Epsilon Canis Minoris

Epsilon Canis Minoris (ε Canis Minoris) is a suspected binary star^[10] system in the equatorial constellation of Canis Minor. It is a fifth magnitude star, which means it is bright enough to be faintly visible to the naked eye.^[2] Based upon an annual parallax shift of just 3.13 mas as seen from Earth,^[1] this star is located roughly 770 light years from the Sun, give or take a 40 light year margin of error.^[5]

ε Canis Minoris

Location of ε Canis Minoris (circled)
Observation data Epoch J2000.0      Equinox J2000.0 (ICRS)
Constellation	Canis Minor
Right ascension	07h 25m 38.89613s[1]
Declination	+09° 16′ 33.9541″[1]
Apparent magnitude (V)	+5.002[2]
Characteristics
Spectral type	G6.5 IIb[3]
U−B color index	+0.774[2]
B−V color index	+1.004[2]
Astrometry
Radial velocity (Rv)	−7.8±1.3[4] km/s
Proper motion (μ)	RA: −3.338 ± 0.385[5] mas/yr Dec.: −8.497 ± 0.310[5] mas/yr
Parallax (π)	4.2624 ± 0.2288 mas[5]
Distance	770 ± 40 ly (230 ± 10 pc)
Absolute magnitude (MV)	−2.62[6]
Details[7]
Mass	4.63±0.17 M☉
Radius	45.51±4.34 R☉
Luminosity	1,086.5±197.8 L☉
Surface gravity (log g)	1.81±0.06 cgs
Temperature	4,916±70 K
Metallicity [Fe/H]	−0.12±0.10 dex
Rotational velocity (v sin i)	8[8] km/s
Age	140±10 Myr
Other designations
ε CMi, 2 CMi, BD+09°1643, GC 9908, HD 58367, HIP 36041, HR 2828, SAO 115425[9]
Database references
SIMBAD	data

This is an evolved G-type bright giant star with a stellar classification of G6.5 IIb.^[3] It is most likely (99% chance) on the horizontal branch,^[7] and is a barium star that shows an abnormal overabundance of barium in its spectrum.^[11] This s-process element may have been accreted from a now white dwarf companion during a previous stage of its evolution.^[10] The bright giant component has an estimated 4.63 times the mass of the Sun and has expanded to 45.5 times the Sun's radius. The star is radiating 1,087 times the Sun's luminosity from its enlarged photosphere at an effective temperature of about 4,916 K.^[7]

References

1. van Leeuwen, F. (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.
2. Jennens, P. A.; Helfer, H. L. (September 1975), "A new photometric metal abundance and luminosity calibration for field G and K giants", Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 172 (3): 667–679, Bibcode:1975MNRAS.172..667J, doi:10.1093/mnras/172.3.667.
3. Keenan, Philip C.; McNeil, Raymond C. (1989), "The Perkins catalog of revised MK types for the cooler stars", Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series, 71: 245, Bibcode:1989ApJS...71..245K, doi:10.1086/191373.
4. de Bruijne, J. H. J.; Eilers, A.-C. (October 2012), "Radial velocities for the HIPPARCOS-Gaia Hundred-Thousand-Proper-Motion project", Astronomy & Astrophysics, 546: 14, arXiv:1208.3048, Bibcode:2012A&A...546A..61D, doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201219219, S2CID 59451347, A61.
5. Brown, A. G. A.; et al. (Gaia collaboration) (August 2018). "Gaia Data Release 2: Summary of the contents and survey properties". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 616. A1. arXiv:1804.09365. Bibcode:2018A&A...616A...1G. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201833051. Gaia DR2 record for this source at VizieR.
6. Takeda, Yoichi; et al. (August 2008), "Stellar Parameters and Elemental Abundances of Late-G Giants", Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japan, 60 (4): 781–802, arXiv:0805.2434, Bibcode:2008PASJ...60..781T, doi:10.1093/pasj/60.4.781.
7. Reffert, Sabine; et al. (2015), "Precise radial velocities of giant stars. VII. Occurrence rate of giant extrasolar planets as a function of mass and metallicity", Astronomy and Astrophysics, 574A (2): 116–129, arXiv:1412.4634, Bibcode:2015A&A...574A.116R, doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201322360, hdl:10722/215277, S2CID 59334290. Values are based on 99% probability it is on the horizontal branch.
8. Bernacca, P. L.; Perinotto, M. (1970), "A catalogue of stellar rotational velocities", Contributi Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova in Asiago, 239 (1): 1, Bibcode:1970CoAsi.239....1B.
9. "eps CMi". SIMBAD. Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg. Retrieved 2017-09-03.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
10. Eggleton, P. P.; Tokovinin, A. A. (September 2008), "A catalogue of multiplicity among bright stellar systems", Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 389 (2): 869–879, arXiv:0806.2878, Bibcode:2008MNRAS.389..869E, doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2008.13596.x, S2CID 14878976.
11. Williams, P. M. (February 1975), "Stellar compositions from narrow-band photometry - V. Barium abundances for 200 evolved stars", Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 170 (2): 343–362, Bibcode:1975MNRAS.170..343W, doi:10.1093/mnras/170.2.343.