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Gamma Canis Majoris
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| Observation data Epoch J2000.0 Equinox J2000.0 | |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Canis Major |
| Right ascension | 07h 03m 45.493s[1] |
| Declination | −15° 37′ 59.83″[1] |
| Apparent magnitude (V) | +4.10[2] |
| Characteristics | |
| Spectral type | B8II[3] |
| U−B color index | −0.45[2] |
| B−V color index | −0.13[2] |
| Astrometry | |
| Radial velocity (Rv) | +32.0[4] km/s |
| Proper motion (μ) | RA: −0.931 mas/yr[1] Dec.: −11.435 mas/yr[1] |
| Parallax (π) | 7.5819±0.1868 mas[1] |
| Distance | 430 ± 10 ly (132 ± 3 pc) |
| Absolute magnitude (MV) | −1.4[5] |
| Details | |
| Mass | 4.15±0.06[1] M☉ |
| Radius | 6.08±0.17[1] R☉ |
| Luminosity | 537±25[1] L☉ |
| Surface gravity (log g) | 3.51±0.02[1] cgs |
| Temperature | 11,732+38 −40[1] K |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | −0.24[6] dex |
| Rotation | 6.214[7] days |
| Rotational velocity (v sin i) | 30[8] km/s |
| Other designations | |
| Muliphein, Muliphen, γ Canis Majoris, 23 Canis Majoris, BD−15°1625, FK5 271, GC 9320, HD 53244, HIP 34045, HR 2657, SAO 152303[9] | |
| Database references | |
| SIMBAD | data |
Gamma Canis Majoris is a blue-white star in the constellation of Canis Major. Its name is a Bayer designation; it has the proper name Muliphein, pronounced /ˈmjuːlɪfeɪn/.[10] With an apparent visual magnitude of +4.10, it is faintly visible to the naked eye.[2] The reason why this relatively faint star was given the 'gamma' designation is uncertain, but possibly because it is in the same part of the constellation as Sirius (alpha) and Mirzam (beta). Based on parallax measurements, it is located at a distance of 430 light-years (132 pc) from the Earth. It is drifting further away with a line of sight velocity of +32 km/s.[4]
Nomenclature
[edit]γ Canis Majoris (Latinised to Gamma Canis Majoris) is the star's Bayer designation, abbreviated Gamma CMa or γ CMa.
It bore the traditional name Muliphein,[11] not to be confused with Muhlifain, which is Gamma Centauri; both names derive from the same Arabic root, محلفين muħlifayn. In 2016, the International Astronomical Union organized a Working Group on Star Names (WGSN)[12] to catalogue and standardize proper names for stars. The WGSN approved the name Muliphein for this star on 21 August 2016 and it is now so entered in the IAU Catalog of Star Names.[10]
Properties
[edit]Gamma Canis Majoris is a B-type bright giant with a stellar classification of B8II.[3] It is a chemically peculiar mercury-manganese star displaying abnormal lines of mercury and magnesium.[13] The star displays spectral variability, and is spinning on its axis with a period of 6.2 days.[7] It has 4.2 times the mass of the Sun and 6.1 times the Sun's radius. The star is radiating 537 times the luminosity of the Sun from its photosphere at an effective temperature of 11,732 K.[1]
This star is suspected of being a spectroscopic binary system, and there is a candidate companion at an angular separation of 0.332″ along a position angle of 114.8°.[13] It is a member of the Collinder 121 open cluster.[14]
Modern legacy
[edit]Muliphein appears on the flag of Brazil, symbolizing the state of Rondônia.[15]
The US Navy cargo ship USS Muliphen (AKA-61) was named after the star.
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Vallenari, A.; et al. (Gaia collaboration) (2023), "Gaia Data Release 3. Summary of the content and survey properties", Astronomy and Astrophysics, 674: A1, arXiv:2208.00211, Bibcode:2023A&A...674A...1G, doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202243940, S2CID 244398875. Gaia DR3 record for this source at VizieR.
- ^ a b c d Fernie, J. D. (May 1983), "New UBVRI photometry for 900 supergiants", Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series, 52: 7–22, Bibcode:1983ApJS...52....7F, doi:10.1086/190856.
- ^ a b Buscombe, W. (1962), "Spectral classification of Southern fundamental stars", Mount Stromlo Observatory Mimeogram, 4: 1, Bibcode:1962MtSOM...4....1B.
- ^ a b Kharchenko, N. V.; et al. (2007), "Astrophysical supplements to the ASCC-2.5: Ia. Radial velocities of ~55000 stars and mean radial velocities of 516 Galactic open clusters and associations", Astronomische Nachrichten, 328 (9): 889–896, arXiv:0705.0878, Bibcode:2007AN....328..889K, doi:10.1002/asna.200710776, S2CID 119323941.
- ^ Jaschek, C.; Gomez, A. E. (1998), "The absolute magnitude of the early type MK standards from HIPPARCOS parallaxes", Astronomy and Astrophysics, 330: 619, Bibcode:1998A&A...330..619J.
- ^ Searle, Leonard; et al. (July 1966), "Studies of the Peculiar a Stars.IV. The Relative Abundances of Four Iron-Peak Elements", Astrophysical Journal, 145: 141, Bibcode:1966ApJ...145..141S, doi:10.1086/148750.
- ^ a b Kochukhov, O.; et al. (August 10, 2021), "TESS survey of rotational and pulsational variability of mercury-manganese stars", Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 506 (4): 5328–5344, arXiv:2107.09096, Bibcode:2021MNRAS.506.5328K, doi:10.1093/mnras/stab2107, ISSN 0035-8711
- ^ Abt, Helmut A.; et al. (July 2002), "Rotational Velocities of B Stars", The Astrophysical Journal, 573 (1): 359–365, Bibcode:2002ApJ...573..359A, doi:10.1086/340590.
- ^ "gam CMa", SIMBAD, Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg, retrieved 2025-07-10.
- ^ a b Mamajek, Eric, IAU Catalog of Star Names, Physics and Astronomy, University of Rochester, retrieved 28 July 2016.
- ^ Allen, R. H., Star Name, p. 130, retrieved 2025-07-10.
- ^ IAU Working Group on Star Names (WGSN), International Astronomical Union, archived from the original on 10 June 2016, retrieved 22 May 2016.
- ^ a b Hubrig, S.; et al. (November 2012), "Magnetic fields of HgMn stars*", Astronomy & Astrophysics, 547: 24, arXiv:1208.2910, Bibcode:2012A&A...547A..90H, doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201219778, S2CID 85520917, A90.
- ^ Maza, N. L.; et al. (October 2010), "Atomic species in the spectrum of the Hg-Mn star HD 53244", Revista Mexicana de Astronomía y Astrofísica, 46: 339–348, Bibcode:2010RMxAA..46..339M.
- ^ Astronomy of the Brazilian Flag, FOTW Flags Of The World website, retrieved 2025-07-10.
