DG Canum Venaticorum is a variable binary star system[3] in the northern constellationofCanes Venatici. As of 2009, the pair have an angular separation of 0.20″ along a position angle of 285°, which corresponds to a physical separation of around 3.6 AU.[8] With an apparent visual magnitude of 12.02, the pair are much too faint to be seen with the naked eye.[3] Parallax measurements place the system at a distance of roughly 59 light years from the Earth.[3]
| |
| Observation data Epoch J2000.0 Equinox J2000.0 | |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Canes Venatici |
| Right ascension | 13h31m 46.617s[2] |
| Declination | +29° 16′ 36.72″[2] |
| Apparent magnitude (V) | 12.02[3] (12.64 + 12.93) |
| Characteristics | |
| Spectral type | M4.0Ve[3] |
| Variable type | Flare star + BY Dra[4] |
| Astrometry | |
| Radial velocity (Rv) | −7.50±6.50[3] km/s |
| Proper motion (μ) | RA: −244.1±4.2[3] mas/yr Dec.: −132.4±4.8[3] mas/yr |
| Parallax (π) | 55.51 ± 2.38 mas[3] |
| Distance | 59 ± 3 ly (18.0 ± 0.8 pc) |
| Absolute magnitude (MV) | 10.74[3] (11.36 + 11.65) |
| Details | |
| A | |
| Mass | 0.39[5] M☉ |
| Radius | 0.253[6] R☉ |
| Temperature | 3,263[6] K |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.15[7] dex |
| Rotational velocity (v sin i) | 50[8] km/s |
| B | |
| Mass | +0.07[6] M☉ |
| Age | 30[8] Myr |
| Other designations | |
| Database references | |
| SIMBAD | data |
| ARICNS | data |
The stellar classification of the primary component is M4.0Ve, indicating it is a red dwarf with emission lines present. It is considered a very young system with an estimated age of just 30[8] million years and a higher metallicity than the Sun.[7] One of the components is rotating rapidly, with a projected rotational velocity of 50 km/s.[3] At least one of the members of this system is a type of variable known as a flare star, which means it undergoes brief increases in brightness at random intervals. On April 23, 2014, a gamma-ray superflare event was observed by the Swift satellite coming from the position of this system. It may have been perhaps the most luminous such events ever observed coming from a red dwarf star. A secondary radio flare was observed a day later.[8]
