Zeta Leporis

Starbox begin
name = Zeta LeporisStarbox observe
epoch = J2000.0
constell = Lepus
ra = RA|05|46|57.3
dec = DEC|-14|49|19
appmag_v = 3.55Starbox character
class = A2-3Vann
b-v = 0.10
u-b = 0.08
variable = "None"Starbox astrometry
radial_v = 18.6
prop_mo_ra = -14.84
prop_mo_dec = -1.18
parallax = 46.47
p_error = 0.68
dist_ly = 70.2
dist_pc = 21.5
absmag_v = 1.89Starbox detail
mass = 2
radius = 1.7
luminosity = 15
temperature = 9,000
rotation = ~202 km/s.
age = ~50-500×10⁶Starbox catalog
names = 14 Leporis, BD-14°1232, FK5 219, GCTP 1326, Gl 217.1, HD 38678, HIP 27288, HR 1998, SAO 150801, Wolf 9190Starbox reference
Simbad = HD+38678
ARICNS = 4c00464

Zeta Leporis (ζ Lep / ζ Leporis) white main sequence star approximately 70 light-years away in the constellation of Lepus. The star is suspected of being a spectroscopic binary star system, but this is yet to be confirmed. As of 2001, an asteroid belt was confirmed to orbit around the star.

Stellar components

Zeta Leporis is a white main sequence star (not to be confused with a white dwarf) of the spectral type of "A2-3Vann". The star is though to have about two times the mass of the Sun, along with 1.7 times the radius, and 15 times the luminosity. The star appears to be a very young star, probably around 100 million years old, but could be anywhere between 50 and 500 million years old. The star was suggested to be a spectroscopic binary star. But because this secondary star was not confirmed, there is no data on the star.

Asteroid belt

In 1983, based on radiation in the infrared portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, the Astronomical Satellite was used to identify dust orbiting this star. The region containing the dust was constricted to a radius of 12.2 Astronomical units, or just over twelve times the distance from the Earth to the Sun.

By 2001, the "Long Wavelength Spectrometer" at the Keck Observatory on Mauna Kea, Hawaii, was used more accurately constrain the radius of the dust. It was found to lie within a 5.4 AU radius. The temperature of the dust was estimated as about 340 K. Based on heating from thestar, this could place the grains as close as 2.5 AU from Zeta Leporis.

It is now believed that the dust is coming from a massive asteroid belt in orbit around Zeta Leporis, making it the first extra-solar asteroid belt to be discovered. The estimated mass of the belt is about 200 times the total in our own asteroid belt, or 4 × 10²³ kg. (For comparison, that is more than half the total mass of our Moon.) The belt's age is estimated to be 3 × 10⁸ years.

PlanetboxOrbit disk
disk = Asteroid belt
periapsis = 2.5
apoapsis = 6.1

See also

* Delta Trianguli
* HD 69830
* Vega

References

* Cote, J., 1987, "B and A type stars with unexpectedly large colour excesses at IRAS wavelengths", "Astronomy and Astrophysics", vol. 181, no. 1.
* Aumann, H. H.; Probst, R. G, 1991, "Search for Vega-like nearby stars with 12 micron excess", "Astrophysical Journal", vol. 368, Feb. 10.
* Chen, C. H.; Jura, M., 2001, "A Possible Massive Asteroid Belt around zeta Leporis", "Astrophysical Journal", Volume 560, Issue 2.
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External links

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* [http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2001/06/010605074903.htm UCLA astronomers identify evidence of asteroid belt around nearby star: Findings indicate potential for planet or asteroid formation] , 2001.
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** cite web |url=http://www.extrasolar.net/planettour.asp?StarCatId=normal&PlanetId=173 |title=Zeta Leporis Asteroid Belt |accessdate=2008-06-26 |work=Extrasolar Visions
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