Delta Serpentis

Delta Serpentis

A light curve for Delta Serpentis, plotted from TESS data
Observation data
Epoch J2000      Equinox J2000
Constellation Serpens
Right ascension 15h 34m 48.14762s
Declination +10° 32 19.9248
Apparent magnitude (V) 3.80 (4.25 + 5.2)
Characteristics
Spectral type A9IV + F0IV
B−V color index 0.268±0.008
Variable type δ Sct (A)
Astrometry
Radial velocity (Rv)−41.5±2.7 km/s
Proper motion (μ) RA: −71.48±0.91 mas/yr
Dec.: 3.64±0.64 mas/yr
Parallax (π)14.30±0.75 mas
Distance230 ± 10 ly
(70 ± 4 pc)
Absolute magnitude (MV)−0.42
Details
Aa
Mass1.98 M
Radius4.6 R
Luminosity76 L
Surface gravity (log g)3.46 cgs
Temperature6,430 K
Metallicity [Fe/H]−0.02 dex
Rotational velocity (v sin i)99 km/s
Age1.12 Gyr
Ab
Mass1.80 M
Radius2.50 R
Temperature7,270 K
Age1.12 Gyr
B
Mass1.88 M
Radius3.4 R
Luminosity18.7 L
Surface gravity (log g)3.86 cgs
Temperature6,660 K
Metallicity [Fe/H]−0.17 dex
Rotational velocity (v sin i)84 km/s
Age1.26 Gyr
Other designations
Delta Ser, 13 Serpentis, BD+11°2821, HIP 76276, ADS 9701, WDS 15348+1032
A: GC 20942, HD 138918, HR 5789
B: GC 20941, HD 138917, HR 5788
Database references
SIMBADdata

Delta Serpentis, Latinized from δ Serpentis, is a hierarchical triple star system in the constellation Serpens, in its head (Serpens Caput). The light from the two stars in the system give a combined apparent magnitude of +3.80, which is bright enough to be visible to the naked eye. Based on parallax measurements, it is located at a distance of approximately 230 light years from the Sun. The system is moving closer with a radial velocity of ~42 km/s, and may come to within 115 light-years in 1.2 million years.

The primary, component Aa, is a yellow-white F-type subgiant, two times more massive than the Sun, but with 4.6 times the Sun's radius. It is classified as a Delta Scuti type variable star and its magnitude varies by 0.04 with a period of 0.1557 days. It forms a small pair with Ab, a star of undefined spectral type, with a mass 1.8 times the Sun's mass and a radius 2.5 times larger. Both are separated by 1.3 astronomical units and complete an orbit around each other every 265 d (0.73 a). They are visible with a combined apparent magnitude of +4.25. The outer, component B, is also an F-type subgiant which is slightly dimmer, with a magnitude of +5.2. A and B are separated by four arcseconds in the sky, and perform one orbit around their centre of mass once every 3,200 years.