X2 Centauri

For other stars with this Bayer designation, see x Centauri.

x² Centauri is a star located in the constellation Centaurus. It is also known by its designations HD 108114 and HR 4724. The apparent magnitude of the star is about 5.7, meaning it is only visible to the naked eye under excellent viewing conditions. Its distance is about 440 light-years (140 parsecs), based on its parallax measured by the Hipparcos astrometry satellite.^[1]

x² Centauri

Observation data Epoch J2000      Equinox J2000
Constellation	Centaurus
Right ascension	12h 25m 21.73494s[1]
Declination	−35° 11′ 11.0983″[1]
Apparent magnitude (V)	5.71[2]
Characteristics
Spectral type	B9 IV/V[3]
B−V color index	−0.06[4]
Astrometry
Radial velocity (Rv)	−11.3[5] km/s
Proper motion (μ)	RA: −40.56[1] mas/yr Dec.: −6.29[1] mas/yr
Parallax (π)	7.43 ± 0.33 mas[1]
Distance	440 ± 20 ly (135 ± 6 pc)
Absolute magnitude (MV)	0.26[6]
Details
Temperature	11,500[6] K
Age	135[7] Myr
Other designations
x2 Cen, CD-34° 8146, HD 108114, HIP 60610, SAO 203450, HR 4724, GC 16938[8]
Database references
SIMBAD	data

x² Centauri's spectral type is B9IV/V, meaning it is a late B-type main sequence star or subgiant. These types of stars are a few times more massive than the Sun, and have effective temperatures of about 10,000 to 30,000 K. x² Centauri has a temperature of about 11,500 K.^[7] The star x¹ Centauri, which lies about 0.4′ away from x² Centauri, may or may not form a physical binary star system with x² Centauri, as the two have similar proper motions and distances.^[9]

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. Høg, E.; Fabricius, C.; Makarov, V. V.; Urban, S.; Corbin, T.; Wycoff, G.; Bastian, U.; Schwekendiek, P.; Wicenec, A. (2000). "The Tycho-2 catalogue of the 2.5 million brightest stars". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 355: L27. Bibcode:2000A&A...355L..27H.
3. Houk, N. (1982). "Michigan Catalogue of Two-dimensional Spectral Types for the HD stars. Volume_3. Declinations -40_ƒ0 to -26_ƒ0". Michigan Catalogue of Two-dimensional Spectral Types for the HD stars. Volume_3. Declinations -40_ƒ0 to -26_ƒ0. Bibcode:1982mcts.book.....H.
4. Lake, R. (1965). "Photometric Magnitudes and Colours for Bright Southern Stars (Sixth List)". Monthly Notes of the Astron. Soc. Southern Africa. 24: 41. Bibcode:1965MNSSA..24...41L.
5. Evans, D. S. (2006). "The Revision of the General Catalogue of Radial Velocities". Determination of Radial Velocities and Their Applications. 30: 57. Bibcode:1967IAUS...30...57E.
6. Westin, T. N. G. (1985). "The local system of early type stars - Spatial extent and kinematics". Astronomy and Astrophysics Supplement Series. 60 (99–134): 99. Bibcode:1985A&AS...60...99W.
7. Grosbol, P. J. (1978). "Space velocities and ages of nearby early-type stars". Astronomy and Astrophysics Supplement Series. 32: 409–421. Bibcode:1978A&AS...32..409G.
8. "* x2 Cen". SIMBAD. Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg. Retrieved 15 January 2016.
9. "* x1 Cen". SIMBAD. Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg. Retrieved 16 January 2017.