Lesson plan
X2 Centauri
x 2 Centauri is a blue-white star located in the constellation Centaurus. Its name is a Bayer designation; it is also known by its designations HD 108114 and HR 4724. The apparent magnitude of the star is about 5.7, meaning it is only visible to the naked eye under excellent viewing conditions. Its distance is about , based on parallax measurements. x 2 Centauri's spectral type is B9IV/V, meaning it displays blended properties of a late B-type main sequence star and a subgiant. It is an estimated 258 million years old, and is spinning with a rotation period of 7.26 days . This star has 3.1 times the mass of the Sun and 2.8 times the Sun's radius. It is radiating 141 times the luminosity of the Sun from its photosphere at an effective temperature of 111,794 K. The star x 1 Centauri, which lies at an angular separation of 0.4 from x 2 Centauri, may or may not form a physical binary star system with x 2 Centauri, as the two have similar proper motions and distances.
Article summary
x 2 Centauri is a blue-white star located in the constellation Centaurus. Its name is a Bayer designation; it is also known by its designations HD 108114 and HR 4724. The apparent magnitude of the star is about 5.7, meaning it is only visible to the naked eye under excellent viewing conditions. Its distance is about , based on parallax measurements. x 2 Centauri's spectral type is B9IV/V, meaning it displays blended properties of a late B-type main sequence star and a subgiant. It is an estimated 258 million years old, and is spinning with a rotation period of 7.26 days . This star has 3.1 times the mass of the Sun and 2.8 times the Sun's radius. It is radiating 141 times the luminosity of the Sun from its photosphere at an effective temperature of 111,794 K. The star x 1 Centauri, which lies at an angular separation of 0.4 from x 2 Centauri, may or may not form a physical binary star system with x 2 Centauri, as the two have similar proper motions and distances.
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Discussion questions
- Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
- Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
- If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?
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