rotating ellipsoidal variable

File:AlphaVirLightCurve.png for Spica, adapted from Tkachenko et al. (2016)

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Rotating ellipsoidal variables are a class of close binary variable star systems whose components are ellipsoidal. They are not eclipsing, but fluctuations in apparent magnitude occur due to changes in the amount of light emitting area visible to the observer. Typical brightness fluctuations do not exceed 0.1 magnitudes.

The brightest rotating ellipsoidal variable is Spica (α Virginis).

List of variables

class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:90%;"

|+ List of Rotating ellipsoidal variables

bgcolor="#efefef"

! width="15%"|Designation (name)

! width="10%"|Constellation

! width="15%"|Discovery

! width="8%"|Apparent magnitude (Maximum)

! width="8%"|Apparent magnitude (Minimum)

! width="8%"|Range of magnitude

! width="15%"|Spectral type

! width="15%"|Comment

| Spica (α Virginis)

| Virgo

| Ruban et al. (2006)

| 0.97

| 1.04

| 0.07

| B1 III-IV + B2 V

| Brightest member; binary

| α Trianguli (Mothallah)

| Triangulum

| Ruban et al. (2006)

| 3.52 (Hp)

| 3.53 (Hp)

| 0.01

| F5 III + M

| π⁵ Orionis

| Orion

| Ruban et al. (2006)

| 3.66

| 3.73

| 0.07

| B2 III + B6 V

| b Persei

| Perseus

| Ruban et al. (2006)

| 4.52

| 4.68

| 0.07

| A2 V

| 68 Cygni (V1809 Cyg)

| Cygnus

| 4.98

| 5.09

| 0.11

| O7.5 IIIn((f))

| Variability is disputable

| π Cassiopeiae

| Cassiopeia

| Paunzen & Maitzen (1998)

| 4.95

| 4.97

| 0.02

| A5 V + A5 V

| 31 Crateris (TY Corvi)

| Corvus

| 5.19

| 5.23

| 0.04

| B1.5 V

| Unknown companion

| 14 Cephei (LZ Cephei)

| Cepheus

| Morris (1985)

| 4.67

| 4.71

| 0.04

| O9 III + O9.5 V

| HZ Canis Majoris

| Canis Major

| 5.28

| 5.34

| 0.06

| A0 EuCrSr

| Long 6.4 year period;binary

References

{{Reflist|refs=

{{cite journal | last1 = Morris | first1 = S. L. | title = The ellipsoidal variable stars | journal = The Astrophysical Journal | date = August 1985 | volume = 295 | page = 143 | issn = 0004-637X | eissn = 1538-4357 | doi = 10.1086/163359 | s2cid = 121391876 | bibcode = 1985ApJ...295..143M | doi-access = free}}

{{citation | title=Stellar modelling of Spica, a high-mass spectroscopic binary with a β Cep variable primary component | display-authors=1 | last1=Tkachenko | first1=A. | last2=Matthews | first2=J. M. | last3=Aerts | first3=C. | last4=Pavlovski | first4=K. | last5=Pápics | first5=P. I. | last6=Zwintz | first6=K. | last7=Cameron | first7=C. | last8=Walker | first8=G. A. H. | last9=Kuschnig | first9=R. | last10=Degroote | first10=P. | last11=Debosscher | first11=J. | last12=Moravveji | first12=E. | last13=Kolbas | first13=V. | last14=Guenther | first14=D. B. | last15=Moffat | first15=A. F. J. | last16=Rowe | first16=J. F. | last17=Rucinski | first17=S. M. | last18=Sasselov | first18=D. | last19=Weiss | first19=W. W. | journal=Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society | volume=458 | issue=2 | pages=1964–1976 | date=May 2016 | doi=10.1093/mnras/stw255 | doi-access=free | bibcode=2016MNRAS.458.1964T | arxiv=1601.08069| s2cid=26945389 }}

{{cite journal|bibcode=2009yCat....102025S|title=VizieR Online Data Catalog: General Catalogue of Variable Stars (Samus+ 2007-2013)|journal=VizieR On-line Data Catalog: B/GCVS. Originally Published in: 2009yCat....102025S|volume=1|pages=B/gcvs|display-authors=etal|last1=Samus|first1=N. N.|last2=Durlevich|first2=O. V.|year=2009}}

{{cite journal | last1 = Paunzen | first1 = E. | last2 = Maitzen | first2 = H. M. | title = New variable chemically peculiar stars identifiedin the Hipparcosarchive | journal = Astronomy and Astrophysics Supplement Series | date = November 1998 | volume = 133 | issue = 1 | pages = 1–6 | issn = 0365-0138 | eissn = 1286-4846 | doi = 10.1051/aas:1998305 | s2cid = 59046281 | bibcode = 1998A&AS..133....1P | doi-access = free}}

}}

External links

[https://ogle.astrouw.edu.pl/atlas/ellipsoidal_variables.html OGLE Atlas of Variable Star Light Curves - Ellipsoidal variables]