EZ Aquarii
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EZ Aquarii is a triple star system Template:Convert from the Sun in the constellation Aquarius within the Milky Way. It is also known as Luyten 789-6, Gliese 866 and LHS 68. It is a variable star showing flares as well as smaller brightness changes due to rotation. The aggregate mass of the system is 0.3262±0.0018 solar masses.<ref name="Torres2009" /> All three seem to have masses close to the hydrogen burning mass limit.<ref name=aaa353_253/>
William E. Kunkel announced that Luyten 789-6 was a flare star in 1972, after having observed seven flares.<ref name="Kunkel"/> It was given its variable star designation, EZ Aquarii, in 1978.<ref name="Kholopov"/>
The configuration of the inner binary pair may permit a circumbinary planet to orbit near their habitable zone, however no exoplanets have yet been observed.<ref name=Popova2016/> EZ Aquarii is approaching the Solar System and, in about 32,300 years, will be at its minimal distance of about Template:Convert from the Sun.<ref name=al36_11_816/> The ChView simulation shows that currently its nearest neighbouring star is Lacaille 9352 at about Template:Convert from EZ Aquarii. Template:TOC limit
System
All three components are M-type red dwarfs. The pair EZ Aquarii AC form a spectroscopic binary with a 3.8-day orbit and a 0.03 AU separation. This pair share an orbit with EZ Aquarii B that has an 823-day period.<ref name=aaa350_L39/> The A and B components of Luyten 789-6 together emit X-rays.<ref name=apj290_307/>
EZ Aquarii A
This star is a red dwarf of type M5V<ref name=RECONS/> which has a mass of Template:Val solar masses.<ref name="Torres2009"/> It has a parallax of Template:Val.<ref name="Ségransan2000"/> Its period in days around EZ Aquarii C is Template:Val with an eccentricity of 0 which together make up the primary of the system.<ref name="Ségransan2000"/> It has an absolute magnitude at wavelengths centered at 5500 Angstroms of 15.33 making it the brightest of the three.<ref name=RECONS/> Some alternate designations for it are EZ Aqr, GL 866A, L 789-6 A and LHS 68.
EZ Aquarii B
There is less known about this star compared to A. Its type is likely a type MV<ref name=RECONS/> with a mass of Template:Val solar masses.<ref name="Torres2009"/> It orbits the AC system with a period of Template:Val at an eccentricity of Template:Val.<ref name="Ségransan2000"/> It has an absolute magnitude of 15.58, making it dimmer than A but brighter than C.<ref name=RECONS/> Some alternate designations for it are GL 866B and L 789-6 B.
EZ Aquarii C
Like the other two, this star is likely a type MV<ref name=RECONS/> with a mass of Template:Val solar masses.<ref name="Torres2009"/> It orbits A in a period of Template:Val with a nearly circular orbit.<ref name="Ségransan2000"/> It is the dimmest of the three with an absolute magnitude of 17.37.<ref name=RECONS/> An alternate designation for it is GL 866C.
Other details
The high proper motion of EZ Aquarii may have been discovered by Willem Jacob Luyten with his automated photographic plate scanner.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
See also
References
External links
- Image EZ Aquarii
- Solstation provides an orbital animation as well as a visualization of the habitable zone around EZ Aquarii B.