V Puppis

V Puppis
Location of V Puppis (circled)
Observation data
Epoch J2000      Equinox J2000
Constellation Puppis
Right ascension 07h 58m 14.43920s
Declination −49° 14 41.6803
Apparent magnitude (V) 4.41
(5.10 + 5.59)
Characteristics
Spectral type B1Vp + B3IV:
U−B color index 0.96
B−V color index 0.17
Variable type β Lyr
Astrometry
Radial velocity (Rv)+19.40 km/s
Proper motion (μ) RA: -5.34 mas/yr
Dec.: +7.12 mas/yr
Parallax (π)3.40±0.29 mas
Distance960 ± 80 ly
(290 ± 30 pc)
Absolute magnitude (MV)3.56
Orbit
PrimaryV Pup Aa
CompanionV Pup Ab
Period (P)1.4544859 d
Semi-major axis (a)14.96±0.2 R
Details
V Pup Aa
Mass14.0 M
Radius5.48 R
Luminosity12,600 L
Temperature26,000 K
Rotational velocity (v sin i)275.0 km/s
V Pup Ab
Mass7.3 M
Radius4.59 R
Luminosity6,500 L
Temperature24,000 K
Age5 Myr
Other designations
CD-48°3349, CCDM J07582-4915A, GC 10802, GSC 08143-03239, HIP 38957, HR 3129, HD 65818, SAO 219226, WDS J07582-4915A
Database references
SIMBADdata

V Puppis (V Pup) is a star system in the constellation Puppis. Its apparent magnitude is 4.41. There is a binary star system at the center with a B1 dwarf orbiting a B3 subgiant star. They have an orbital period of 1.45 days and a distance of only 15 solar radii apart. However, the system moves back and forth, indicating that there is a massive object orbiting them with a period around 5.47 years. Based on the mass of the object, its lack of a visible spectrum, and circumstellar matter in the system with many heavy elements (as would be produced by a past supernova in the system), it is probably a black hole. However, a follow-up study could not confirm this object, but found signs that there may be a third object which is fainter than the other components.

In addition to the main system, more distant components have been reported: B, at magnitude 11.5 and separation 6.2", C, at magnitude 13.2 and separation 18.9", D, at magnitude 9.88 and separation 39", and E, at magnitude 13 and separation from D of 10.4".