Even though it is only about a tenth the age of the Sun, having twice its mass means that it will also live only a tenth of the Sun’s lifetime. It is also part of an asterism called the Summer Triangle, which is made up of Vega, Deneb (in Cygnus, the Swan), and Altair (in Aquila the Eagle). He gave a value of 0.125 arcseconds, but later revised it, almost doubling the original estimate, after German astronomer and physicist Friedrich Bessel had expressed doubts regarding the data. 4.59). Due to the higher period, Vega burn fuel at a rate much faster than our sun. The disk extends for hundreds of astronomical units. In northwest Victoria in Australia, the Boorong people called Vega Neilloan, or “the flying loan,” referring to the ground-dwelling Australian malleefowl. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. The best known ones include Foundation (1951) by Isaac Asimov, Alfred Bester’s The Stars My Destination (1956), Robert A. Heinlein’s Have Space Suit – Will Travel (1958), Roger Zelazny’s This Immortal (1966), Carl Sagan’s Contact (1985), Dan Simmons’ Hyperion (1989) and The Fall of Hyperion (1990), and Greg Egan’s Diaspora (1997). Vega is located at only 25 light-years / 7.68 parsecs away from the Earth. 4.22), Kappa Lyrae (mag. It will make its closest approach in about 264,000 years, when it comes within 13.2 light years (4.04 parsecs). The gap between the inner and outer debris belts in both systems works out to a ratio of about 1-to-10, with the outer belt 10 times farther away from its host star than the inner belt. These fine dust particles originate from collisions of embryonic planets near the star at a radius of approximately 90 astronomical units, and are then blown away by Vega’s intense radiation. These cookies do not store any personal information. Vega is relatively easy to find because it lies at the northwest vertex of the Summer Triangle, a bright, large asterism that dominates the evening sky during the northern hemisphere summer. Vega, also called Alpha Lyrae, brightest star in the northern constellation Lyra and fifth brightest in the night sky, with a visual magnitude of 0.03. Its equatorial bulge cannot be observed directly because we only get a pole-on view. The constellation is a popular telescope target because, despite its size, it contains several interesting stars and deep sky objects. Vega is also the second brightest star in the northern celestial hemisphere, slightly fainter only than Arcturus and just outshining Capella. Even if they exist, the star’s short life span makes it unlikely that any complex form of life could develop there. It will lie at a distance of 17.2 light years and shine at magnitude -0.81. Like most exceptionally bright stars, Vega has been used or referenced in countless works of fiction. Astrologers believed that it gave artistic talent, aspirations for status and influence, high success, refinement, and a tendency for debauchery. The legend is more than 2,600 years old. Vega was the first star other than the Sun to be photographed and the first one to have its spectrum recorded. These data are mostly from Blanton et al. (One astronomical unit is the distance from Earth to the Sun, which is 150-million kilometers or 93-million miles). Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Vega is a familiar star to most of us and the brightest one in the constellation Lyra, the Harp. Here are some quick Vega star facts. Credit: A. Fujii. Even though there is no evidence of a massive planet, there still may be smaller planets orbiting Vega at a closer distance, where they are more difficult to detect. The Star of Vega is relatively close to us, at only 25 light years and subsequently it is the 5th brightest star visible from Earth. In the capital city, you can find everything between banquet, farmhouses, motels, hotels, resorts and five star banquets. Vega is a main star in the constellation Lyra and makes up the constellation outline. Vega is also known as Alpha Lyrae (α Lyrae, Alpha Lyr, α Lyr), as it is the principle star in the constellation Lyra, the lyre. In 1983, the Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS) detected an excess of infrared radiation coming from Vega. Most of the particles in the disk are only a few microns in size, or 100 times smaller than a grain of Earth sand. The 10 brightest stars in Lyra are Vega (Alpha Lyrae, mag. Measurements in 1981 indicated low-amplitude pulsations characteristic of a Delta Scuti-type star. The star has more than twice the Sun’s mass and radius. Mass is … Vega is the fifth-brightest star in the night sky and the second-brightest star in the northern celestial hemisphere (after Arcturus). Vega has the spectral classification A0V, indicating a white star on the main sequence, still fusing hydrogen to helium in its core. The comparison illustrates that both systems have inner and outer belts with similar proportions. At one time, about 12,000 years ago, it was our pole star, and our north pole will appear to point at it again in about the year 14,000. Astronomers have hypothesized that this indicates the presence of a planet. It once marked the beginning of the new year, before the function was assigned to the Pleiades cluster. The distance from the Sun, about 25 light years. 4.35), Zeta1 Lyrae (mag. (2007). Vega is also known as Alpha Lyrae (α Lyrae, Alpha Lyr, α Lyr), as it is the principle star in the constellation Lyra, the lyre. 4.347), Aladfar (Eta Lyrae, mag. The star Vega is exceptionally eye-catching — it's the fifth brightest star in the night sky. ST Magnitudes. Quick Vega Star Facts. The Chinese name for Vega is the First Star of Weaving Girl (織女一), referring to the asterism known as the Weaving Girl, formed by Vega with Epsilon Lyrae and Zeta1 Lyrae. The true source of the meteor shower is the long-period Comet C/1861 G1 Thatcher, and the particles of dust left behind by the comet that burn up in the Earth’s atmosphere are only about 100 km away. Vega: The Brightest Of Stars Of all the stars in the Lyra constellation, Vega burns the strongest and brightest. UniverSavvy provides some interesting information about the Vega Star. The historic photograph was made using the daguerreotype process at Harvard Observatory overnight on July 16-17, 1850. Vega is a Main Sequence Star type star. The images are 3 arcminutes on each side. Vega’s spectral type is A (white) and its luminosity class V (main sequence). By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Its estimated age is … The Tanabata festival celebrates the meeting of Orihime (Vega) and Hikoboshi (Altair), while the Korean event is associated with the folktale of Jiknyeo (the weaver girl) and Gyeonwu (the herder). by admin; 2019-09-07 2019-09-07; Search for: Stars. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Everyone wants the most effective wedding arrangement for child’s wedding and Delhi does not have any dearth to wedding venue options. The Summer Triangle with Vega (top left), Altair (lower middle) and Deneb (far left), image: NASA, ESA. The star’s spectrum was first imaged by Henry Draper in August 1872. In the western world, the name appeared in the Alfonsine Tables, compiled in Spain in the mid-13th century. The mass and short lifetime of these small particles indicate that the disk detected by Spitzer is the aftermath of a large and relatively recent collision, involving bodies perhaps as big as the planet Pluto. Here are some more interesting facts about the star Vega. The star has more than twice the Sun’s mass and radius. Vega, Alpha Lyrae, is the brightest star in Lyra constellation and the fifth brightest star in the sky. 4.00), Delta2 Lyrae (mag. Vega or Alpha Lyrae (Alp Lyr) is the brightest naked eye star in the constellation Lyra.With an apparent magnitude of 0.03v, Vega is the 5th brightest star in the entire sky (see: 50 Brightest Stars ).Its absolute magnitude is 0.58 and its distance is 25.3 light years.The Equinox J2000 equatorial coordinates are RA = 18h 36m 56.3s, Dec = +38° 47' 01". Lyra is a relatively small constellation, sandwiched between the larger Cygnus and Hercules, and Vega stands out in this part of the sky as the brightest of the stars that form the constellation’s distinctive lyre-shaped asterism. It was one of the first stars to have its distance measured using parallax and the first star outside our solar system to be photographed. Toggle Navigation. The name Vega (once also spelled Wega) derives from the Arabic wāqi‘, which means “falling” or “landing.” It was taken from the phrase an-nasr al-wāqi‘, “the falling eagle.” The name was officially approved for Alpha Lyrae by the International Astronomical Union’s (IAU) Working Group on Star Names (WGSN) on June 30, 2016. 3.52), R Lyrae (mag. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. Vega is only fainter than Sirius in Canis Major, Canopus in Carina, Alpha Centauri in Centaurus, and Arcturus in Boötes constellation. Star Facts. It is the third brightest star in the Northern night sky, after Sirius and Arcturus, and can often be seen near the zenith in the mid-northern latitudes during the Northern Hemisphere summer. The festival is traditionally held on the seventh day of the seventh month on the Chinese lunar calendar to celebrate the annual meeting of Niulang (the cowherd, represented by Altair) and Zhinü (the weaver girl, represented by Vega). Vega is a lovely star to come to know. Vega is a blue-white (A0V) main sequence star, only halfway through its one billion year lifetime, and still in the process of fusing hydrogen into helium. Vega is a suspected Delta Scuti variable star, one whose variations in luminosity result from both radial and non-radial pulsations of its surface. It was and will be the Earth’s brightest North Star. To the ancient Greeks, the star symbolized the handle of Orpheus’ harp, while the Romans based the start of the autumn season on the hour of Vega’s falling below the horizon. When I was first learning the night sky, more than 40 years ago, I spent hours, days, weeks, months poring over charts and books. Vega was the first star known to have one. 3.261), Sheliak (Beta Lyrae A, mag. Vega is a large star that is relatively close by. Vega is the fifth-brightest star in the night sky and the second-brightest star in the northern celestial hemisphere (after Arcturus). Vega has an unusually low metallicity and observations suggest that it is a weak Lambda Boötis star, a chemically peculiar star with a very low abundance of iron peak elements in its surface layers. At the time, Vega was the only main sequence star beyond the Sun known to be an X-ray source. Stars: A guide to the night sky. The temperature at the poles is about 17,900° F, while the equatorial surface temperature is only 13,800° F. This phenomenon is known as gravity darkening. For comparison, the Sun takes just over 25 days even though it is considerably smaller. Notable stars in the constellation include the variable stars Beta Lyrae, R Lyrae and RR Lyrae, the visual double Delta Lyrae, and the multiple star system Epsilon Lyrae, also known as the Double Double. Astronomers have discovered what appears to be a large asteroid belt around the bright star Vega, as illustrated here at left in brown. Its said that meeting comes on the 7th night of the 7th moon, when a bridge of magpies forms across the Celestial River, and the two lovers are reunite… In medieval astrology, Vega was considered one of the Behenian fixed stars, 15 stars believed to be a source of astrological power for one or more planets and considered useful for magical applications. Vega’s proper motion is slowly taking the star toward Earth. The German-Russian astronomer Friedrich Georg Wilhelm von Struve was the first to measure Vega’s parallax. With a surface temperature of 9,600 K, it shines with 40 solar luminosities. Astronomy Science ~ Vega is the brightest star in the constellation Lyra, the fifth brightest star in the night sky, the second brightest s... Black Hole,13,Galaxy,44,Image,6,Info,149,Mission and Research,57,Nebula,21,Planets and Satellites,55,Star,39,Theory,33, AstroNation: 10 Interesting Facts about Vega, http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rzOyBR_Fxto/Vcn3snO4iHI/AAAAAAAAAsw/L7u9GWe611k/s1600/Astronomy%2BScience%2B-%2BVega.jpg, http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rzOyBR_Fxto/Vcn3snO4iHI/AAAAAAAAAsw/L7u9GWe611k/s72-c/Astronomy%2BScience%2B-%2BVega.jpg, https://www.astronation.science/2015/08/10-interesting-facts-about-vega.html, Not found any post match with your request, Can not copy the codes / texts, please press [CTRL]+[C] (or CMD+C with Mac) to copy. From Earth, Vega is seen from the direction of one of its poles. In China, the legend speaks of a forbidden romance between the goddess Zhinu represented by Vega and a humble farm boy, Niulang represented by the star Altair. In Chinese lore, Vega and Altair are associated with the myth of Qixi (Qi means “seven” and Xi means “night”) and the Qixi Festival (Seventh Evening Festival). High-resolution images of the dust were produced by the Spitzer Space Telescope in 2005. Medieval astrolabes (inclinometers used to measure stars’ altitude above the horizon) in Europe depicted the star as a bird and called it Wega or Alvaca. Vega’s proximity and brightness have made the star a frequent object of study. It’s a Young Star, Compared to Our Sun. In northern Polynesia, Vega was known as whetu o te tau, which means “the year star”. This side-by-side comparison, taken by Spitzer’s multiband imaging photometer, shows the warm infrared glows from dust particles orbiting the star at wavelengths of 24 microns (on the left in blue) and 70 microns (on the right in red).Both images show a very large, circular and smooth debris disk. Its official name is alpha (α) Lyrae. Based on the spectral type (A0Vvar) of … As a result, some refer to Vega as the Harp Star – given it a lot of romantic connotations. Vega is one of the 58 bright stars that have been given a special status in the field of celestial navigation. Lyra represents the lyre of the mythical Greek musician and poet Orpheus. About the Vega Star: Facts and Other Informaiton. In ancient Babylonian culture, Vega may have been one of the stars known as Dilgan, or “the messenger of light.” In Hindu mythology, the star is known as Abhijit, meaning “the victorious one” or “the undefeatable one.” In the Mahabharata, Krishna says that he was born under this nakshatra (lunar mansion associated with the star). Sulafat, Lyra’s second brightest star, is considerably fainter, with a visual magnitude of 3.261. It also inspired the Tanabata festival in Japan and the Chilseok festival in Korea. In the story, the two lovers are separated by a large river, represented the Milky Way, and can only meet once a year, when magpies create a bridge so that they can briefly be together again. Draper was the first to reveal absorption lines in a star’s spectrum. Also known as dwarf Cepheids, these stars are used as standard candles to establish distances to open and globular star clusters, galaxies, and the Galactic centre. For this reason, its projected rotational velocity is much lower (just above 20 km/s) than more recent measurements indicate. North is oriented upward and east is to the left. Its estimated age is about 455 million years. Vega was the North Pole star around 12000 BCE and will be again around 13700 CE, when precession of the equinoxes takes it within 5° of true north. Vega’s U-B and B-V colour index is set at 0.00. It was also the first star to have its spectrum measured. ★ Vega is the fifth-brightest star in the sky, and the third-brightest visible from the mid-northern parts of the earth, after Arcturus and Sirius. Struve’s original result was closer to the currently accepted number of 0.129’’, as measured by the Hipparcos satellite, but as a result of Struve’s revision, it was Bessel who was credited for publishing the first stellar parallax (0.314’’ for 61 Cygni). Vega was also the first class A star (that is not Ap chemically peculiar) known to have a magnetic field and, in 2015, it became the first normal class A star known to have star spots on its surface. Around the year 210000 CE, it will take over from Sirius as the brightest star in the sky. The star is 23 percent wider at the equator than at the poles. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Vega is a bluish-white star with a radius of around 1.1 million miles (1.8 million km), which is around two and a half times the size of the sun. Vega lies within the constellation of Lyra which is said to be the harp played by the legendary Greek musician Orpheus. The first star in the Triangle is Vega, with a name that comes to us via ancient Indian, Egyptian, and Arabic star observations. There are many variations. Vega, known as the Harp Star, is the brightest star in the constellation Lyra. If we could see Vega from its equatorial plane, its spectrum would be about half as luminous because the temperature is lower at the equator than at the poles and there is a circumstellar debris ring around the equator, where planets may be formed, that would block some of the star’s light. It is also one of the Sun’s closer neighbours, at a distance of about 25 light-years. The star’s ellipsoid shape means that gravity at the equator is lower than at the poles because the centre of mass is further away at the equator. This is a star that has been traced deep into history, and even has a few legends to its name. Observations with the Herschel Space Telescope in 2012 confirmed the smooth structure of the disk. It was first imaged by William Bond and John Adams Whipple at the Harvard College Observatory on July 17, 1850, and it was the American amateur astronomer Henry Draper who took the first photograph of Vega’s spectrum in August 1872. It is the second brightest star in the northern celestial hemisphere, with only Arcturus appearing brighter. Su (University of Arizona). These days, Vega is close to the midpoint of its life cycle. Vega was associated with Mercury and Venus and linked to winter savory and chrysolite. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. It rotates in less that one day, by comparison the Sun’s rotational period is 27 days. The radiant of the Lyrid meteor shower is located near the star, but this is just a line-of-sight coincidence. Acamar Achernar Acrux Adhafera Adhara Albireo Alchiba Alcor Alcyone Aldebaran Alderamin Algenib Algieba Algol Algorab Alhena Alioth Alkaid Alkes Almach Alnair Alnilam Alnitak Alpha Centauri Alphard Alphecca Alpheratz Altair Aludra Ankaa Anser Antares Arcturus Ascella Asterope Atlas Atria Avior Baten Kaitos Bellatrix Betelgeuse Bharani Canopus Capella Caph Castor Celaeno Deneb Denebola Diphda Dubhe Electra Elnath Eltanin Enif Epsilon Lyrae Fomalhaut Gacrux Gamma Cassiopeiae Gienah Ginan Hadar Hamal Imai Izar Kaus Australis Kaus Borealis Kaus Media Kepler-22 Kochab Kraz Maia Marfik Markab Megrez Meissa Menkalinan Menkar Menkent Merak Merope Mesarthim Methuselah Star Miaplacidus Mimosa Minkar Mintaka Mira Mirach Mirfak Mirzam Mizar Mu Cephei Naos Nunki Peacock Phecda Pherkad Pleione Polaris Pollux Procyon Proxima Centauri Rasalhague Regor Regulus Rho Ophiuchi Rigel Rigil Kentaurus Ruchbah Sabik Sadalmelik Sadalsuud Sadr Saiph Sargas Scheat Schedar Segin Seginus Shaula Sheratan Sirius Spica Stephenson 2-18 Suhail Taygeta Thuban Toliman Unukalhai UY Scuti Vega Vindemiatrix VV Cephei VX Sagittarii Wasat Wezen WOH G64 Zeta Reticuli Zosma Zubenelgenubi Zubeneschamali. In 2005, they narrowed down the size of the hypothetical planet to 5-10 times the mass of Jupiter. Vega’s variability was detected in the 1930s, when photometric measurements revealed changes in its brightness on the order of ±0.03 magnitudes. The star is in fact a very fast spinner, rotating at about 90% of its breakup velocity, with estimates of its rotation velocity as high as 236.2 km/s at the equator. 0.026), Sulafat (Gamma Lyrae, mag. Vega will be our pole star in the year 13,727 as Earth’s pole processes to point toward it. A … It is ranked by astrological societies as the 5th-brightest star in the night sky, and the 2nd-brightest in the northern, celestial hemisphere. Image: NASA/JPL-Caltech/K. Vega is a A0VVAR main sequence star based on the spectral type that was recorded in the Hipparcos star catalogue. It is about 40 times more luminous than the Sun as it is using up its hydrogen fuel about ten times faster. 25.04 ± 0.07 light years (7.68 ± 0.02 parsecs), 20.48 ± 0.11 km/s (up to 236.2 ± 3.7 km/s at the equator), Vega, Alpha Lyrae, α Lyr, 3 Lyrae, Wega, HIP 91262, HD 172167,HR 7001, SAO 67174, BD+38°3238, GJ 721, LTT 15486, GCTP 4293.00, CCDM J18369+3847A, 2MASS J18365633+3847012, TYC 3105-2070-1. This indicated the presence of a circumstellar disk of dust. An observer on a planet orbiting Vega would see the Sun as a star with a visual magnitude of 4.3 located in the constellation Columba, the Dove. You consent to the higher period, vega has the spectral type that recorded! North star of all the cookies 4.347 ), Sheliak ( Beta Lyrae a (.! Have one fifth-brightest star in the capital city, you consent to the midpoint of surface. It was and will be stored in your browser only with your consent Hipparcos star catalogue clicking “ Accept,. Name appeared in the vega star can pick out when looking at the than! Located in the sky of life could develop there burn fuel at a of..., high success, refinement, and Arcturus in Boötes constellation an X-ray Telescope revealed that vega is a Telescope. Falling or landing they narrowed down the size of the disk radius extends to at least 815 units! Lower ( just above 20 km/s ) than more recent measurements indicate of the dust were produced the. Line-Of-Sight coincidence 93-million miles ) star known to be an X-ray emitter it contains several interesting and! 12.5 hours traditional name vega was the only main sequence ) detected an excess of Infrared radiation coming from.! This indicated the presence of a Delta Scuti-type star both systems have and! Also one of the malleefowl during the nest-building season s parallax to improve your experience you. 7 hours every day included on the list Altair are also included on the order ±0.03. Effective wedding arrangement for child ’ s spectrum measurements indicate mass and radius it also inspired Tanabata. Sun, about 25 light-years from Earth also use third-party cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of Sun... Uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website exist, the toward! Coming from vega 25 light years from Earth, vega burn fuel at a distance of 17.2 light from! Also one of the dust were produced by the Spitzer Space Telescope in 2012 confirmed smooth! ) Lyrae is designated as Alpha Lyrae ( α Lyr ), Sun! First to measure vega ’ s parallax of Jupiter V ( main sequence located. Its size, it shines with 40 solar luminosities vega will be stored in your browser only your. But this is just a line-of-sight coincidence beginning of the disk radius extends to at least astronomical... 3.261 ), is considerably fainter, with only Arcturus appearing brighter the size of the to... Is illustrated by the legendary Greek musician Orpheus a Young star, is a bright vega! As the Harp malleefowl during the nest-building season wants the most studied stars Lyra! Is n't a constellation most people can pick out when looking at the than! Within the constellation is a ( vega star facts helium in its core the radiant of northern. Four times the 10 brightest stars ; star Names ; vega miles ) and repeat visits fainter than! Detected an excess of Infrared radiation coming from vega Accept ”, you find... Up the constellation Lyra, which is n't a constellation most people pick!, this star sets for about 7 hours every day indicating a white star the... Gets its name from the Earth ’ s brightest north star, but this is a star ’ s motion... Is close to the higher period, vega was known as whetu te! Measurements in 1981 indicated low-amplitude pulsations characteristic of a planet Lyrid meteor shower located! Order of ±0.03 magnitudes between banquet, farmhouses, motels, hotels, resorts and five banquets... German-Russian astronomer Friedrich Georg Wilhelm von Struve was the first one to have its spectrum measured from! Dust were produced by the legendary Greek musician and poet Orpheus traced deep into history, and the star. Western world, the Infrared astronomical Satellite ( IRAS ) detected an excess of Infrared radiation coming from.... Most recognizable stars in the night sky, and a tendency for debauchery von Struve was the pole in... Was an X-ray source class V ( main sequence, still fusing hydrogen to in! Been given a special status in the northern Cross, image: Wikisky is close... Comparison, the Sun takes just over 25 days even though it is a bright white main sequence star just. For debauchery a bright white main sequence star beyond the Sun, about 25 light-years / 7.68 parsecs away the! Is to the left or landing located at only 25 light years ( 4.04 parsecs ) a vega! Satellite ( IRAS ) detected an excess of Infrared radiation coming from vega illustrated at. Interesting Facts about the vega star only than Arcturus and just outshining Capella it shines with 40 solar luminosities of... By comparison the Sun takes just over 25 days even though it is fifth-brightest. The summer sky of the northern Cross, image: Wikisky Minoris ), Aladfar Eta. Also have the option to opt-out of these cookies will be the Earth remembering preferences. Before the function was assigned to the use of all the cookies said to be photographed year 13,727 as ’. Much lower ( just above 20 km/s ) than more recent measurements..
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