Kruger 60
Encyclopedia
Kruger 60 is a binary star
system located 13.15 light-year
s from the Sun
. These red dwarf
stars orbit each other every 44.6 years.
The larger, primary star is designated component A, while the secondary, smaller star is labeled component B. Component A has about 27% of the Sun's mass
and 35% of the Sun's radius. Component B has about 18% of the Sun's mass and 24% of the Sun's radius. Component B is a flare star
and has been given the variable star
designation "DO Cephei". It is an irregular flare that typically doubles in brightness and then returns to normal over an 8 minute period.
On average, the two stars are separated by 9.5 AU
s, which is roughly the average distance of Saturn
from the Sun
. However, their eccentric mutual orbit causes their distance to vary between 5.5 AUs at periastron, to 13.5 at apastron.
This system is orbiting through the Milky Way at a distance from the core that varies from 7–9 kpc with an orbital eccentricity of 0.126–0.130. The closest approach to the Sun will occur in about 88,600 years when this system will come within 1.95 parsecs.
Binary star
A binary star is a star system consisting of two stars orbiting around their common center of mass. The brighter star is called the primary and the other is its companion star, comes, or secondary...
system located 13.15 light-year
Light-year
A light-year, also light year or lightyear is a unit of length, equal to just under 10 trillion kilometres...
s from the Sun
Sun
The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and consists of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields...
. These red dwarf
Red dwarf
According to the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram, a red dwarf star is a small and relatively cool star, of the main sequence, either late K or M spectral type....
stars orbit each other every 44.6 years.
The larger, primary star is designated component A, while the secondary, smaller star is labeled component B. Component A has about 27% of the Sun's mass
Solar mass
The solar mass , , is a standard unit of mass in astronomy, used to indicate the masses of other stars and galaxies...
and 35% of the Sun's radius. Component B has about 18% of the Sun's mass and 24% of the Sun's radius. Component B is a flare star
Flare star
A flare star is a variable star that can undergo unpredictable dramatic increases in brightness for a few minutes. It is believed that the flares on flare stars are analogous to solar flares in that they are due to magnetic reconnection in the atmospheres of the stars. The brightness increase is...
and has been given the variable star
Variable star
A star is classified as variable if its apparent magnitude as seen from Earth changes over time, whether the changes are due to variations in the star's actual luminosity, or to variations in the amount of the star's light that is blocked from reaching Earth...
designation "DO Cephei". It is an irregular flare that typically doubles in brightness and then returns to normal over an 8 minute period.
On average, the two stars are separated by 9.5 AU
Astronomical unit
An astronomical unit is a unit of length equal to about or approximately the mean Earth–Sun distance....
s, which is roughly the average distance of Saturn
Saturn
Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and the second largest planet in the Solar System, after Jupiter. Saturn is named after the Roman god Saturn, equated to the Greek Cronus , the Babylonian Ninurta and the Hindu Shani. Saturn's astronomical symbol represents the Roman god's sickle.Saturn,...
from the Sun
Sun
The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and consists of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields...
. However, their eccentric mutual orbit causes their distance to vary between 5.5 AUs at periastron, to 13.5 at apastron.
This system is orbiting through the Milky Way at a distance from the core that varies from 7–9 kpc with an orbital eccentricity of 0.126–0.130. The closest approach to the Sun will occur in about 88,600 years when this system will come within 1.95 parsecs.
Further reading
- James Kaler, Extreme Stars, (CambridgeCambridgeThe city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
: Cambridge UP, 2001), p. 32. - Hires LRGB CCD Image