Pi Scorpii
Encyclopedia
Pi Scorpii is a triple star system
in the constellation
Scorpius
. It is approximately 459 light years
from Earth
.
Pi Scorpii A is a contact binary
of the Beta Lyrae type
. Both its members are hot, blue-white B-type
dwarf
s. Together they have a mean apparent magnitude
of +2.89. Their rotation period is 1.57 days and they are separated by a distance of only 15 solar radii. Rotation causes their apparent magnitude to vary between +2.87 and +2.92.
They are orbited by a more distant companion designated Pi Scorpii B, which has an apparent magnitude of +12.2. This distant companion is separated from the primary binary by 50 arcseconds, putting it at least 7000 astronomical units away.
Star system
A star system or stellar system is a small number of stars which orbit each other, bound by gravitational attraction. A large number of stars bound by gravitation is generally called a star cluster or galaxy, although, broadly speaking, they are also star systems.-Binary star systems:A stellar...
in the constellation
Constellation
In modern astronomy, a constellation is an internationally defined area of the celestial sphere. These areas are grouped around asterisms, patterns formed by prominent stars within apparent proximity to one another on Earth's night sky....
Scorpius
Scorpius
Scorpius, sometimes known as Scorpio, is one of the constellations of the zodiac. Its name is Latin for scorpion, and its symbol is . It lies between Libra to the west and Sagittarius to the east...
. It is approximately 459 light years
Light Years
Light Years is the seventh studio album by Australian recording artist Kylie Minogue. It was released on 25 September 2000 by Parlophone and Mushroom Records. The album's style was indicative of her return to "mainstream pop dance tunes"....
from Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
.
Pi Scorpii A is a contact binary
Contact binary
In astronomy, a contact binary is a binary star system whose component stars are so close that they touch each other or have merged to share their gaseous envelopes. A binary system whose stars share an envelope may also be called an overcontact binary...
of the Beta Lyrae type
Beta Lyrae variable
Beta Lyrae variables are a class of close binary stars. Their total brightness is variable because the two component stars orbit each other, and in this orbit one component periodically passes in front of the other one, thereby blocking its light. The two component stars of Beta Lyrae systems are...
. Both its members are hot, blue-white B-type
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...
dwarf
Main sequence
The main sequence is a continuous and distinctive band of stars that appears on plots of stellar color versus brightness. These color-magnitude plots are known as Hertzsprung–Russell diagrams after their co-developers, Ejnar Hertzsprung and Henry Norris Russell...
s. Together they have a mean 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 +2.89. Their rotation period is 1.57 days and they are separated by a distance of only 15 solar radii. Rotation causes their apparent magnitude to vary between +2.87 and +2.92.
They are orbited by a more distant companion designated Pi Scorpii B, which has an apparent magnitude of +12.2. This distant companion is separated from the primary binary by 50 arcseconds, putting it at least 7000 astronomical units away.