Difference between revisions of "Wolf 359"
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Discovered in 1918 by German astronomer Max Wolf, whom the star is named after, Wolf 359 is a dim [[red dwarf]] with a [[spectral class]] of M6.5. The star's mass is between 9 and 13 percent of Sol's, and has a diameter of approximately 16 to 19 of Sol's. The luminosity is a mere .002% of our own star, so dim if Wolf 359 replaced our sun, it would appear only 10 times brighter then the moon from our world. Like many [[red dwarf|red dwarfs]], Wolf 359 is a [[flare star]] and can violently flare and brighten on occasion<ref>http://www.solstation.com/stars/wolf359.htm</ref>. | Discovered in 1918 by German astronomer Max Wolf, whom the star is named after, Wolf 359 is a dim [[red dwarf]] with a [[spectral class]] of M6.5. The star's mass is between 9 and 13 percent of Sol's, and has a diameter of approximately 16 to 19 of Sol's. The luminosity is a mere .002% of our own star, so dim if Wolf 359 replaced our sun, it would appear only 10 times brighter then the moon from our world. Like many [[red dwarf|red dwarfs]], Wolf 359 is a [[flare star]] and can violently flare and brighten on occasion<ref>http://www.solstation.com/stars/wolf359.htm</ref>. | ||
| − | At present there are no known companion bodies orbiting Wolf 359<ref>http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-bib_query?bibcode=2000AJ....119..906S&db_key=AST&high=38e0b7728707947</ref>. For an Earth like world to have liquid water on it's surface (within the [[habitable zone]]), it would have to be only .0042 Au from it's parent star. Such a world would be tidally locked to Wolf 359 and be | + | At present there are no known companion bodies orbiting Wolf 359<ref>http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-bib_query?bibcode=2000AJ....119..906S&db_key=AST&high=38e0b7728707947</ref>. For an Earth like world to have liquid water on it's surface (within the [[habitable zone]]), it would have to be only .0042 Au from it's parent star. Such a world would be tidally locked to Wolf 359, and be repeatedly exposed to occasional intense radiation from the occasional flares. |
[[Category:Astronomy]] | [[Category:Astronomy]] | ||
Revision as of 20:03, June 17, 2009
Wolf 359 is the fourth closest star at only 7.7 light years; only Proxima Centauri, Alpha Centauri and Barnard's Star being closer. The star can be found in the constellation of Leo. One of the faintest known star's, it cannot be seen by the unaided eye and has a visual magnitude of only 13.54.
Discovered in 1918 by German astronomer Max Wolf, whom the star is named after, Wolf 359 is a dim red dwarf with a spectral class of M6.5. The star's mass is between 9 and 13 percent of Sol's, and has a diameter of approximately 16 to 19 of Sol's. The luminosity is a mere .002% of our own star, so dim if Wolf 359 replaced our sun, it would appear only 10 times brighter then the moon from our world. Like many red dwarfs, Wolf 359 is a flare star and can violently flare and brighten on occasion[1].
At present there are no known companion bodies orbiting Wolf 359[2]. For an Earth like world to have liquid water on it's surface (within the habitable zone), it would have to be only .0042 Au from it's parent star. Such a world would be tidally locked to Wolf 359, and be repeatedly exposed to occasional intense radiation from the occasional flares.