Gamma Cephei

Short description: Binary star in the constellation Cepheus

Gamma Cephei

Location of γ Cephei (circled in red)

Observation data
Equinox J2000.0]] (ICRS)
Constellation | Cepheus
Right ascension |  23h 39m 20.910s[1]
Declination | +77° 37′ 56.51″[1]
Apparent magnitude (V) | 3.21[2]
Characteristics
Gamma Cephei A
Evolutionary stage | Red-giant branch[3]
Spectral type | K1III-IV CN1[4]
U−B color index | +0.94[2]
B−V color index | +1.03[2]
Variable type | Suspected[5]
Gamma Cephei B
Spectral type | M4V[6]
Astrometry
Radial velocity (Rv)| −42.82±0.30[7] km/s
Proper motion (μ)|  RA: –64.860[1] mas/yr
Dec.: 171.159[1] mas/yr
Parallax (π)| 72.5167 ± 0.1470[1] mas
Distance| 44.98 ± 0.09 ly
(13.79 ± 0.03 pc)
Absolute magnitude (MV)| 2.62[8]
Orbit[9]
Primary| A
Companion| B
Period (P)| 66.84±1.32 yr
Semi-major axis (a)| 1.419±0.012"
(19.56±0.18 AU)
Eccentricity (e)| 0.4144±0.0066
Inclination (i)| 120.18±0.27°
Longitude of the node (Ω)| 18.32±0.78°
Periastron epoch (T)| 1991.581±0.048
Argument of periastron (ω)
(secondary)| 340.49±0.50°
Semi-amplitude (K1)
(primary)| 1.898±0.014 km/s
Details[3]
Gamma Cephei A
Mass| 1.27+0.05
−0.07 M☉
Radius| 4.74+0.03
−0.08 R☉
Luminosity| 11.6±0.6[10] L☉
Surface gravity (log g)| 3.18 cgs
Temperature| 4,806±60 K
Metallicity [Fe/H]| 0.20±0.07 dex
Rotational velocity (v sin i)| 1.63[7] km/s
Age| 5.7+0.8
−0.9 Gyr
Gamma Cephei B
Mass| 0.328+0.009
−0.012 M☉
Other designations

Errai, γ Cep, 35 Cep, BD+76°928, FK5 893, GJ 903, HD 222404, HIP 116727, HR 8974, SAO 10818, PLX 5725.00[11]

Database references
SIMBAD| data
Exoplanet Archive| Cephei data
Extrasolar Planets
Encyclopaedia| data

Gamma Cephei is a binary star system in the northern constellation of Cepheus. Its name is a Bayer designation that is Latinized from γ Cephei, and abbreviated Gamma Cep or γ Cep. This system is visible to the naked eye as a point of light with a combined apparent visual magnitude of 3.21.[2] Based on parallax measurements, it is located at a distance of approximately 45 light-years from Earth.

The primary, Gamma Cephei A, is officially named Errai, pronounced /ɛˈreɪ.iː/, the traditional name of the system.[12][13] It is a stellar class K1 orange giant or subgiant star. The companion, Gamma Cephei B, is a low mass red dwarf star. A conformed exoplanet is orbiting the primary; it is designated Gamma Cephei Ab, later named Tadmor.

Gamma Cephei will succeed Polaris as the Earth's northern pole star, due to axial precession. It will be closer to the northern celestial pole than Polaris around 3157 CE and will make its closest approach around 4094 CE. The 'title' will pass to Iota Cephei some time around 5200 CE.

## Contents

* 1 Description
* 2 Nomenclature
* 3 Planetary system
* 4 References
* 5 External links

## Description

Gamma Cephei has an apparent magnitude of 3.21, nearly all of which is accounted for by the primary component, Gamma Cephei A. It is a binary star system with an orbital period of 66.8 years and an eccentricity (ovalness) of 0.14.[9] The pair are orbiting at a separation of 19.6 astronomical unit|AU.[9]

The primary is about 5.7 billion years old and has evolved off the main sequence, having fused all of the hydrogen in its core. It has 1.3 times the mass of the Sun and has expanded to 4.7 times the Sun's radius.[3] The star is radiating nearly 12[10] times the luminosity of the Sun from its photosphere at an effective temperature of 4,806 K.[3] The secondary component, Gamma Cephei B, has a mass approximately 0.40 times that of the Sun.[6] It is probably a red dwarf of class M4, 6.2 magnitudes fainter than the primary.[6] It is assumed to be of similar age to its primary.

The spectrum of this star has served as one of the stable anchor points by which other stars are classified. It was listed as a standard star for the spectral class K1 IV in 1943, 1953 and 1973.[14] However, in 1989, it was given as a spectral standard for K1 III-IV. Its spectrum is notable for the strength of the cyano radical (CN) bands.[4] Analysis of the spectrum in 2018 gave a best match for a spectral type of K1 III.[10]

γ Cephei is catalogued as a suspected variable star with a brightness range between magnitudes 3.18 and 3.24,[5] based on its inclusion in an 1884 list of suspected variable stars.[15]

## Nomenclature

γ Cephei (Latinised to Gamma Cephei) is the system's Bayer designation. Under the rules for naming objects in multiple star systems the two components are designated A and B.[16] Following its discovery the planet was designated Gamma Cephei Ab.

The system bore a traditional name variously spelled as Errai, Er Rai or Alrai, deriving from the Arabic الراعي (ar-rā‘ī), meaning 'the shepherd'. (The star Beta Ophiuchi is sometimes also called Alrai, but it is more commonly known as Cebalrai or Kelb Alrai, meaning 'shepherd's dog'.) In 2016, the International Astronomical Union organized a Working Group on Star Names (WGSN)[17] to catalog and standardize proper names for stars. The WGSN's first bulletin of July 2016[18] included a table of the first two batches of names approved by the WGSN; which included Errai for Gamma Cephei A.

In July 2014 the International Astronomical Union launched NameExoWorlds, a process for giving proper names to certain exoplanets.[19] The process involved public nomination and voting for the new names.[20] In December 2015, the IAU announced the winning name was Tadmor for this planet.[21] It was submitted by the Syrian Astronomical Association and is the ancient Semitic name and modern Arabic name for the city of Palmyra, a World Heritage Site.[22]

In Chinese, the star is named 少衛增八 (Shàowèi Zēng Bā, literally, the 8th added star of the Xingguan Shaowei, Shaowei: the Minor Guard[23]) belonging to the Left Wall of the Purple Forbidden enclosure (紫微左垣, Zǐwēi Zuǒyuán), which refers to an asterism consisting of Gamma Cephei, Iota Draconis, Theta Draconis, Eta Draconis, Zeta Draconis, Upsilon Draconis, 73 Draconis and 23 Cassiopeiae.[24]

## Planetary system

A planet orbiting Gamma Cephei A with a 2.7-year period was discovered in 1988.[25] Its existence was also announced in 1989.[26] This was the first-discovered extrasolar planet and its ostensible discovery was based on the same radial velocity technique later used successfully by others. However, the claim was challenged in 1992 by a paper[27] which favoured K-giant variability with a period equal to the stellar rotation, but in 2002, the existence of a planet with an orbital period of about 2.5 years was confirmed.[28]

The secondary star B orbits A at only 9.8 times the semimajor axis of A's planet.[29] The orbit of the planet is roughly perpendicular to the orbit of the binary. Dynamical modelling suggests that the Kozai–Lidov mechanism is at play here.[30]

The Gamma Cephei A planetary system[31] Companion
(in order from star) | Mass | Semimajor axis
(AU) | Orbital period
(days) | Eccentricity | Inclination | Radius

|
|
|
|
|
|

b (Tadmor) | 6.6+2.3
−2.8[3] MJ | 2.05±0.06 | 903.3±1.5 | 0.049±0.034 | —  | —

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Vallenari, A. et al. (2022). "Gaia Data Release 3. Summary of the content and survey properties". Astronomy & Astrophysics. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202243940 Gaia DR3 record for this source at VizieR.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Hoffleit, D.; Warren, W. H. (1995). "VizieR Online Data Catalog: Bright Star Catalogue, 5th Revised Ed. (Hoffleit+, 1991)". VizieR On-line Data Catalog: V/50. Originally Published in: 1964BS....C......0H 5050: V/50. Bibcode: 1995yCat.5050....0H.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Knudstrup, E. et al. (July 2023). "Solar-like oscillations in γ Cephei A as seen through SONG and TESS - A seismic study of γ Cephei A" (in en). Astronomy & Astrophysics 675: A197. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202346707. ISSN 0004-6361. Bibcode: 2023A&A...675A.197K.
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Keenan, Philip C.; McNeil, Raymond C. (1989). "The Perkins catalog of revised MK types for the cooler stars". The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series 71: 245. doi:10.1086/191373. Bibcode: 1989ApJS...71..245K.
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Samus, N. N. et al. (2009). "VizieR Online Data Catalog: General Catalogue of Variable Stars (Samus+ 2007-2013)". VizieR On-line Data Catalog: B/GCVS. Originally Published in: 2009yCat....102025S 1: B/GCVS. Bibcode: 2009yCat....102025S.
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Neuhäuser, R. et al. (2007). "Direct detection of exoplanet host star companion γ Cep B and revised masses for both stars and the sub-stellar object". Astronomy and Astrophysics 462 (2): 777–780. doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20066581. Bibcode: 2007A&A...462..777N.
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Jofré, E. et al. (2015). "Stellar parameters and chemical abundances of 223 evolved stars with and without planets". Astronomy & Astrophysics 574: A50. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201424474. Bibcode: 2015A&A...574A..50J.
8. ↑ Park, Sunkyung et al. (2013), "Wilson-Bappu Effect: Extended to Surface Gravity", The Astronomical Journal 146 (4): 73, doi:10.1088/0004-6256/146/4/73, Bibcode: 2013AJ....146...73P.
9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Mugrauer, Markus et al. (2022). "Follow-up observations of the binary system γ Cep". Astronomische Nachrichten 343 (5). doi:10.1002/asna.20224014. Bibcode: 2022AN....34324014M.
10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Baines, Ellyn K. et al. (2018). "Fundamental Parameters of 87 Stars from the Navy Precision Optical Interferometer". The Astronomical Journal 155 (1): 30. doi:10.3847/1538-3881/aa9d8b. Bibcode: 2018AJ....155...30B.
11. ↑ "gam Cep". SIMBAD. Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg. http://simbad.u-strasbg.fr/simbad/sim-basic?Ident=gam+Cep.
12. ↑ Rumrill, H. B. (June 1936). "Star Name Pronunciation". Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific (San Francisco, California) 48 (283): 139. doi:10.1086/124681. Bibcode: 1936PASP...48..139R.
13. ↑ "IAU Catalog of Star Names". International Astronomical Union. http://www.pas.rochester.edu/~emamajek/WGSN/IAU-CSN.txt.
14. ↑ Garrison, R. F. (December 1993), "Anchor Points for the MK System of Spectral Classification", Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society 25: 1319, Bibcode: 1993AAS...183.1710G, http://www.astro.utoronto.ca/~garrison/mkstds.html, retrieved 2012-02-04
15. ↑ Gore, J. E (1884). "A Catalogue of Suspected Variable Stars. With Notes and Observations". Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. Science 4: 267–410. Bibcode: 1885PRIA....4..411G.
16. ↑ Hartkopf, William I.; Mason, Brian D.. "Addressing confusion in double star nomenclature: The Washington Multiplicity Catalog". U.S. Naval Observatory. http://ad.usno.navy.mil/wds/wmc/wmc_post191.html.
17. ↑ "IAU Working Group on Star Names (WGSN)". International Astronomical Union. https://www.iau.org/science/scientific_bodies/working_groups/280/.
18. ↑ "Bulletin of the IAU Working Group on Star Names, No. 1". International Astronomical Union. http://www.pas.rochester.edu/~emamajek/WGSN/WGSN_bulletin1.pdf.
19. ↑ "NameExoWorlds: An IAU Worldwide Contest to Name Exoplanets and their Host Stars". International Astronomical Union. http://www.iau.org/news/pressreleases/detail/iau1404/.
20. ↑ "NameExoWorlds – The Process". International Astronomical Union. http://nameexoworlds.iau.org/process.
21. ↑ "Final Results of NameExoWorlds Public Vote Released". International Astronomical Union. http://www.iau.org/news/pressreleases/detail/iau1514/.
22. ↑ "NameExoWorlds – The Approved Names". International Astronomical Union. http://nameexoworlds.iau.org/names.
23. ↑ Allen, Richard Hinckley. "Cepheus". Star Names — Their Lore and Meaning. https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Gazetteer/Topics/astronomy/_Texts/secondary/ALLSTA/Cepheus*.html.
24. ↑ Script error: The function "in_lang" does not exist. 中國星座神話, written by 陳久金. Published by 台灣書房出版有限公司, 2005, ISBN 978-986-7332-25-7
25. ↑ Campbell, Bruce et al. (1988). "A search for substellar companions to solar-type stars". The Astrophysical Journal 331: 902–921. doi:10.1086/166608. Bibcode: 1988ApJ...331..902C.
26. ↑ Lawton, A. T.; Wright, P. (1989). "A planetary system for Gamma Cephei?". British Interplanetary Society 42: 335–336. Bibcode: 1989JBIS...42..335L.
27. ↑ Walker, Gordon A. H. et al. (1992). "Gamma Cephei: Rotation or Planetary Companion?". Astrophysical Journal Letters 396: L91–L94. doi:10.1086/186524. Bibcode: 1992ApJ...396L..91W.
28. ↑ Hatzes, Artie P. et al. (2003). "A Planetary Companion to Gamma Cephei A". The Astrophysical Journal 599 (2): 1383–1394. doi:10.1086/379281. Bibcode: 2003ApJ...599.1383H.
29. ↑ Torres, Guillermo (2007). "The Planet Host Star γ Cephei: Physical Properties, the Binary Orbit, and the Mass of the Substellar Companion". The Astrophysical Journal 654 (2): 1095–1109. doi:10.1086/509715. Bibcode: 2007ApJ...654.1095T.
30. ↑ Huang, Xiumin; Ji, Jianghui (2022). "Extremely Inclined Orbit of the S-type Planet γ Cep Ab Induced by the Eccentric Kozai–Lidov Mechanism". The Astronomical Journal 164 (5): 177. doi:10.3847/1538-3881/ac8f4c. Bibcode: 2022AJ....164..177H.
31. ↑ Endl, Michael; Cochran, William D.; Hatzes, Artie P.; Wittenmyer, Robert A. (2011). "News from the γ Cephei Planetary System". PLANETARY SYSTEMS BEYOND THE MAIN SEQUENCE: Proceedings of the International Conference.. 1331. pp. 88–94. doi:10.1063/1.3556187. Bibcode: 2011AIPC.1331...88E.

## External links

* http://jumk.de/astronomie/exoplanets/errai.shtml
* McDonald Observatory: Planet Search finds first planet orbiting close-in binary star
* A Planetary Companion to the Binary Star Gamma Cephei
* SolStation: Errai 2

Preceded by
Polaris |  Pole Star
3000–5200  | Succeeded by
Iota Cephei

|
|

* v
* t
* e

Cepheus constellation

Stars (list)|

| Bayer|

* α (Alderamin)
* β (Alfirk)
* γ (Errai)
* δ
* ε
* ζ
* η
* θ
* ι
* κ
* λ
* μ (Garnet Star)
* ν
* ξ (Kurhah)
* ο
* π
* ρ1
* ρ2

|

Flamsteed|

* 4
* 6
* 7
* 9
* 11
* 12
* 13
* 14
* 15
* 16
* 18
* 19
* 20
* 24
* 25
* 26
* 30
* 31
* 77 Dra
* 78 Dra
* 79 Dra
* 80 Dra
* 2 UMi

Variable|

* S
* T
* U
* V
* W
* RW
* RZ
* SV
* VV
* VW
* WX
* WZ
* XX
* XZ
* ZZ
* AH
* AK
* BH
* BO
* CP
* CQ
* CR
* CW
* CX
* DH
* DI
* DO
* DQ
* EE
* EG
* EI
* EK
* EM
* GP
* GW
* IL
* IR
* IV
* NY
* OV
* PQ
* PV
* V350
* V354
* V368
* V374
* V379
* V380
* V381
* V388
* V398
* V408
* V414
* V419
* V421
* V422
* V426
* V431
* V438
* V444
* V458

HR|

* 20
* 55
* 158
* 240
* 306
* 312
* 333
* 357
* 386
* 572
* 597
* 774
* 881
* 906
* 961
* 965
* 1107
* 1304
* 1317
* 1523
* 1616
* 1885
* 7742
* 7925
* 7938
* 7955
* 7967
* 7993
* 8029
* 8043
* 8049
* 8065
* 8099
* 8119
* 8133
* 8150
* 8168
* 8174
* 8179
* 8226
* 8239
* 8243
* 8281
* 8312
* 8327
* 8342
* 8347
* 8357
* 8374
* 8375
* 8384
* 8388
* 8395
* 8442
* 8472
* 8474
* 8476
* 8479
* 8483
* 8490
* 8493
* 8506
* 8535
* 8537
* 8546
* 8557
* 8568
* 8595
* 8598
* 8599
* 8625
* 8677
* 8683
* 8687
* 8696
* 8702
* 8707
* 8736
* 8745
* 8748
* 8779
* 8808
* 8811
* 8844
* 8867
* 8918
* 8938
* 8952
* 8971
* 8972
* 9005
* 9013
* 9038
* 9104

HD|

* 12918
* 12927
* 25904
* 200775
* 204521
* 204827
* 207538
* 207826
* 208132
* 208392
* 212136
* 215588
* 217903
* 224890

Gliese|

* Gliese 48
* Gliese 809
* GJ 1277

Other|

* Cepheus A HW 2
* Cepheus X-4
* IRAS 21391+5802
* Kruger 60
* NGC 7538 IRS 1
* NGC 7538 IRS 9
* OH 104.9+2.4
* PSR B2224+65
* PSR J2229+6114
* S140 IRS 1
* TYC 3980-1081-1
* 4U 2206+54
* WISE 0313+7807
* WR 152
* WR 156

Star clusters|

| Association|

* Cepheus OB2
* Cepheus OB3
* Cepheus OB4

|

Open|

* NGC 188
* NGC 6939
* NGC 7023
* NGC 7129
* NGC 7142
* NGC 7160
* NGC 7226
* NGC 7234
* NGC 7261
* NGC 7281
* NGC 7380
* NGC 7419
* NGC 7423
* NGC 7429
* NGC 7510
* NGC 7762
* S 140
* Trumpler 37

Globular|

* Palomar 1

Molecular clouds|

* Cepheus A
* Cepheus B
* Cepheus C

Nebulae|

| Dark|

* Barnard 150
* CB 244
* Elephant's Trunk Nebula
* IC 1396N
* L1157
* L1228

|

H II|

* IC 1396
* NGC 7538
* NGC 7822
* S 128
* S 140
* S 155
* S 156

Reflection|

* Ghost Nebula
* Iris Nebula
* NGC 7129
* VdB 157

Planetary|

* NGC 40
* NGC 7076
* NGC 7139
* NGC 7354

SNR|

* CTA 1
* SSTGFLS J222557+601148

Galaxies|

| NGC|

* 1184
* 1544
* 2276
* 2300
* 6949
* 6952

|

Other|

* 3C 61.1
* 3C 427.1
* 4C +74.26
* QSO B2021+614
* S5 0014+81

Other|

* GRB 980519
* SN 2008S

Coordinates:  23h 39m 20.8s, +77° 37′ 56″

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