorpius interpreted as the chambers of an imperial residence.[9]Catalog designations
Delta Scorpii, also known by its Bayer designation δ Scorpii, is cataloged under several formal astronomical identifiers that facilitate its study and reference in databases.[1] The Flamsteed designation for the star is 7 Scorpii, assigned in John Flamsteed's 18th-century catalog of fixed stars.[1][10] In the Henry Draper Catalogue, a comprehensive 20th-century survey of stellar spectra, it appears as HD 143275.[1] The Hipparcos Catalogue, resulting from the 1989–1993 astrometric mission, lists it as HIP 78401, providing precise parallax and proper motion data.[1] Additional identifiers include HR 5953 from the Harvard Revised Bright Star Catalogue and SAO 184014 from the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory catalog.[1] As a variable star exhibiting Gamma Cassiopeiae-type behavior, it is designated V* del Sco in the General Catalogue of Variable Stars.[1][11]| Catalog | Designation |
|---|---|
| Flamsteed | 7 Scorpii |
| Henry Draper (HD) | HD 143275 |
| Harvard Revised (HR) | HR 5953 |
| Hipparcos (HIP) | HIP 78401 |
| Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) | SAO 184014 |
| General Catalogue of Variable Stars (GCVS) | V* del Sco |
Visibility and position
Coordinates and distance
Delta Scorpii is located at equatorial coordinates of right ascension 16h 00m 20.005s and declination −22° 37′ 18.14″ (J2000 epoch). Its position in galactic coordinates is l = 350.10°, b = +22.49°, placing it approximately 2.0° south of the ecliptic.[12][12] The distance to the system is approximately 136 parsecs (443 light-years), derived from a revised Hipparcos parallax measurement of 7.44 ± 0.57 mas (van Leeuwen 2007). The proper motion components are −10.21 ± 1.01 mas yr−1 in right ascension (μα cos δ) and −35.41 ± 0.71 mas yr−1 in declination.[13] Delta Scorpii is observable with the naked eye, varying in apparent visual magnitude between 1.6 and 2.3, and is visible from most latitudes except far north (>≈70° N, where it never rises); it reaches peak visibility during July in the Northern Hemisphere summer sky.[14]Observational history
Delta Scorpii, known as Dschubba, was cataloged in the 2nd century CE by the Greek astronomer Claudius Ptolemy in his Almagest, where it appears as one of the prominent stars forming the constellation Scorpius, which Ptolemy described with 24 stellar positions.[15] This ancient recognition placed the star in the scorpion's forehead, contributing to early astronomical mappings of the zodiacal constellations. In the early 20th century, spectroscopic observations classified Delta Scorpii as a B0 IV star, serving as a standard for that spectral type due to its sharp absorption lines and lack of emission features at the time. These studies, conducted with ground-based telescopes, highlighted its rapid rotation and established it as a typical hot, massive main-sequence star without indications of circumstellar material. The binary nature of the system was first detected in 1974 through speckle interferometry, revealing a close companion, though full orbital details emerged later. On August 25, 1981, NASA's Voyager 2 spacecraft observed the occultation of Delta Scorpii by Saturn's rings during its flyby, using the photopolarimeter subsystem to record high-resolution light curves that probed ring structure at ~100 m resolution.[16] This event provided precise positional data for the star and unexpected detections of material in ring gaps, offering indirect insights into the system's stability and hinting at complexities in its light profile consistent with binarity.[17] During the 1990s, the European Space Agency's Hipparcos mission included Delta Scorpii in its astrometric survey, measuring its parallax (7.44 ± 0.57 mas) and proper motion to refine distance estimates and confirm its membership in the Scorpius-Centaurus association. A significant brightening event in mid-2000, first noted by amateur astronomer Sebastian Otero on June 30 when the star reached V ≈ 2.24 (from its normal 2.3), marked the onset of its Be phase with prominent Hα emission, prompting global photometric and spectroscopic monitoring campaigns.[18] This outburst, peaking at V ≈ 1.9 by late July, was attributed to disk formation around the primary, leading to irregular variability and intensive study thereafter.[19]System components
Primary star
δ Scorpii A (Aa), the primary component of the Delta Scorpii system, is a Be star classified as spectral type B0.3 IV, indicating a subgiant evolutionary stage. This classification arises from spectroscopic analysis revealing strong Balmer emission lines and a hot, rapidly rotating atmosphere typical of classical Be stars.[2] The star has a mass of 13 M⊙, determined through evolutionary modeling consistent with its binary orbit and distance constraints.[2] Its radius measures 8.5 R⊙, while the luminosity reaches 38,000 L⊙, reflecting its high-energy output as a massive early-type star.[20] The effective temperature is 27,400 K, with a surface gravity of log g = 3.7, supporting its subgiant status and expanded envelope.[20] Recent modeling (as of 2024) suggests a mass of 15 M⊙.[3] δ Scorpii A exhibits a projected rotational velocity of 180 km/s, approaching critical rotation rates that facilitate mass ejection and Be star disk formation. Age estimates place it at ~11 million years, aligning with its position in the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram and membership in the Upper Scorpius subgroup of the Scorpius-Centaurus OB association.[21] Spectroscopic studies indicate solar metallicity for δ Scorpii A, with photospheric abundances showing typical values for He, Si, and other elements consistent with a young, massive B-type star; no significant deviations from solar composition are reported.[22]Secondary star
The secondary component of the δ Scorpii system, designated δ Scorpii B (or Ab), is a main-sequence star classified as spectral type B2–3 V.[2] This classification is inferred from the flux ratio observed in interferometric data and comparisons with standard B-type star models, indicating a less luminous and slightly cooler companion compared to the primary.[22] With a mass of approximately 8.2 M⊙, the secondary has an estimated radius of about 4 R⊙ and a luminosity around 3,600 L⊙, consistent with evolutionary models for intermediate-mass B stars on the main sequence.[20][2] Recent modeling (as of 2024) suggests a mass of 9 M⊙.[3] Its effective temperature ranges from 20,000 to 24,000 K, placing it within the expected parameters for a B2–B3 V star, as derived from spectroscopic line ratios and photometric constraints during periastron approaches.[20] The projected rotational velocity is approximately 100 km/s, suggesting moderate rotation typical for non-critical rotators in this spectral class, though precise measurements are limited by the secondary's faintness relative to the primary.[22] The secondary was first detected through speckle interferometry in the 1970s and 1990s, revealing a close companion with a magnitude difference of about 2 mag in the visual band, corresponding to an apparent magnitude of roughly 4.3 for δ Scorpii B given the system's combined V magnitude near 2.3.[23] Spectroscopic confirmation came in 2000 via radial velocity variations during the periastron passage, solidifying its binary nature without evidence of significant spectral contamination from the primary at that epoch.[23] In the system's evolutionary context, δ Scorpii B represents a less evolved main-sequence companion in a young binary (age ~11 Myr), contrasting with the primary's Be-star characteristics and highlighting differential rotational or disk formation histories.[21][22]Orbital characteristics
Binary parameters
The binary system δ Scorpii consists of a Be primary and a main-sequence secondary in a highly eccentric orbit, with parameters derived from a combination of long-term spectroscopic monitoring and interferometric observations. The orbital elements were refined through radial velocity measurements spanning the 2000 and 2011 periastron passages, incorporating data from multiple observatories including the Be Star Spectroscopic Database (BeSS). These measurements yield a precise orbital period of 10.8092 ± 0.0005 years (or 3948.0 ± 1.8 days).[24] The eccentricity is high at e = 0.936 ± 0.003, indicating a highly elongated orbit where the stars spend most of their time near apastron.[24] Key orbital elements are summarized in the following table, based on the combined spectroscopic solution:| Parameter | Value | Uncertainty | Method/Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orbital period (P) | 10.8092 years | ±0.0005 years | Spectroscopy (radial velocities) |
| Eccentricity (e) | 0.936 | ±0.003 | Spectroscopy |
| Semi-major axis (a) | 99 mas (relative orbit) | - | Interferometry, d = 136 pc |
| Inclination (i) | 36° | ±1° | Interferometry |
| Argument of periastron (ω) | -2.3° | ±3.8° | Spectroscopy + interferometry |
| Time of periastron (T) | JD 2455745.9 (2011 July 3) | ±0.9 days | Spectroscopy |