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  • 21 Aug, 2019

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Ζ Andromedae

Zeta Andromedae (Zeta And, ζ Andromedae, ζ And) is a star system in the constellation Andromeda. It is approximately 189 light-years from Earth.

Zeta Andromedae is the star's Bayer designation. It also has the Flamsteed designation 34 Andromedae and multiple other designations in stellar catalogues.

Location

Sidney Hall - Urania's Mirror - Gloria Frederici, Andromeda, and Triangula (north is to the left)

The star's location is in the northern constellation Andromeda, in which it is the second-most southerly of the stars in this often drawn characteristic shape representing the mythical princess asterism, after η Andromedae.

System

A visual band light curve for Zeta Andromedae, adapted from Kővári et al. (2006)

The system is a spectroscopic binary whose primary is classified as an orange K-type giant with a mean apparent magnitude of +4.08. Due to brightness changes caused by the ellipsoidal shape of that object, the system is also an RS Canum Venaticorum-type variable star. Its brightness varies from magnitude +3.92 to +4.14 with a period of 17.77 days, and its spectrum shows strong and variable Ca II H and K lines. The orbital period of the binary is 17.77 days.

Direct imaging

The primary component of this binary system, Zeta Andromedae Aa, is one of the few stars who has been imaged directly using Doppler imaging and long-baseline infrared interferometry. With direct imaging we can recover additional information about this star.

Additional star parameters
Parameter Value
Oblateness 1.060 ± 0.011
Polar radius 15.0 ± 0.8 R
Axis Inclination 70.0 ± 2.8 °
Pole angle 126 ± 1.9 °

Direct imaging also allowed observation of starspots (the analogue to sunspots), on this star, and their asymmetric distribution showed that the magnetic field of the star is generated by a mechanism different from the solar dynamo. A Sun-like differential rotation of the star was observed instead.

Visual companions

The WDS notes three visual companions to the eclipsing binary (Aa and Ab, forming binary A). The parallax of the D star has been measured by Gaia proving its distance to be much greater than Zeta Andromedae, probably a distant red giant. The closest companion, B, is likewise a background object. The companion C at 97 shares a common proper motion and a similar parallax.

Multiple/double star designation: WDS 00473+2416
Component Primary Right
ascension
(α)
Equinox J2000.0
Declination (δ)
Equinox J2000.0
Epoch of
observed
separation
Angular
distance
from
primary
Position
angle
(relative
to primary)
Apparent
magnitude
(V)
Database
reference
B A 00 47 20.2+24° 16′ 33″ 1959 32.6 0° 15.3
C A 00 47 15.2+24° 15′ 03″ 1997 97.0 231° 13.6
D A 00 47 09.0+24° 15′ 33″ 2006 155.5 260° 10.80 SIMBAD

Naming

In Chinese, 奎宿 (Kuí Sù), meaning Legs (asterism), refers to an asterism consisting of ζ Andromedae, η Andromedae, 65 Piscium, ε Andromedae, δ Andromedae, π Andromedae, ν Andromedae, μ Andromedae, β Andromedae, σ Piscium, τ Piscium, 91 Piscium, υ Piscium, φ Piscium, χ Piscium and ψ Piscium. Consequently, the Chinese name for ζ Andromedae itself is 奎宿二 (Kuí Sù èr, English: the Second Star of Legs).

Notes

  1. ^ Azimuthal angle between the rotational axis and our line of sight
  2. ^ Longitudinal angle between the north pole and the East direction

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. ^ zet And, database entry, The combined table of GCVS Vols I-III and NL 67-78 with improved coordinates, General Catalogue of Variable Stars Archived 2017-06-20 at the Wayback Machine, Sternberg Astronomical Institute, Moscow, Russia. Accessed on line August 29, 2008.
  3. ^ Kővári, Zs.; Bartus, J.; Strassmeier, K. G.; Oláh, K.; Weber, M.; Rice, J. B.; Washuettl, A. (2007). "Doppler imaging of stellar surface structure. XXIII. The ellipsoidal K giant binary ζ Andromedae". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 463 (3): 1071. Bibcode:2007A&A...463.1071K. doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20065982.
  4. ^ HR 215, database entry, The Bright Star Catalogue, 5th Revised Ed. (Preliminary Version), D. Hoffleit and W. H. Warren, Jr., CDS ID V/50. Accessed on line August 29, 2008.
  5. ^ Karataș, Yüksel; Bilir, Selçuk; Eker, Zeki; Demircan, Osman; Liebert, James; Hawley, Suzanne L.; Fraser, Oliver J.; Covey, Kevin R.; Lowrance, Patrick; Kirkpatrick, J. Davy; Burgasser, Adam J. (2004). "Kinematics of chromospherically active binaries and evidence of an orbital period decrease in binary evolution". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 349 (3): 1069–1092. arXiv:astro-ph/0404219. Bibcode:2004MNRAS.349.1069K. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2004.07588.x. S2CID 15290475.
  6. ^ Korhonen, H.; Wittkowski, M.; Kovári, Zs.; Granzer, Th.; Hackman, T.; Strassmeier, K. G. (2010). "Ellipsoidal primary of the RS CVn binary ζ Andromedae . Investigation using high-resolution spectroscopy and optical interferometry". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 515: A14. arXiv:1002.4201. Bibcode:2010A&A...515A..14K. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/200913736. S2CID 118683792.
  7. ^ Strassmeier, Klaus G. (September 2009), "Starspots", The Astronomy and Astrophysics Review, 17 (3): 251–308, Bibcode:2009A&ARv..17..251S, doi:10.1007/s00159-009-0020-6
  8. ^ Kővári, Zsolt; Oláh, Katalin; Bartus, János; Strassmeier, Klaus G.; Granzer, Thomas (August 2006). "Spot Modelling of ζ Andromedae". Astrophysics and Space Science. 304 (1–4): 55–57. Bibcode:2006Ap&SS.304...55K. doi:10.1007/s10509-006-9073-4. S2CID 119574869. Retrieved 9 August 2022.
  9. ^ Roettenbacher, R.M.; Monnier, J.D.; Korhonen, H.; Aarnio, A.N.; Baron, F.; Che, X.; Harmon, R.O.; Kővári, Zs.; Kraus, S.; Schaefer, G.H.; Torres, G.; Zhao, M.; Ten Brummelaar, T.A.; Sturmann, J.; Sturmann, L. (2016). "No Sun-like dynamo on the active star ζ Andromedae from starspot asymmetry". Nature. 533 (7602): 217–220. arXiv:1709.10107. Bibcode:2016Natur.533..217R. doi:10.1038/nature17444. PMID 27144357. S2CID 4466687.
  10. ^ Vallenari, A.; et al. (Gaia collaboration) (2023). "Gaia Data Release 3. Summary of the content and survey properties". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 674: A1. arXiv:2208.00211. Bibcode:2023A&A...674A...1G. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202243940. S2CID 244398875. Gaia DR3 record for this source at VizieR.
  11. ^ Vallenari, A.; et al. (Gaia collaboration) (2023). "Gaia Data Release 3. Summary of the content and survey properties". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 674: A1. arXiv:2208.00211. Bibcode:2023A&A...674A...1G. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202243940. S2CID 244398875. Gaia DR3 record for this source at VizieR.
  12. ^ Vallenari, A.; et al. (Gaia collaboration) (2023). "Gaia Data Release 3. Summary of the content and survey properties". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 674: A1. arXiv:2208.00211. Bibcode:2023A&A...674A...1G. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202243940. S2CID 244398875. Gaia DR3 record for this source at VizieR.
  13. ^ Entry 00473+2416, The Washington Double Star Catalog Archived April 12, 2008, at the Wayback Machine, United States Naval Observatory. Accessed on line August 29, 2008.
  14. ^ (in Chinese) AEEA (Activities of Exhibition and Education in Astronomy) 天文教育資訊網 2006 年 5 月 19 日