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WZ Cephei

Celestia 1.6.1's impression of WZ Cephei, eclipsing binary of W UMa-type.
Observation data Epoch J2000      Equinox J2000
Constellation	Cepheus
Right ascension	23 22 24.215
Declination	+72° 54′ 56.70″
Apparent magnitude (V)	+11.22
Characteristics
Spectral type	F5V+F5V
Variable type	W Ursae Majoris-type
Astrometry
Distance	880.2 ly (270 pc)
Details
Mass	1.1/0.83 M☉
Radius	1.4/0.82 R☉
Luminosity	3/1 L☉
Temperature	6400 K
Orbit
Period (P)	0.00114 yr
Semi-major axis (a)	0.013 AU
Eccentricity (e)	0.0
Inclination (i)	86.2°
Other designations
WZ Cep, 2MASS J23222421+7254566, 1RXS J232216.6+725505
Database references
SIMBAD	data

WZ Cephei is an eclipsing binary star of W Ursae Majoris-type in the constellation of Cepheus, located 880 light years away from the Sun. The stars orbit around a common orbital barycenter every 0.41744 days (slightly over 10 hours). Timing analyses have revealed the possible presence of a third low-mass stellar companion in a wide orbit.

Presence of a third body

According to Zhu & Qian (2009) a third low-mass object of stellar nature could be responsible of orbital period variations observed for WZ Cep with a periodicity of roughly 32 years. Such a companion would yield a minimum mass of 0.17 Solar masses and be located 26.6 Astronomical Units (nearly the same orbital separation of Neptune in Solar System) from the eclipsing binary. The star could likely turn out a Proxima Centauri-analog, with inferred luminosity 3.7 percent that of Sun and 20 percent of its radius, according to mass-radius relationship.

References

1. Geske; Gettel, S. J.; McKay, T. A. (2006). "A ROSAT Survey of Contact Binary Stars". The Astronomical Journal. 131 (1): 633–637. arXiv:astro-ph/0509820. Bibcode:2006AJ....131..633G. doi:10.1086/498018. S2CID 7756046.
2. Djurasevic; Zakirov, M.; Hojaev, A.; Arzumanyants, G. (1998). "Analysis of the activity of the eclipsing binary WZ Cephei". Astronomy and Astrophysics Supplement. 131 (1): 17–23. Bibcode:1998A&AS..131...17D. doi:10.1051/aas:1998248.
3. ^ Zhu & Qian (2009). "WZ Cephei: A Close Binary at the Beginning of Contact Phase". The Astronomical Journal. 138 (6): 2002–2006. Bibcode:2009AJ....138.2002Z. doi:10.1088/0004-6256/138/6/2002.
4. "MAST: Barbara A. Mikulski Archive for Space Telescopes". Space Telescope Science Institute. Retrieved 8 December 2021.

v t e Constellation of Cepheus
List of stars in Cepheus Cepheus in Chinese astronomy
Stars	Bayer α (Alderamin) β (Alfirk) γ (Errai) δ ε ζ η θ ι κ λ μ (Garnet Star) ν ξ (Kurhah) ο π ρ ρ Flamsteed 7 9 11 14 16 19 24 2 UMi Variable AR T V W RW VV VW WZ DH DO MY PV S SS ST U V354 V381 V419 HR 597 881 7955 8281 8442 8702 8748 8938 9038 HD 1 197911 204521 Other Gliese 809 WISE 0313+7807 WR 156 IRAS 23077+6707
Exoplanets γ Cephei Ab (Tadmor) TOI-1431 b
Star clusters	NGC 188 6939 7023 7129 7142 7160 7380 7419 7429 7510 Other Palomar 1
Nebulae	NGC NGC 40 NGC 7129 NGC 7139 NGC 7354 NGC 7538 NGC 7822 Other Seahorse Nebula Elephant's Trunk Nebula Ghost Nebula Gyulbudaghian's Nebula IC 1396 Iris Nebula L1157 S 155 SSTGFLS J222557+601148
Galaxies	NGC 2276 2300 6952 Other 3C 61.1 S5 0014+81 NVSS 2146+82 UGC 11861
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