Luhman 16
Binary brown dwarf system in the constellation Vela / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Luhman 16 (also designated WISE 1049−5319 or WISE J104915.57−531906.1) is a binary brown-dwarf system in the southern constellation Vela at a distance of 6.51 light-years (2.00 parsecs) from the Sun. These are the closest-known brown dwarfs and the closest system found since the measurement of the proper motion of Barnard's Star in 1916,[12][13] and the third-closest-known system to the Sun (after the Alpha Centauri system and Barnard's Star). The primary is of spectral type L7.5 and the secondary of type T0.5 ± 1 (and is hence near the L–T transition).[14] The masses of Luhman 16 A and B are 35.4 and 29.4 Jupiter masses, respectively, and their ages are estimated to be 400–800 million years.[2] Luhman 16 A and B orbit each other at a distance of about 3.5 astronomical units[5] with an orbital period of approximately 26.6 years.[2]
Observation data Epoch J2000[1] Equinox J2000[1] | |
---|---|
Constellation | Vela |
Right ascension | 10h 49m 18.771s[2] |
Declination | −53° 19′ 09.8779″[2] |
Apparent magnitude (V) | 16.20[3] |
Characteristics | |
Spectral type | A: L7.5[4] B: T0.5 ± 1[4] |
Apparent magnitude (i (DENIS filter system)) | 14.94±0.03[5] |
Apparent magnitude (J (2MASS filter system)) | 10.73±0.03[5] |
Apparent magnitude (J (DENIS filter system)) | 10.68±0.05[5] |
Apparent magnitude (H (2MASS filter system)) | 9.56±0.03[5] |
Apparent magnitude (KS (2MASS filter system)) | 8.84±0.02[5] |
Apparent magnitude (KS (DENIS filter system)) | 8.87±0.08[5] |
Astrometry | |
Proper motion (μ) | RA: −2768.511+0.056 −0.030 mas/yr[2] Dec.: 358.472+0.027 −0.047 mas/yr[2] |
Parallax (π) | 500.993 ± 0.050 mas[2] |
Distance | 6.5102 ± 0.0006 ly (1.9960 ± 0.0002 pc) |
Orbit[2] | |
Period (P) | 26.55±0.08 yr |
Semi-major axis (a) | 3.52 AU |
Eccentricity (e) | 0.344±0.001 |
Inclination (i) | 79.92±0.008° |
Longitude of the node (Ω) | 130.02±0.01° |
Periastron epoch (T) | 2018.060±0.003 |
Argument of periastron (ω) (secondary) | 136.67±0.09° |
Details[6][7][8] | |
Luhman 16A | |
Mass | 0.034 M☉ |
Mass | 35.4±0.2[2] MJup |
Radius | ~0.85[note 1] RJup |
Luminosity | 0.0000219[8] L☉ |
Temperature | 1350 K |
Rotation | 6.94 hours[9] |
Luhman 16B | |
Mass | 0.028 M☉ |
Mass | 29.4±0.2[2] MJup |
Radius | ~1.04[note 1] RJup |
Luminosity | 0.0000209[8] L☉ |
Temperature | 1210 K |
Rotation | 5.28 hours[9] |
Position (relative to A)[5] | |
Component | B |
Angular distance | 1.5″ |
Projected separation | 3 AU |
Other designations | |
Database references | |
SIMBAD | The system |
A | |
B | |
Location of Luhman 16 in the constellation Vela |