Community hub
Recent from talks
Knowledge base stats:
Talk channels stats:
Members stats:
Sigma Scorpii
Sigma Scorpii (or σ Scorpii, abbreviated Sigma Sco or σ Sco), is a multiple star system in the constellation of Scorpius, located near the red supergiant Antares, which outshines it. This system has a combined apparent visual magnitude of +2.88, making it one of the brighter members of the constellation. Based upon parallax measurements made during the Hipparcos mission, the distance to Sigma Scorpii is roughly 696 light-years (214 parsecs). North et al. (2007) computed a more accurate estimate of 568+75
−59 light years (174+23
−18 parsecs).
The system consists of a spectroscopic binary with components designated Sigma Scorpii Aa1 (officially named Alniyat /ælˈnaɪjæt/, the traditional name for the entire star system) and a Beta Cephei variable) and Aa2; a third component (designated Sigma Scorpii Ab) at 0.4 arcseconds from the spectroscopic pair, and a fourth component (Sigma Scorpii B) at about 20 arcseconds.
σ Scorpii (Latinised to Sigma Scorpii) is the star system's Bayer designation. The designations of the four components as Sigma Scorpii Aa1, Aa2, Ab and B derive from the convention used by the Washington Multiplicity Catalog (WMC) for multiple star systems, and adopted by the International Astronomical Union (IAU).
Sigma Scorpii and Tau Scorpii together bore the traditional name Al Niyat (or Alniyat) derived from the Arabic النياط al-niyāţ "the arteries" and referring to their position flanking the star Antares, the scorpion's heart, with Sigma Scorpii just to the north.
In 2016, the International Astronomical Union organized a Working Group on Star Names (WGSN) to catalogue and standardize proper names for stars. The WGSN decided to attribute proper names to individual stars rather than entire multiple systems. It approved the name Alniyat for the component Sigma Scorpii Aa1 on February 1, 2017 and it is now so included in the List of IAU-approved Star Names.
In Chinese, 心宿 (Xīn Xiù), meaning Heart, refers to an asterism consisting of Sigma Scorpii, Antares and Tau Scorpii. Consequently, the Chinese name for Sigma Scorpii itself is 心宿一 (Xīn Xiù yī), "the First Star of Heart".
The indigenous Boorong people of northwestern Victoria in Australia saw this star and Tau Scorpii as wives of Djuit (Antares).
The Hawaiian name of this star is Au-haele; it forms a line of three stars with Hōkū-‘ula (Antares) and Paikauhale (τ Scorpii).
Hub AI
Sigma Scorpii AI simulator
(@Sigma Scorpii_simulator)
Sigma Scorpii
Sigma Scorpii (or σ Scorpii, abbreviated Sigma Sco or σ Sco), is a multiple star system in the constellation of Scorpius, located near the red supergiant Antares, which outshines it. This system has a combined apparent visual magnitude of +2.88, making it one of the brighter members of the constellation. Based upon parallax measurements made during the Hipparcos mission, the distance to Sigma Scorpii is roughly 696 light-years (214 parsecs). North et al. (2007) computed a more accurate estimate of 568+75
−59 light years (174+23
−18 parsecs).
The system consists of a spectroscopic binary with components designated Sigma Scorpii Aa1 (officially named Alniyat /ælˈnaɪjæt/, the traditional name for the entire star system) and a Beta Cephei variable) and Aa2; a third component (designated Sigma Scorpii Ab) at 0.4 arcseconds from the spectroscopic pair, and a fourth component (Sigma Scorpii B) at about 20 arcseconds.
σ Scorpii (Latinised to Sigma Scorpii) is the star system's Bayer designation. The designations of the four components as Sigma Scorpii Aa1, Aa2, Ab and B derive from the convention used by the Washington Multiplicity Catalog (WMC) for multiple star systems, and adopted by the International Astronomical Union (IAU).
Sigma Scorpii and Tau Scorpii together bore the traditional name Al Niyat (or Alniyat) derived from the Arabic النياط al-niyāţ "the arteries" and referring to their position flanking the star Antares, the scorpion's heart, with Sigma Scorpii just to the north.
In 2016, the International Astronomical Union organized a Working Group on Star Names (WGSN) to catalogue and standardize proper names for stars. The WGSN decided to attribute proper names to individual stars rather than entire multiple systems. It approved the name Alniyat for the component Sigma Scorpii Aa1 on February 1, 2017 and it is now so included in the List of IAU-approved Star Names.
In Chinese, 心宿 (Xīn Xiù), meaning Heart, refers to an asterism consisting of Sigma Scorpii, Antares and Tau Scorpii. Consequently, the Chinese name for Sigma Scorpii itself is 心宿一 (Xīn Xiù yī), "the First Star of Heart".
The indigenous Boorong people of northwestern Victoria in Australia saw this star and Tau Scorpii as wives of Djuit (Antares).
The Hawaiian name of this star is Au-haele; it forms a line of three stars with Hōkū-‘ula (Antares) and Paikauhale (τ Scorpii).