Alpha2 Canum Venaticorum variable

Alpha² Canum Venaticorum variables are main sequence variable stars of spectral class B8p to A7p. They display strong magnetic fields and have strong silicon, strontium, and chromium spectral lines. Their brightness typically varies by 0.01 to 0.1 magnitudes over the course of 0.5 to 160 days.

The prototype, and most well known of these variables is Cor Caroli (α CVn) which has spectral line fluctuations in brightness of 0.1 magnitudes with a period of 5.47 days. Its location in the northern constellation of Canes Venatici gave rise to the name of the class.

References

* Samus N.N., Durlevich O.V., et al. Combined General Catalog of Variable Stars (GCVS4.2, 2004 Ed.)

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/"
All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License