Mu Normae
Encyclopedia
Mu Normae is a blue supergiant
star in the constellation Norma
. Though it has an apparent magnitude
of only 4.914, its absolute visual magnitude
-5.86 and a bolometric luminosity of 210,000 times that of the Sun. This star is comparable to Epsilon Orionis (Alnilam)
in that they are both of class
B0 and are supergiant
s, but this star is less massive at a probable mass of 30 solar masses. Both stars are also suspected of being Alpha Cygni variables which are named after the also similar star Deneb
. Being a blue supergiant, it is destined to become a red supergiant
in a few million years and eventually a type-II
supernova
.
Blue supergiant
Blue supergiants are supergiant stars of spectral type O or B.They are extremely hot and bright, with surface temperatures of 30,000-50,000 K. They typically have 10 to 50 solar masses on the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram, and can have radii up to about 25 solar radii...
star in the constellation Norma
Norma (constellation)
Norma is a small and inconspicuous constellation in the southern hemisphere between Scorpius and Centaurus. Its name is Latin for normal, referring to a right angle, and is variously considered to represent a rule, a carpenter's square, a set square or a level....
. Though it has an apparent magnitude
Apparent magnitude
The apparent magnitude of a celestial body is a measure of its brightness as seen by an observer on Earth, adjusted to the value it would have in the absence of the atmosphere...
of only 4.914, its absolute visual magnitude
Absolute magnitude
Absolute magnitude is the measure of a celestial object's intrinsic brightness. it is also the apparent magnitude a star would have if it were 32.6 light years away from Earth...
-5.86 and a bolometric luminosity of 210,000 times that of the Sun. This star is comparable to Epsilon Orionis (Alnilam)
Epsilon Orionis
Alnilam is a large blue supergiant star in the constellation of Orion. Its Flamsteed designation is 46 Orionis....
in that they are both of class
Stellar classification
In astronomy, stellar classification is a classification of stars based on their spectral characteristics. The spectral class of a star is a designated class of a star describing the ionization of its chromosphere, what atomic excitations are most prominent in the light, giving an objective measure...
B0 and are supergiant
Supergiant
Supergiants are among the most massive stars. They occupy the top region of the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram. In the Yerkes spectral classification, supergiants are class Ia or Ib . They typically have bolometric absolute magnitudes between -5 and -12...
s, but this star is less massive at a probable mass of 30 solar masses. Both stars are also suspected of being Alpha Cygni variables which are named after the also similar star Deneb
Deneb
Deneb is the brightest star in the constellation Cygnus and one of the vertices of the Summer Triangle. It is the 19th brightest star in the night sky, with an apparent magnitude of 1.25. A blue-white supergiant, Deneb is also one of the most luminous nearby stars...
. Being a blue supergiant, it is destined to become a red supergiant
Red supergiant
Red supergiants are supergiant stars of spectral type K or M. They are the largest stars in the universe in terms of volume, although they are not the most massive...
in a few million years and eventually a type-II
Type II supernova
A Type II supernova results from the rapid collapse and violent explosion of a massive star. A star must have at least 9 times, and no more than 40–50 times the mass of the Sun for this type of explosion. It is distinguished from other types of supernova by the presence of hydrogen in its spectrum...
supernova
Supernova
A supernova is a stellar explosion that is more energetic than a nova. It is pronounced with the plural supernovae or supernovas. Supernovae are extremely luminous and cause a burst of radiation that often briefly outshines an entire galaxy, before fading from view over several weeks or months...
.