XX Pyxidis

XX Pyxidis is a star located in the constellation Pyxis. It is one of the more-studied members of a class of stars known as Delta Scuti variables[2]—short period (six hours at most) pulsating stars that have been used as standard candles and as subjects to study astroseismology.[3] Astronomers made more sense of its pulsations when it became clear that it is also a binary star system. The main star is a white main sequence star of spectral type A4V that is around 1.85 ± 0.05 times as massive as the Sun. Its companion is most likely a red dwarf star of spectral type M3V, around 0.3 times as massive as the Sun. The two are very close—possibly only 3 times the diameter of the Sun between them—and orbit each other every 1.15 days. The brighter star is deformed into an egg-shape.[2]

XX Pyxidis
Observation data
Epoch J2000      Equinox J2000
Constellation Pyxis
Right ascension  08h 58m 39.04s[1]
Declination −24° 35′ 10.6 ″[1]
Apparent magnitude (V) 11.49
Characteristics
Spectral type A4V + M3V[2]
Variable type Delta Scuti variable
Astrometry
Details
Mass1.85 ± 0.05[2] M☉
Other designations
XX Pyxidis, CD-24 7599
Database references
SIMBADdata

References
  1. "XX Pyxidis", SIMBAD Astronomical Database, Centre de Données astronomiques de Strasbourg, retrieved 5 September 2015
  2. Aerts, C.; Handler, G.; Arentoft, T.; Vandenbussche, B.; Medupe, R.; Sterken, C. (2002). "The δ Scuti star XX Pyx is an ellipsoidal variable". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 333 (2): L35–L39. Bibcode:2002MNRAS.333L..35A. doi:10.1046/j.1365-8711.2002.05627.x.
  3. Templeton, Matthew (16 July 2010). "Delta Scuti and the Delta Scuti Variables". Variable Star of the Season. AAVSO (American Association of Variable Star Observers). Retrieved 5 September 2015.


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