HD 74438

HD 74438
Observation data
Epoch J2000.0      Equinox J2000.0
Constellation Vela
Right ascension 08h 41m 46.5806s[1]
Declination −52° 03′ 44.996″[1]
Apparent magnitude (V) +7.59 (8.2/8.2/9.4/9.4)[2]
Characteristics
Spectral type A2mA5-A8[3]
Astrometry
Proper motion (μ) RA: −17.745[1] mas/yr
Dec.: +17.056[1] mas/yr
Parallax (π)6.9075 ± 0.0755 mas[1]
Distance472 ± 5 ly
(145 ± 2 pc)
Orbit[4]
PrimaryAB
CompanionCD
Period (P)2,074.2±3.5 days
Semi-major axis (a)5.54±0.04 au
Eccentricity (e)0.458±0.015
Inclination (i)73.2 or 106.8°
Semi-amplitude (K1)
(primary)		12.8±0.3 km/s
Semi-amplitude (K2)
(secondary)		18.5±0.4 km/s
Orbit[4]
PrimaryA
CompanionB
Period (P)20.5729±0.0003 days
Semi-major axis (a)0.215±0.002 au
Eccentricity (e)0.3692±0.0001
Inclination (i)52.5 or 127.5°
Semi-amplitude (K1)
(primary)		45.81±0.09 km/s
Semi-amplitude (K2)
(secondary)		50.77±0.09 km/s
Orbit[4]
PrimaryC
CompanionD
Period (P)4.4243±0.0001 days
Semi-major axis (a)0.0681±0.001 au
Eccentricity (e)0.1535±0.0003
Inclination (i)84.0 or 96.0°
Semi-amplitude (K1)
(primary)		45.81±0.09 km/s
Semi-amplitude (K2)
(secondary)		50.77±0.09 km/s
Details[4]
A
Mass1.70±0.06 M☉
Radius1.46±0.15 R☉
Luminosity8.87±1.40 L☉
Temperature8,250±250 K
B
Mass1.54±0.06 M☉
Radius1.42±0.15 R☉
Luminosity5.72±0.95 L☉
Temperature7,500±250 K
C
Mass0.96±0.14 M☉
Radius0.84±0.36 R☉
Luminosity0.64±0.51 L☉
Temperature5,625±410 K
D
Mass0.87±0.14 M☉
Radius0.80±0.29 R☉
Luminosity0.48±0.32 L☉
Temperature5,375±410 K
Other designations
HD 74438, CD−52°2497, SAO 236190
Database references
SIMBADdata

HD 74438 is a spectroscopic quadruple stellar system composed of a pair of double star systems approximately 425 light years from Earth, located in open cluster IC 2391.[5][6] With an estimated age of 43+15
−7 million years,[4] HD 74438 is the youngest quadruple star system known.[7] The outer orbital period of the system, estimated at around 5.7 years, is also among the shortest of quadruple systems.[4][7]

The HD 74438 system was confirmed to be a gravitationally bound quadruple system in 2017 from data collected in the Gaia-ESO Survey.[5] In a paper published in 2022, HD 74438 was identified as a possible progenitor of a sub-Chandrasekhar Type Ia supernova.[4]

  1. ^ a b c d e Brown, A. G. A.; et al. (Gaia collaboration) (2021). "Gaia Early Data Release 3: Summary of the contents and survey properties". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 649: A1. arXiv:2012.01533. Bibcode:2021A&A...649A...1G. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202039657. S2CID 227254300. (Erratum: doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202039657e). Gaia EDR3 record for this source at VizieR.
  2. ^ Tokovinin, Andrei (2018-03-01). "The Updated Multiple Star Catalog". The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series. 235 (1): 6. arXiv:1712.04750. Bibcode:2018ApJS..235....6T. doi:10.3847/1538-4365/aaa1a5. ISSN 0067-0049. S2CID 119047709.
  3. ^ Houk, Nancy (1978). Michigan catalogue of two-dimensional spectral types for the HD stars. Vol. 2. Ann Arbor: Dept. Of Astronomy, University of Michigan. Bibcode:1978mcts.book.....H.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Merle, Thibault; Hamers, Adrian S.; Van Eck, Sophie; Jorissen, Alain; Van der Swaelmen, Mathieu; Pollard, Karen; Smiljanic, Rodolfo; Pourbaix, Dimitri; Zwitter, Tomaž; Traven, Gregor; Gilmore, Gerry; Randich, Sofia; Gonneau, Anaïs; Hourihane, Anna; Sacco, Germano; Worley, C. Clare (12 May 2022). "A spectroscopic quadruple as a possible progenitor of sub-Chandrasekhar type Ia supernovae". Nature Astronomy. 6 (6): 681–688. arXiv:2205.05045. Bibcode:2022NatAs...6..681M. doi:10.1038/s41550-022-01664-5. S2CID 248665714.
  5. ^ a b Merle, T.; Van Eck, S.; Jorissen, A.; et al. (2017). "The Gaia-ESO Survey: double-, triple-, and quadruple-line spectroscopic binary candidates". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 608 (A95): A95. arXiv:1707.01720. Bibcode:2017A&A...608A..95M. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201730442. S2CID 119502806.
  6. ^ Platais, I.; Melo, C.; Mermilliod, J.-C.; Kozhurina-Platais, V.; Fulbright, J. P.; Méndez, R. A.; Altmann, M.; Sperauskas, J. (January 2007). "WIYN open cluster study: XXVI. Improved kinematic membership and spectroscopy of IC 2391". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 461 (2): 509–522. arXiv:astro-ph/0611584. Bibcode:2007A&A...461..509P. doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20065756. S2CID 17173564.
  7. ^ a b Plait, Phil (26 May 2022). "A weird four-star system may lead the way to catastrophic supernovae". SYFY Official Site. Archived from the original on 27 May 2022. Retrieved 4 June 2022.