PSR B1259−63
The location of PSR J1302−6350 (circled in red) | |
| Observation data Epoch J2000 Equinox J2000 | |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Centaurus |
| Right ascension | 13h 02m 47.654s |
| Declination | −63° 50′ 08.63″ |
| Apparent magnitude (V) | 9.98 |
| Characteristics | |
| Evolutionary stage | Pulsar + Main sequence |
| Spectral type | O9.5Ve |
| Astrometry | |
| Proper motion (μ) | RA: −7.093 mas/yr Dec.: −0.342 mas/yr |
| Parallax (π) | 0.4434±0.0133 mas |
| Distance | 7,400 ± 200 ly (2,260 ± 70 pc) |
| Orbit | |
| Name | SS 2883 |
| Period (P) | 3.389 years (1,237 days) |
| Eccentricity (e) | 0.87 |
| Inclination (i) | 36° |
| Details | |
| Pulsar | |
| Rotation | 47.7625075 ms |
| Age | 332,000 years |
| O-type star | |
| Mass | 22.5 M☉ |
| Radius | 10.4 R☉ |
| Luminosity | 160,000 L☉ |
| Surface gravity (log g) | 3.84 cgs |
| Temperature | 35,610 K |
| Rotational velocity (v sin i) | 280 km/s |
| Other designations | |
| AAVSO 1256−63, ALS 2883, AX J1302−638, CPD-63° 2495, GSC 08997-01597, Hbg 757, Hen 3-852, INTREF 538, LS 2883, MSX6C G304.1845-00.9916, PSR B1259−63 PSR J1302−6350, THA 17-8, TYC 8997-1597-1, UCAC2 3710789, WRAY 15-1053 | |
| Database references | |
| SIMBAD | data |
PSR B1259−63 is a pulsar and member of an eclipsing binary star system with the blue O9.5Ve-class star SS 2883. The pair has an eccentric orbit that is inclined to the line of sight from Earth by about 36°, leading to a 40-day-long eclipse each time the pulsar passes behind the star. The pulsar has a period of 47.762 milliseconds (ms) and a luminosity of 8.3 × 1035 erg/s. It emits very high energy gamma rays that vary on a time scale of several days.
The star SS 2883 has about 22.5 solar masses and is 10.4 solar radii in size. The rate of rotation is about 280 km/s at the equator, or 70% of the breakup velocity.