WR 25

From Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core
Jump to: navigation, search
WR 25
Carina Nebula by ESO.jpg
Red circle.svg

Location of WR 25 (circled)
Credit: ESO
Observation data
Epoch J2000.0      Equinox J2000.0
Constellation Carina
Right ascension 10h 44m 10.337s[1]
Declination −59° 43′ 11.41″[1]
Apparent magnitude (V) 8.80[2]
Characteristics
Evolutionary stage Wolf-Rayet star
Spectral type O2.5If*/WN6 + OB[3]
Astrometry
Proper motion (μ) RA: -16.6[1] mas/yr
Dec.: -4.0[1] mas/yr
Absolute magnitude (MV) -6.6[4]
Absolute bolometric
magnitude (Mbol)		 -12.25[5]
Orbit[6]
Period (P) 207.85 days
Semi-major axis (a) 156 R☉
Eccentricity (e) 0.50
Semi-amplitude (K1)
(primary)		 44 km/s
Details
Mass 110[5]/? M☉
Radius 33[5]/? R☉
Luminosity (bolometric) 6,300,000[5]/? L☉
Temperature 50,100[5]/? K
Age 2 Myr
Other designations
HD 93162, 2MASS J10441038-5943111, WR 25, XMMU J104410.3-594311, CD−59°3282, PPM 339385, SAO 238408, Trumpler 16 177, GSC 08626-01989, UBV 9882, Hen 3-478
Database references
SIMBAD data
File:WR 25 and Tr16-244 region (captured by the Hubble Space Telescope).jpg
WR 25 is the brightest star in the image. The orange star to its left is a foreground object. The Finger Nebula is visible at the top of the image.
HST optical and IR image

WR 25 (HD 93162) is a binary star system in the turbulent star forming region Carina Nebula, about 7,500 light-years from Earth. It contains a Wolf-Rayet star and a hot luminous companion, and is a member of the Trumpler 16 cluster.

WR 25 was recognised as a Wolf Rayet star in the 19th century, because of its brightness and spectrum dominated by broad emission lines.[7] The spectrum contains lines of hydrogen and is intermediate between a classical WN star and an O-type supergiant. This led to early reports that it was a binary, for example a WN7 star plus an O7 star.[8] It has also been described as WN7 + abs[9] and WN6ha.[10] With the introduction of specific classifications for hot slash stars, WR 25 was assigned the spectral type O2.5If*/WN6. This recognises the presence of nitrogen, the intrinsic weakness of many emission lines, and the presence of some helium and hydrogen absorption lines. The classification represents a fine gradation of weaker emission and stronger absorption than a WN6ha spectral type.[11] Any contribution to the spectrum from the companion cannot be clearly detected.[6]

The primary star of the WR 25 system is notable for being the most luminous known star in the Milky Way Galaxy, substantially brighter than its nearby neighbor Eta Carinae, although it is unclear what contribution is from the companion. It is approximately 6.3 million times brighter than the Sun and illuminates the far southern end of the Trumpler 16 cluster. The model used to derive the stellar parameters is unsuitable for use in binary systems with the authors noting that the companion contributes more than 15% of the system luminosity, so the luminosity is highly uncertain. Earlier estimates based on measurements of the ionising flux produced values around 1.5 million times the sun, with correspondingly lower estimates for other physical data.[12]

The companion is assumed to be a young hot massive star, similar to other known WR+O or WR+WR binaries. It has been reported as an O4 supergiant, but later measurements are still uncertain about the exact spectral type. Colliding stellar winds between two such hot luminous stars produce the hard X-rays[13] that led to suspicion about the binary status long before the 208 day orbital period was detected.[6]

Although very luminous WR 25 is beyond naked-eye visibility due to heavy dust extinction of clouds in the nebula, and because much of the emitted radiation is in the ultraviolet. It has been observed in X-rays and infra-red.[13][14]

WR 25 lies at the western limit of the Trumpler 16 star cluster, part of Carina OB1, one of the largest stellar associations in the Milky Way Galaxy.[15] Because of its extreme luminosity it greatly affects its stellar environment, seen in the thin long arcs and filaments moving away from the star, including the Finger Nebula.[16]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Retrieved from "https://infogalactic.com/w/index.php?title=WR_25&oldid=720512613"