41 G. Arae (abbreviated to 41 G. Ara), also known as GJ 666, is a trinary star system in the constellation Ara 28.7 light-years (8.8 parsecs) from the Sun. Although often called just 41 Arae, it is more accurate to call it 41 G. Arae, as the number 41 is the Gould designation ( Flamsteed only covered the northern hemisphere).
The primary star in this system is a G-type main sequence star with a stellar classification of G8V. It has about 81% of the mass of the Sun, and 79% of the Sun's radius. [8] The fainter member of the pair, a red dwarf, [4] has a peculiar spectrum that shows a deficiency in elements with a higher atomic number than Helium. No planetary companions have been detected in orbit around these stars. [11]
The two stars share a highly elliptical orbit that takes several centuries to complete. The estimates of the period range from 693 to 2,200 years, [12] and the average separation of the two stars is about 210 AU (or 210 times the average distance between the Earth and the Sun).
41 G. Arae is most likely a triple, comprising the following components: Gliese 666A supposed as a spectroscopic binary, and Gliese 666B as its companion. Two other visual companions were proposed, but neither share the system's motion. [13] Observations from Gaia have shown that it is in fact component B which is binary, with an orbital period of 88 days. [14]
This system has a relatively high proper motion, moving over a second of arc across the sky each year. The space velocity components of this system are U, V, W = [+38, +30, −19] km/s. [6] The stars in this system show low chromospheric activity, and have a net space velocity of 52 km/s relative to the Sun. This, in combination with their low metallicity, shows that the pair belongs to the old disk population. [6]
41 G. Arae (abbreviated to 41 G. Ara), also known as GJ 666, is a trinary star system in the constellation Ara 28.7 light-years (8.8 parsecs) from the Sun. Although often called just 41 Arae, it is more accurate to call it 41 G. Arae, as the number 41 is the Gould designation ( Flamsteed only covered the northern hemisphere).
The primary star in this system is a G-type main sequence star with a stellar classification of G8V. It has about 81% of the mass of the Sun, and 79% of the Sun's radius. [8] The fainter member of the pair, a red dwarf, [4] has a peculiar spectrum that shows a deficiency in elements with a higher atomic number than Helium. No planetary companions have been detected in orbit around these stars. [11]
The two stars share a highly elliptical orbit that takes several centuries to complete. The estimates of the period range from 693 to 2,200 years, [12] and the average separation of the two stars is about 210 AU (or 210 times the average distance between the Earth and the Sun).
41 G. Arae is most likely a triple, comprising the following components: Gliese 666A supposed as a spectroscopic binary, and Gliese 666B as its companion. Two other visual companions were proposed, but neither share the system's motion. [13] Observations from Gaia have shown that it is in fact component B which is binary, with an orbital period of 88 days. [14]
This system has a relatively high proper motion, moving over a second of arc across the sky each year. The space velocity components of this system are U, V, W = [+38, +30, −19] km/s. [6] The stars in this system show low chromospheric activity, and have a net space velocity of 52 km/s relative to the Sun. This, in combination with their low metallicity, shows that the pair belongs to the old disk population. [6]