XZ Tauri

XZ Tauri

A visual band light curve for XZ Tauri. The main plot shows the long-term variability, and the inset shows the year 2000 superflare on the north star. Adapted from Dodin et al. (2016)[1] and Coffey et al. (2004).[2]
Observation data
Epoch J2000.0      Equinox J2000.0
Constellation Taurus
Right ascension 04h 31m 40.08690s[3]
Declination +18° 13′ 56.6424″[3]
Apparent magnitude (V) 10.40[4]
Characteristics
Spectral type M2.0 + M3.5[5]
Astrometry
Proper motion (μ) RA: 9.1[6] mas/yr
Dec.: −17.8[6] mas/yr
Distance460 ly
(140[7] pc)
Orbit[8]
PrimaryA[a]
CompanionB
Period (P)155 yr
Semi-major axis (a)0.172+0.002
−0.003″
Eccentricity (e)0.742+0.025
−0.034
Inclination (i)0.0°
Argument of periastron (ω)
(secondary)		−42.2+2.0
−4.7°
Details[5]
A[a]
Mass0.37 M☉
Radius1.1 R☉
Luminosity0.17 L☉
B
Mass0.29 M☉
Radius1.7 R☉
Luminosity0.31 L☉
Temperature3,550[7] K
Age4.6[7] Myr
Other designations
XZ Tau, GSC 01269-00171[9]
Database references
SIMBADdata

XZ Tauri is a binary system approximately 460 light-years away in the constellation Taurus. The system consists of two T Tauri stars orbiting each other about 6 billion kilometers apart (roughly the same distance as Pluto is from the Sun). The system made news in 2000 when a superflare was observed in the system.

A third star, component C, has been observed at a separation of 0.09″, but subsequent observations failed to find it.[10][8] The T Tauri star HL Tauri, 23″ away, is also sometimes listed as a companion.[9]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference Dodin2016 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Coffey2004 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference GaiaDR2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference Ducati was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Hartigan_Kenyon_2003 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference UCAC2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference Osorio_et_al_2016 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference ichikawa2021 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference SIMBAD was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference osorio2017 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).


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