EZ Canis Majoris — Star in Canis Major
Observe
1Physical Properties
Magnitude
6.91
Range
6.71 - 6.95
Period
3.8 days
Variable Type
Wolf-Rayet Variable
Spectral Type
WN5-B
Wolf-Rayet
Late-stage massive star with a dense stellar wind; radius is taken from published spectral models rather than estimated from spectral class.
Star Color
Blue
(B-V -0.28)
Radius
2.6 R☉
2Position & Identifiers
RA
06h 54m 13.0s
Dec
-23° 55' 42.0"
Constellation
Canis Major
(CMa)
HR
2583
HIP
33165
HD
50896
SAO
172546
Variable ID
EZ CMa
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3How easy to spot?
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| Equipment | Bortle 3 | Bortle 4 | Bortle 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Naked eye Naked eye | V. hard+ | V. hard | V. hard |
| 50 mm finder 50mm finder | Easy | Easy | Easy |
| 150 mm telescope 150mm scope | Easy | Easy | Easy |
Easy
Medium
Hard
Very hard
Impossible
Bortle 3 = rural · 4 = outer suburbs · 5 = suburbs
4Visibility
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Best season
Nov – Jan
(peak: Dec)
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Spectral Classification
9
Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram
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10
Stellar Lifecycle
11
Blackbody Spectrum
12
Stellar Absorption Spectrum
Simulated absorption spectrum based on spectral type. Hover over lines to identify elements.
13
Stellar Fusion
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14Stellar Notes
E? 6.71 - 6.95V, 3.763d, possibly irregular. HeII 4686 var. about 13d; profiles var. in minutes. Suspected SN remnant. | Companion is probably a neutron star.
3.763d, K 36.1k/s, V0 +46.9k/s.
In HII region; member OB group near Omicron CMa; in cluster Collinder 121 (#4). The central star of a ring nebula.
One of only four WR stars bright enough to have been observed spectroscopically in UV by COPERNICUS. Reminiscent of | spectra of nova-like variables during an outburst, which is typical of close binaries. Circumstellar matter. Helium | rich. HII ring. Shell surrounding the star is estimated to be three solar masses. The B in the spectral type denotes | broad lines here, not a B-type spectrum.
Var. by 300k/s in less than 1d. Suspected binary. Interstellar lines RV +36k/s.
Nearby in the Sky
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Visibility scores assume a 150 mm Newton at Bortle 4.
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