S Canis Minoris

rdf:langString S Canis Minoris

rdf:langString

rdf:langString M7-8e

rdf:langString −13.078

rdf:langString −11.471

rdf:langString S Canis Minoris is a variable star in the equatorial constellation Canis Minor. It has a peak apparent visual magnitude of 7.63±0.37, which lies below the minimum brightness that is normally visible to the naked eye. The star is located at a distance of approximately 1,600 light-years from the Sun based on stellar parallax, and is drifting further away with a radial velocity of about +68 km/s. This is an aging red giant star with a stellar classification of M7-8e, where the 'e' suffix indicates emission lines in the spectrum. It is a Mira-type long period variable that varies by an amplitude of 4.27 in visual magnitude over a period of 327.77±2.78 d. Evidence has been found of asymmetry in this star, suggesting a non-spherical shape. Abundance-wise, it is an oxygen-rich giant and the emission feature is of the oxygen-rich silicate class as it sheds silicate dust from its atmosphere. The star is shedding mass at the rate of 4.9×10−8 M☉·yr−1.