NN Serpentis

NN Serpentis

Rendering of NN Serpentis system
Observation data
Epoch J2000      Equinox J2000
Constellation Serpens
Right ascension 15h 52m 56.12035s
Declination +12° 54′ 44.4293″
Apparent magnitude (V) +16.51
Characteristics
Spectral type WD DAO1 / M4V
Astrometry
Proper motion (μ) RA: −30.170±0.055 mas/yr
Dec.: −59.084±0.057 mas/yr
Parallax (π)1.9438±0.0662 mas
Distance1,680 ± 60 ly
(510 ± 20 pc)
Orbit
Period (P)0.13008017141(17) d
Semi-major axis (a)0.934 ± 0.009 R
Eccentricity (e)0.0
Inclination (i)89.6 ± 0.2°
Semi-amplitude (K1)
(primary)
62.3 ± 1.9 km/s
Semi-amplitude (K2)
(secondary)
301 ± 3 km/s
Details
White dwarf
Mass0.535 ± 0.012 M
Radius0.0211 ± 0.0002 R
Surface gravity (log g)7.47 ± 0.01 cgs
Temperature57000 ± 3000 K
Red dwarf
Mass0.111 ± 0.004 M
Radius0.149 ± 0.002 R
Other designations
NN Ser, PG 1550+131, WD 1550+130
Database references
SIMBADdata

NN Serpentis (abbreviated NN Ser) is an eclipsing post-common envelope binary system approximately 1670 light-years away. The system comprises an eclipsing white dwarf and red dwarf. The two stars orbit each other every 0.13 days.

In 1982, Richard F. Green et al. found the star in the Palomar Green Survey, and determined it to be a possible cataclysmic variable star. They gave it the name PG 1550+131. Photometric observations by John W. Wilson et al. in 1983 showed that PG 1550+131 was indeed a variable star. Reinhold Haefner discovered that the star is an eclipsing binary, in 1988. It was given its variable star designation, NN Serpentis, in 1989.