Wolf 359

This article is about the star. For the fictional battle, see The Best of Both Worlds (Star Trek: The Next Generation). For The Outer Limits episode, see Wolf 359 (The Outer Limits). For the podcast, see Wolf 359 (podcast).
Wolf 359

Wolf 359 is the orange-hued star located just above the center of this 2009 astrophotograph.
Observation data
Epoch J2000      Equinox J2000
Constellation Leo
Right ascension 10h 56m 28.92087s[1]
Declination +07° 00′ 53.0033″[1]
Apparent magnitude (V) 13.507[2]
Characteristics
Spectral type M6V[3]
Apparent magnitude (J) 7.1[4]
Apparent magnitude (K) 6.1[4]
U−B color index +1.165[2]
B−V color index +2.034[2]
Variable type UV Ceti[5]
Astrometry
Radial velocity (Rv)+19±1[6] km/s
Proper motion (μ) RA: −3,866.338 mas/yr[1]
Dec.: −2,699.215 mas/yr[1]
Parallax (π)415.1794 ± 0.0684 mas[1]
Distance7.856 ± 0.001 ly
(2.4086 ± 0.0004 pc)
Absolute magnitude (MV)16.614[7]
Details
Mass0.110±0.003[8] M☉
Radius0.144±0.004[8] R☉
Luminosity0.00106 ± 0.00002[8] L☉
Habitable zone inner limit0.024[9] AU
Habitable zone outer limit0.052[9] AU
Surface gravity (log g)5.5[10] cgs
Temperature2,749+44
−41[8] K
Metallicity [Fe/H]+0.25[11] dex
Rotation2.704±0.003 d[12]
Rotational velocity (v sin i)2.9±0.8[13] km/s
Age0.1-1.5[14] Gyr
Other designations
CN Leonis, CN Leo, GJ 406, G 045-020, LTT 12923, LFT 750, LHS 36, GCTP 2553[15]
Database references
SIMBADdata
Wolf 359 is located in the constellation Leo.
Wolf 359 is located in the constellation Leo.
Wolf 359
Wolf 359 is shown near the ecliptic in the southern region of Leo.

Wolf 359 is a red dwarf star located in the constellation Leo, near the ecliptic. At a distance of 7.86 light-years (2.41 parsecs) from Earth, it has an apparent magnitude of 13.54 and can only be seen with a large telescope. Wolf 359 is one of the nearest stars to the Sun with only the Alpha Centauri system (including Proxima Centauri), Barnard's Star, and the brown dwarfs Luhman 16 (WISE 1049-5319) and WISE 0855−0714 known to be closer. Its proximity to Earth has led to its mention in several works of fiction.[16]

Wolf 359 is one of the faintest and least-massive nearby stars known. At the light-emitting layer called the photosphere, it has a temperature of ~2,800 K, low enough for chemical compounds to form and survive. The absorption lines of compounds such as water and titanium(II) oxide have been observed in its spectrum.[17] The star's surface has a magnetic field hundreds of times as strong as that of the Sun, generated by its thorough internal convection. As a result of this significant magnetic activity, Wolf 359 is a flare star that can undergo sudden and great increases in luminosity, which can persist for several minutes. These flares emit strong bursts of X-ray and gamma ray radiation that have been observed by space telescopes. It is a relatively young star with an estimated age of less than a billion years. No planetary companions for Wolf 359 have been confirmed so far, though there is one unverified candidate, and as yet no debris disks have been found.[14]

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  14. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Bowens-Rubin2023 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
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  16. ^ Weir, Andy (2022). Project Hail Mary. London: Penguin Books. ISBN 978-1-5291-5746-8.
  17. ^ Cite error: The named reference apj596_1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).