Centaurus X-3

Centaurus X-3

A visual band light curve for V779 Centauri, adapted from Tjemkes et al. (1986)[1]
Observation data
Epoch J2000      Equinox J2000
Constellation Centaurus
Right ascension 11h 21m 15.09s[2]
Declination −60° 37′ 22.6″[2]
Apparent magnitude (V) 13.25 (- 13.39) - 13.46[3]
Characteristics
Spectral type O6-7 II-III[4]
Variable type Ellipsoidal[1] & eclipsing[5]
Astrometry
Proper motion (μ) RA: −3.121[2] mas/yr
Dec.: +2.331[2] mas/yr
Parallax (π)0.1387 ± 0.0112 mas[2]
Distance24,000 ± 2,000 ly
(7,200 ± 600 pc)
Details
Krzemiński's star
Mass20.5 ± 0.7[6] M
Radius12[6] R
Luminosity316,000[1] L
Temperature39,000[7] K
X-ray component
Mass1.21 ± 0.21[6] M
Other designations
V779 Cen, 1RXS J112115.4-603725, 4U 1118–60, AAVSO 1116-60
Database references
SIMBADdata

Centaurus X-3 (4U 1118–60) is an X-ray pulsar with a period of 4.84 seconds. It was the first X-ray pulsar to be discovered, and the third X-ray source to be discovered in the constellation Centaurus. The system consists of a neutron star orbiting a massive, O-type supergiant star dubbed Krzemiński's star /(k)ʃɛˈmɪnskiz/ after its discoverer, Wojciech Krzemiński. Matter is being accreted from the star onto the neutron star, resulting in X-ray emission.

  1. ^ a b c Tjemkes, S. A.; Zuiderwijk, E. J.; Van Paradijs, J. (1986). "Optical light curves of massive X-ray binaries". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 154: 77. Bibcode:1986A&A...154...77T.
  2. ^ a b c d e 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.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference al29_468 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Ash, T. D. C.; Reynolds, A. P.; Roche, P.; Norton, A. J.; Still, M. D.; Morales-Rueda, L. (1999). "The mass of the neutron star in Centaurus X-3". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 307 (2): 357. Bibcode:1999MNRAS.307..357A. doi:10.1046/j.1365-8711.1999.02605.x.
  5. ^ Falanga, M.; Bozzo, E.; Lutovinov, A.; Bonnet-Bidaud, J. M.; Fetisova, Y.; Puls, J. (2015). "Ephemeris, orbital decay, and masses of ten eclipsing high-mass X-ray binaries". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 577: A130. arXiv:1502.07126. Bibcode:2015A&A...577A.130F. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201425191. S2CID 119212238.
  6. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference apj737_2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Blondin, John M. (1994). "The shadow wind in high-mass X-ray binaries". Astrophysical Journal. 435: 756. Bibcode:1994ApJ...435..756B. doi:10.1086/174853.