Automoderated users, edit
3,552
edits
Changes
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
Line 33:
Line 33: − + − − Canopus is in the [[helium]] burning phase of its evolution. Depending on its true mass, the star may eventually [[supernova]] or it will cease fusing elements at its core before the required fusion into [[iron]] needed to cause a supernovae collapse. If the latter is true, the star may end its life as a rare [[neon]]-[[oxygen]] [[white dwarf]] (most white dwarfs are mainly made up of carbon and oxygen).<ref name="illinois">http://stars.astro.illinois.edu/sow/canopus.html</ref>
→Ths Star
The true distance of the star was not known until the 1990s, and estimates beforehand varied from 96 light years away to some 1200 light years. The [[Hipparcos]] satellite telescope finally established the distance of the star to be around 310 light years away.<ref name="simbad">http://simbad.u-strasbg.fr/simbad/sim-id?Ident=name+canopus</ref>
The true distance of the star was not known until the 1990s, and estimates beforehand varied from 96 light years away to some 1200 light years. The [[Hipparcos]] satellite telescope finally established the distance of the star to be around 310 light years away.<ref name="simbad">http://simbad.u-strasbg.fr/simbad/sim-id?Ident=name+canopus</ref>
Canopus itself is a rare spectral class F0 Ia yellow-white [[supergiant]]. The star may be either evolving towards or away from red supergiant status, but such stars as Canopus are still poorly understood. The star itself is 13,300 times as bright as our [[Sun]]. It is some 71 times the Sun's diameter and some 8 to 9 times our Sun's mass. If it was in the center of our solar system it would extend to within 90 percent of Mercury's orbit. The surface temperature of Canopus is estimated to be 7280 K, typical for a star in the F class. The [[corona]] of Canopus however is some ten times as hot as our Sun's corona, and is a considerable source of [[x-ray|X-rays]].<ref name="illinois">http://stars.astro.illinois.edu/sow/canopus.html</ref>
Canopus itself is a rare spectral class F0 Ia yellow-white [[supergiant]]. The star itself is 13,300 times as bright as our [[Sun]]. It is some 71 times the Sun's diameter and some 8 to 9 times our Sun's mass. If it was in the center of our solar system it would extend to within 90 percent of Mercury's orbit. The surface temperature of Canopus is estimated to be 7280 K, typical for a star in the F class. The [[corona]] of Canopus however is some ten times as hot as our Sun's corona, and is a considerable source of [[x-ray|X-rays]].<ref name="illinois">http://stars.astro.illinois.edu/sow/canopus.html</ref>
There are no known substellar companions of Canopus. For an [[terrestrial planet|Earth-like]] world to exist comfortably with liquid water on its surface around Canopus, it would have to be around three times the distance [[Pluto]] is from the Sun.
There are no known substellar companions of Canopus. For an [[terrestrial planet|Earth-like]] world to exist comfortably with liquid water on its surface around Canopus, it would have to be around three times the distance [[Pluto]] is from the Sun.
[[Category:Astronomy]]
[[Category:Astronomy]]