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NGC 1624-2 is the brightest star at the centre of NGC 1624 on the left of this image spanning about one degree. | |
Observation data Epoch J2000 Equinox J2000 | |
---|---|
Constellation | Perseus |
Right ascension | 04h 40m 37.276s[1] |
Declination | 50° 27′ 41.04″[1] |
Apparent magnitude (V) | 11.57[2] |
Characteristics | |
Evolutionary stage | O-type star |
Spectral type | O7f?cp[3] |
U−B color index | −0.57[2][4] |
B−V color index | 0.9[2] |
Astrometry | |
Proper motion (μ) | RA: 0.025[1] mas/yr Dec.: 0.108[1] mas/yr |
Parallax (π) | −0.3521 ± 0.1716 mas[1] |
Distance | 5,152.3[5] pc |
Details | |
Mass | 34[5] M☉ |
Radius | 10[5] R☉ |
Luminosity | 126,000[5] L☉ |
Surface gravity (log g) | 3.55[1] cgs |
Temperature | 35,000[5] K |
Metallicity [Fe/H] | +0.07[1] dex |
Rotation | 315.98 d[6] |
Rotational velocity (v sin i) | <3[5] km/s |
Other designations | |
TYC 3350-255-1, ALS 18660, 2MASS J04403728+5027410 | |
Database references | |
SIMBAD | data |
NGC 1624-2 is a massive O-type star located in the star cluster NGC 1624, in the constellation of Perseus, about 16,800 light years away. NGC 1624-2 is notable for being most strongly magnetised O-type star known,[6] with a magnetic field strength of 20 kG, or about 20,000 times the Sun's magnetic field strength.[5] It hosts a large and dense magnetosphere, formed from the interaction between its very strong magnetic field and its dense, radiatively-driven stellar wind, which also absorbs up to 95% of x-rays generated from around the star.[5]
NGC 1624-2 is a very massive, young, blue star no more than 4 million years old. It is an Of?p star a type of highly magnetic star that has unusual emission lines of multiply-ionized carbon and nitrogen. In NGC 1624-2, the carbon emission is particularly extreme. The luminosity class is uncertain because of the unusual spectrum; it is most commonly given as V (main sequence), but has also been given as I (supergiant).[7]
Analysis of its spectral energy distribution with CHORIZOS modelling yields an effective temperature of 35,000 K, a luminosity of 125,900 L☉ (105.1 L☉) and a radius of about 10 R☉. Assuming a log g of 4.0 yields a mass of 34 M☉, but evolutionary models tend towards a current mass of 28 M☉, given the results from the modelling. However, this assumes that NGC 1624-2 is a normal star, while it is not, so it should only be taken as an indication of its true mass. NGC 1624-2 is currently losing mass at a rate of 10−6.8 M☉/year, through a stellar wind with a terminal velocity of 2,875 km/s.[5]
NGC 1624-2 rotates very slowly, only once every 316 days.[6] This slow rotation is typical for very magnetic O-type stars as their magnetic fields slow down their rotation in a process known as magnetic braking, where angular momentum is quickly shed by the stellar wind via the strong magnetic field, which also minimises mass loss throughout the main sequence.[5][6]