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Star in the constellation Cepheus From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Zeta Cephei (ζ Cep, ζ Cephei) is a red supergiant star, located about 1000 light-years away in the constellation of Cepheus. Zeta Cephei marks the left shoulder of Cepheus, the King of Ethiopia. It is one of the fundamental stars of the MK spectral sequence, defined as type K1.5 Ib.
Observation data Epoch J2000 Equinox J2000 | |
---|---|
Constellation | Cepheus |
Right ascension | 22h 10m 51.277s[1] |
Declination | +58° 12′ 04.543″[1] |
Apparent magnitude (V) | 3.35[2] |
Characteristics | |
Evolutionary stage | Red supergiant |
Spectral type | K1.5 Ib[3] |
B−V color index | +1.55[2] |
Variable type | Eclipsing binary?[4] |
Astrometry | |
Proper motion (μ) | RA: 13.359±0.148 mas/yr[1] Dec.: 5.275±0.183 mas/yr[1] |
Parallax (π) | 3.2972 ± 0.1456 mas[1] |
Distance | 992.7+51.2 −46 ly (304.5+15.7 −14.1 pc)[5] |
Absolute magnitude (MV) | −4.7[6] |
Details | |
Mass | 10.1±0.1[7] M☉ |
Radius | 172.7+7.5 −8.3[8] R☉ |
Luminosity | 10,024±1,052[8] L☉ |
Surface gravity (log g) | 0.75[9] cgs |
Temperature | 4,393±58[8] K |
Metallicity [Fe/H] | +0.04[8] dex |
Rotational velocity (v sin i) | 10.64[10] km/s |
Other designations | |
Database references | |
SIMBAD | data |
Zeta Cephei has a spectral classification of K1.5Ib,[3] indicating that it is a lower luminosity red supergiant star. It is about 173 times larger than the Sun and has a surface temperature of 4,393 K.[8] The luminosity of Zeta Cephei is approximately 10,000 times that of the Sun.[8] At a distance of about 840 light-years,[11] Zeta Cephei has an apparent magnitude (m) of 3.4 and an absolute magnitude (M) of -4.7. The star has a metallicity approximately 1.6 times that of the Sun; i.e., it contains 1.6 times as much heavy-element material as the Sun.
At a mass of 10.1 M☉, Zeta Cephei might end its life in a core-collapse supernova, and has been listed as a likely pre-supernova candidate by a 2022 study. It could also provide observable pre-supernova neutrino signals, just hours before the core collapses.[7]
Hekker et al. (2008) have detected a periodicity of 533 days, hinting at the possible presence of an as yet unseen companion.[12] It is listed as a possible eclipsing binary with a very small amplitude.[4]
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