Omicron Cassiopeiae

ο Cassiopeiae

Map of the Bayer-designated stars in Cassiopeia. Omicron Cassiopeiae is circled.
Observation data
Epoch J2000.0      Equinox J2000.0
Constellation Cassiopeia
Right ascension 00h 44m 43.51867s[1]
Declination +48° 17′ 03.7136″[1]
Apparent magnitude (V) 4.30 - 4.62[2]
Characteristics
Spectral type B2-5III-Ve(shell)[2]
U−B color index −0.53[3]
B−V color index −0.06[3]
Variable type γ Cas[2]
Astrometry
Radial velocity (Rv)−12.36 ± 0.41[4] km/s
Proper motion (μ) RA: 18.84[5] mas/yr
Dec.: -7.18[5] mas/yr
Parallax (π)4.7046 ± 0.4306 mas[5]
Distance690 ± 60 ly
(210 ± 20 pc)
Absolute magnitude (MV)−2.55 / 0.35[4]
Orbit[4]
Primaryο Cas Aa
Companionο Cas Ab
Period (P)1031.55 d
Semi-major axis (a)0.0170 ± 0.0006″
Eccentricity (e)0
Inclination (i)115.0 ± 2.6°
Longitude of the node (Ω)267.3 ± 0.8°
Periastron epoch (T)JD 2452792.2 ± 0.6
Argument of periastron (ω)
(secondary)		0°
Semi-amplitude (K1)
(primary)		21.593 ± 0.071 km/s
Details[4]
ο Cas Aa
Mass6.2 M☉
Radius8.0 R☉
Temperature14,000 K
Rotational velocity (v sin i)220 km/s
ο Cas Ab
Mass~5 M☉
Other designations
22 Cassiopeiae, BD+47° 183, FK5 25, HD 4180, HIP 3504, HR 193, SAO 36620, ADS 622, CCDM J00447+4817
Database references
SIMBADο Cas A
ο Cas B

Omicron Cassiopeiae (ο Cas, ο Cassiopeiae) is a triple star system in the constellation Cassiopeia. It is approximately 700 light-years from Earth, based on its parallax.[1] It is visible to the naked eye with a slightly variable apparent magnitude of about 4.5.

A visual band light curve for Omicron Cassiopeiae, adapted from Koubský et al. (2010)[4]

The primary component, ο Cassiopeiae A, is a spectroscopic binary, and its close companion completes one orbit every 2.83 years (1,031.55 days). The system has also been resolved with interferometry.[4]

The primary of this spectroscopic binary is a blue-white B-type giant star.[6] It is classified as a Gamma Cassiopeiae variable and its brightness varies from magnitude 4.30 to 4.62. It is rotating at a speed of 375 km/s at its equator (close to its theoretical break-up velocity of 390 km/s), although because the pole is inclined 36 degrees, its projected rotational velocity is only 220 km/s.[4] The nature of the secondary is not well known. Despite the fact that the secondary is 2.9 magnitudes dimmer than the primary, the secondary appears to have a mass similar to, or even larger than primary.[4] It is possible that the secondary is a pair of early A-type main-sequence stars.[4]

A more distant companion, ο Cassiopeiae B, lies 33.6 arcseconds away. It is an eleventh-magnitude, F-type main-sequence star.[6] Because it has a similar proper motion to the central system, it is assumed to be gravitationally bound.[7]

  1. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference HIP was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference gcvs was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference UBVRI was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i Cite error: The named reference Koubusky2010a was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference dr2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference 2004ASPC was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference SB9 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).