Zeta Cygni
Encyclopedia
Zeta Cygni and CCDM J21129+3014B form a binary star
system in the constellation Cygnus
, approximately 151 light-year
s away from Earth
.
The main star, 3rd magnitude Zeta Cygni, is a yellow star of the spectral type G8III. It has a radius 14.7 times that of our Sun
and shines 119 times brighter in comparison. Its most likely status is as a core-helium fusing giant star
, although it could be in transition to gianthood with a tranquil helium core. Assuming the former, it has a mass 3.0 solar mass
es and an age of 400 million years. Zeta Cygni has an abundance of barium
, and other heavy chemical elements, in its atmosphere.
Zeta Cygni has a 12th magnitude companion, assumed to be a white dwarf
. It orbits every 6489 days, or every 17.8 years. A theoretical study shows the system started off with solar masses of 3.0 and 2.5, but the more massive star lost some of its mass in becoming a white dwarf. It sent half a solar mass to Zeta Cygni, along with the heavy chemical elements it possesses today.
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 in the constellation Cygnus
Cygnus (constellation)
Cygnus is a northern constellation lying on the plane of the Milky Way. Its name is the Latinized Hellenic word for swan. One of the most recognizable constellations of the northern summer and autumn, it features a prominent asterism known as the Northern Cross...
, approximately 151 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 away 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...
.
The main star, 3rd magnitude Zeta Cygni, is a yellow star of the spectral type G8III. It has a radius 14.7 times that of our 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...
and shines 119 times brighter in comparison. Its most likely status is as a core-helium fusing giant star
Giant star
A giant star is a star with substantially larger radius and luminosity than a main sequence star of the same surface temperature. Typically, giant stars have radii between 10 and 100 solar radii and luminosities between 10 and 1,000 times that of the Sun. Stars still more luminous than giants are...
, although it could be in transition to gianthood with a tranquil helium core. Assuming the former, it has a mass 3.0 solar mass
Solar mass
The solar mass , , is a standard unit of mass in astronomy, used to indicate the masses of other stars and galaxies...
es and an age of 400 million years. Zeta Cygni has an abundance of barium
Barium
Barium is a chemical element with the symbol Ba and atomic number 56. It is the fifth element in Group 2, a soft silvery metallic alkaline earth metal. Barium is never found in nature in its pure form due to its reactivity with air. Its oxide is historically known as baryta but it reacts with...
, and other heavy chemical elements, in its atmosphere.
Zeta Cygni has a 12th magnitude companion, assumed to be a white dwarf
White dwarf
A white dwarf, also called a degenerate dwarf, is a small star composed mostly of electron-degenerate matter. They are very dense; a white dwarf's mass is comparable to that of the Sun and its volume is comparable to that of the Earth. Its faint luminosity comes from the emission of stored...
. It orbits every 6489 days, or every 17.8 years. A theoretical study shows the system started off with solar masses of 3.0 and 2.5, but the more massive star lost some of its mass in becoming a white dwarf. It sent half a solar mass to Zeta Cygni, along with the heavy chemical elements it possesses today.