Mu1 Cancri

For other stars with this Bayer designation, see μ Cancri.
Mu1 Cancri

A visual band light curve for BL Cancri, plotted from data presented by Tabur et al. (2009)[1]
Observation data
Epoch J2000.0      Equinox J2000.0 (ICRS)
Constellation Cancer
Right ascension 08h 06m 18.39542s[2]
Declination +22° 38′ 07.7587″[2]
Apparent magnitude (V) +5.99[3] (5.87–6.07)[4]
Characteristics
Evolutionary stage Asymptotic giant branch[5]
Spectral type M3 III[6]
B−V color index +1.66[3]
Variable type Lb[6]
Astrometry
Radial velocity (Rv)+29.61±0.57[7] km/s
Proper motion (μ) RA: −5.716[2] mas/yr
Dec.: −9.696[2] mas/yr
Parallax (π)5.2029 ± 0.1702 mas[2]
Distance630 ± 20 ly
(192 ± 6 pc)
Absolute magnitude (MV)−0.79[8]
Details
Radius56.5+4.8
−5.2[2] R☉
Luminosity565±21[2] L☉
Temperature3,744+186
−150[2] K
Other designations
μ1 Cnc, 9 Cancri, BL Cancri, BD+23°1887, HD 66875, HIP 39659, HR 3169, SAO 79940[9]
Database references
SIMBADdata

Mu1 Cancri, Latinised from μ1 Cancri, is a variable star in the zodiac constellation of Cancer. The name Mu1 comes from the Bayer naming system: the "1" in the name is because (from Earth) it appears to be close to 10 Cancri, or Mu2 Cancri. It is also known by the variable star designation BL Cancri. The star is dimly visible to the naked eye with an apparent visual magnitude that ranges from 5.87 down to 6.07.[4] Parallax measurements put it about 630 light-years (192 parsecs) from the Sun.[10] At that distance, the visual magnitude is diminished by an extinction factor of 0.28.[11] The position of the star near the ecliptic means it is subject to lunar occultations.[12]

The star Mu1 Cancri is an evolved red giant currently on the asymptotic giant branch[5] with a stellar classification of M3 III.[6] The lack of technetium-99 in the spectrum indicates it has not yet gone through third dredge-up.[13] It is a slow irregular variable[6] with thermal pulsation periods of 22.6, 37.8 and 203.7 days.[1] The star has expanded to 57 times the radius of the Sun and it is radiating 565 times the Sun's luminosity from its enlarged photosphere at an effective temperature of 3,774 K.[2]

  1. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference tabur2009 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Cite error: The named reference GaiaDR2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Ducati2002 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Samus_et_al_2017 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Eggen1992 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ a b c d Cite error: The named reference Lebzelter2003 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference deBruijne2012 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference Anderson2012 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference SIMBAD was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference vanLeeuwen2007 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. ^ Cite error: The named reference Famaey2005 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  12. ^ Cite error: The named reference Schneider_Anderson_1993 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  13. ^ Cite error: The named reference Lebzelter_Hron_2003 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).