Beta Pictoris

β Pictoris
Location of β Pictoris (circled)
Observation data
Epoch J2000      Equinox J2000
Constellation Pictor
Right ascension 05h 47m 17.1s[1]
Declination −51° 03′ 59″[1]
Apparent magnitude (V) 3.861[1]
Characteristics
Spectral type A6V[2]
U−B color index 0.10[3]
B−V color index 0.17[3]
Variable type Delta Scuti variable[4]
Astrometry
Radial velocity (Rv)+20.0 ± 0.7[5] km/s
Proper motion (μ) RA: +4.65[6] mas/yr
Dec.: +83.10[6] mas/yr
Parallax (π)51.44 ± 0.12 mas[6]
Distance63.4 ± 0.1 ly
(19.44 ± 0.05 pc)
Absolute magnitude (MV)2.402[7]
Details
Mass1.75[8] M☉
Radius1.732±0.123[9] R☉
Luminosity (bolometric)8.7[8] L☉
Surface gravity (log g)4.15[2] cgs
Temperature8,052[2] K
Metallicity+0.14[10]
Rotational velocity (v sin i)130[11] km/s
Age23±3[12] Myr
Other designations
GJ 219, HR 2020, CD −51°1620, HD 39060, GCTP 1339.00, SAO 234134, HIP 27321
Database references
SIMBADdata
ARICNSdata
This video sequence is based on an artist's impression of exocomets orbiting the star Beta Pictoris.

Beta Pictoris (abbreviated β Pictoris or β Pic) is the second brightest star in the constellation Pictor. It is located 63.4 light-years (19.4 pc) from the Solar System, and is 1.75 times as massive and 8.7 times as luminous as the Sun. The Beta Pictoris system is very young, only 20 to 26 million years old,[12] although it is already in the main sequence stage of its evolution.[8] Beta Pictoris is the title member of the Beta Pictoris moving group, an association of young stars which share the same motion through space and have the same age.[13]

The European Southern Observatory (ESO) has confirmed the presence of two planets, Beta Pictoris b,[14] and Beta Pictoris c,[15] through the use of direct imagery. Both planets are orbiting in the plane of the debris disk surrounding the star. Beta Pictoris c is currently the closest extrasolar planet to its star ever photographed: the observed separation is roughly the same as the distance between the asteroid belt and the Sun.[15]

Beta Pictoris shows an excess of infrared emission[16] compared to normal stars of its type, which is caused by large quantities of dust and gas (including carbon monoxide)[17][18] near the star. Detailed observations reveal a large disk of dust and gas orbiting the star, which was the first debris disk to be imaged around another star.[19] In addition to the presence of several planetesimal belts[20] and cometary activity,[21] there are indications that planets have formed within this disk and that the processes of planet formation may be ongoing.[22] Material from the Beta Pictoris debris disk is thought to be the dominant source of interstellar meteoroids in the Solar System.[23]

  1. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference SIMBAD was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference Gray2006 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Hoffleit1991 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference Koen2003 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference Gontcharov2006 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference VanLeeuwen2007 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference Bell2015 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference Crifo1997 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference Kervella2003 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference Gaspar2016 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. ^ Cite error: The named reference Royer2007 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  12. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Mamajek2014 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  13. ^ Cite error: The named reference Zuckerman2001 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  14. ^ Cite error: The named reference ESO2010 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  15. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Lagrange2020 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  16. ^ Cite error: The named reference Cote1987a was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  17. ^ Cite error: The named reference LAT-20140308 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  18. ^ Cite error: The named reference SCI-20140306 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  19. ^ Cite error: The named reference Smith1984 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  20. ^ Cite error: The named reference Wahhaj2003 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  21. ^ Cite error: The named reference Beust1990 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  22. ^ Cite error: The named reference Freistetter2007 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  23. ^ Cite error: The named reference Baggaley2000 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).