The Sun’s Back Yard ::: Selected Star Systems Within 32.6 Light Years [10 Parsecs]

 

STAR

TYPE

DIST.

(LYR)

MASS

(MSOL)

AGE

(GYR)

[Fe/H]

REMARKS

Alpha
Centauri

G2, K0, M5.5

4.4

1.1,
0.91. 0.1

4.85

+0.23

HD 128620 & HD 128621. Close binary with distant M dwarf companion; luminosity 1.52 and 0.5 LSOL; a = 23.4 AU, periastron = 11.2, apastron = 35.6, e = 0.52, period 79.9 yr. Terrestrial planets are possible around stars A and B. (Thevenin 2002, Kervella 2003a)

Sirius

A1, D

8.6

2.07,
1.0

0.24

0.00

HD 48915. Binary system containing a mature A star (radius 1.71 RSOL, luminosity 25 LSOL.) and dim white dwarf as small as Earth. Progenitor of the white dwarf was a B star of 5 MSOL.  (Kervella 2003b, Liebert 2005)  Canis Major

*Epsilon
Eridani

K2

10.5

0.824

0.80

-0.03

Young orange star with a massive debris disk and one Jupiter-mass planet at 3.38 AU in an eccentric orbit (e = 0.7). (Benedict 2006)

Epsilon
Indi

K5, T

11.8

0.77
RECONS

1.4
Bryden
2006

+0.01
Bryden
2006

HD 209100.  Orange dwarf with distant pair of brown dwarfs (1460 AU); no gas giant planets found by radial velocity searches (Scholz 2003).

Tau Ceti

G8

11.9

0.83

10

-0.31

HD 10700.  Extensive debris belt whose central clearance suggests planets within 10 AU (Greaves 2005). All values Di Folco 2004, who also provide radius = 0.80 RSOL.

Procyon

F5 IV,
D

12

1.49,
0.60

1.72

-0.05

Yellow-white subgiant (7 LSOL, 2 RSOL) sharing an eccentric 41-year orbit with a white dwarf (Eggenberger 2005).  Canis Minor

*GJ 674

M2.5

14.7

0.35

-

-0.30

M dwarf with a single Hot Neptune planet (11 MEA) in a somewhat eccentric orbit; additional low-mass planets possible. Ara  

*GJ 876

M4

15.4

0.32

-

+0.02

M dwarf with 3 known planets; the innermost (7.5 MEA) is one of the smallest exoplanets yet detected.  Aquarius

*GJ 832

M1.5

16

0.45

-

-0.31

M dwarf with one gas giant about 60% as massive as Jupiter in a low-eccentricity orbit at 3.4 AU; potential host for icy exomoons.  All values Bailey 2008.

Omicron
Eridani

K1, D,
M4.5

16.3

0.89,
0.5, 0.2

RECONS

12.2

Valenti 2005

-0.08

Valenti
2005

HD 26965.  The K1 star is orbited by a distant (418 AU) red dwarf/white dwarf binary (ISDB).  Age is uncertain; e.g., Rocha-Pinto 2004, 4.01 GYR.  Lower [Fe/H] values are found; e.g., Haywood, [Fe/H] = -0.34

70
Ophiuchi

K1, K5

16.6

0.92,
0.70
RECONS

-

+0.04

Takeda
2005

HD 165341. Binary system with two orange dwarfs.  Semimajor axis 23.2 AU, period 83.38 yr, e = 0.499, periastron 11.4 AU, apastron 34.8 AU (Pourbaix 2000).  Lower [Fe/H] values are found; e.g., Nordstrom 2004, [Fe/H] = -0.29

STAR

TYPE

DIST.

(LYR)

MASS

(MSOL)

AGE

(GYR)

[Fe/H]

REMARKS

Altair

A7 IV

17

1.75

0.63

-0.16

HD 187642. Rapidly rotating white star entering subgiant phase (all values Buzasi 2005). Aquila

Sigma
Draconis

K0

18.9

0.803

Takeda
2007

3.2

Bryden
2006

-0.23

Bryden
2006

HD 185144

Eta
Cassiopeiae

G0, K7

19.6

1.11
0.6

RECONS

2.88

Takeda
2007

-0.31

Lambert
2004

HD 4614.  ISDB (after Strand) gives binary period 480 years; Bonavita 2007 give a = 72, e = 0.49; mass A = 0.99, mass B = 0.51. Older ages are also found; e.g., Chen 2001, 8.0 GYR; Lambert 2004, 14.1 GYR.

82 Eridani

G8

19.9

0.845

Takeda
2007

13.5

Valenti
2005

-0.23

Valenti
2005

HD 20794. Values are uncertain; e.g., Rocha-Pinto 2004, age 7.06 GYR; Cayrel de Strobel 2001, [Fe/H] range from -0.44 to -0.54

Delta
Pavonis

G7 IV

19.9

0.991

Takeda
2007

6.2

Valenti
2005

+0.26

Valenti
2005

HD 190248.  Metal-rich subgiant whose progenitor may have been an F-type star.

*GJ 581

M3

20

0.31

-

-0.266

M dwarf with one epistellar Neptune-mass planet and two Super Earths in orbits bracketing the system's habitable zone.  Libra

HD 219134

K3

21.2

0.794

Takeda
2007

12.46

Takeda
2007

+0.09

Valenti
2005

GJ 892.  Bryden 2006 provide similar age & metallicity.  Cassiopeia

Xi Boötis

G8, K4

21.8

0.94,
0.67

RECONS

5.3

Valenti
2005

-0.07

Valenti
2005

HD 131156, HIP 72659.  Binary with semimajor axis = 33.6 AU, e = 0.51, period 151 yr, periastron 16.5 AU, apastron 50.7 AU (SolStation, citing 6th Catalog of Visual Orbits of Binary Stars); Bonavita 2007 give a = 32.8, p = 152 yr.

36
Ophiuchi

K1, K5

22.2

0.85,
0.71

RECONS

-

-0.24 to

-0.39

Cayrel de
Strobel 2001

HD 155885 & 155886, GJ 663 ABC.  Triple system with 2 K1-type stars (both 0.85 MSOL) in binary orbit with a = 83 AU, e = 0.9, period = 549 yr (ISDB), plus a K5 star (0.71 MSOL) in a longer circumbinary orbit.  Main binary has periastron = 8.3 AU, probably ruling out planet formation.

HD 4628

K1

24.3

0.637

Valenti
2005

11.04

Valenti
2005

-0.19

Valenti
2005

GJ 33.  Mass seems too small for spectral type; all values are uncertain.  Takeda 2005 give mass 0.80; Rocha-Pinto 2004 give age 7.54, metallicity -0.31

STAR

TYPE

DIST.

(LYR)

MASS

(MSOL)

AGE

(GYR)

[Fe/H]

REMARKS

Beta
Hydri

G2 IV

24.4

1.143

Takeda
2007

6.32

Takeda
2007

-0.09

Valenti
2005

HD 2151; subgiant star. Takeda 2007 give radius 1.84 RSOL; Cayrel de Strobel 2001 list a range of [Fe/H] from -0.10 to -0.28

107
Piscium

K1

24.5

0.812

Valenti
2005

8.7

Valenti
2005

-0.07

Valenti
2005

HD 10476.  Bryden 2006 give age 4.6 GYR, [Fe/H] -0.16

Vega

A0

25

2.3

.20

-0.50

HD 172167.  Bright A-type star (37 LSOL); rotation 12.5 hours. Extensive debris disk & planetary candidates.  (Hill 2004, Aufdenberg 2006)  Lyra

*Fomalhaut

A3

25

2.0

.29

-0.10

HD 216956. One planet and a bright debris ring have been imaged. Proposed as a sibling to Vega (Barrado y Navascues 1998).  Piscis Austrinus

Pi
Orionis

F6

26.2

1.236

Takeda
2007

2.84

Takeda
2007

0.00

Valenti
2005

HD 30652; Takeda 2007 suggest 1.32 RSOL.

Chi
Draconis

F7, K0

26.3

0.95

Chen 2001

9.4

Chen 2001

-0.65

Chen 2001

GJ 178, HD 170153.  Close, moderately eccentric binary; semimajor axis about 1 AU (Tomkin 1987, Pourbaix 2000); tight orbit rules out planet formation.

HD 10360
&
HD 10361

K0

26.4

0.75,
0.77

Bonavita
2007

3.24

Rocha
Pinto 2004

-0.25

Rocha
Pinto 2004

GJ 66 AB.  Two K0 stars of similar mass sharing an orbit of 484 years. Bonavita 2007 give a = 52.2 AU, e = 0.53, corresponding to periastron = 24.5. Eridanus

Chara

G0

27.4

1.03

Takeda
2007

3.68

Takeda
2007

-0.10

Valenti
2005

HD 109358, Beta Canum Venaticorum. Age is uncertain; e.g., Valenti 2005, 4.9 GYR; Chen 2001, 12.4 GYR.

61
Virginis

G5

27.7

0.942

Takeda
2007

6.31

Trilling
2008

-0.03

Trilling
2008

HD 115617. Debris belt with inner radius of 8.3 AU hints that terrestrial planets may have formed inside the system’s ice line (Trilling 2008). 

Zeta
Tucanae

F9

28

1.01

Takeda
2007

3.02

Trilling
2008

-0.10

Trilling
2008

HD 1581.  Very similar to our Sun in age and mass, but less metallic.  Debris belt with inner radius of 2.3 AU (Trilling 2008).

41
Arae

G8, M

28.7

0.79, 0.47

Bonavita
2007

1.80

Takeda
2007

-0.27

Valenti
2005

HD 156274; young metal-poor G star with long-period M dwarf companion; a = 91.65, e = 0.78, periastron = 20 AU (Bonavita 2007). Key parameters are uncertain; e.g., Valenti 2005, mass 0.901 MSOL, age 8.7 GYR; Nordstrom 2004, [Fe/H] = -0.55

STAR

TYPE

DIST.

(LYR)

MASS

(MSOL)

AGE

(GYR)

[Fe/H]

REMARKS

HD 32147

K3

28.7

0.838

Takeda
2007

5.3

Valenti
2005

+0.30

Valenti
2005

GJ 183.  High stellar metallicity favors planet formation, but some sources indicate a close binary companion that would rule out planetary accretion and survival.  Eridanus

*GJ 849

M3.5

29

0.49

-

+0.16

Red dwarf more metallic than Sol with a Jupiter twin at 2.35 AU in a circular orbit (e = 0.07); potential host for icy exomoons. Low mass planets possible on interior orbits.  Aquarius

Gamma
Leporis

F7, K2

29.3

1.21

Chen 2001

2.6

Chen 2001

-0.07

Chen 2001

HD 38393, GJ 216 AB, HIP 27072.  Mass value applies to F7 star; ISDB provides 0.63 MSOL for K2 star.  Wide binary separation.

Delta
Eridani

K0 IV

29.5

1.193

Takeda
2007

6.28

Takeda
2007

+0.03

Valenti
2005

HD 23249, Rana.  Orange subgiant whose progenitor was an F or G star. Takeda 2007 give radius 2.27 RSOL; Cayrel de Strobel 2001 give [Fe/H] = -0.20

Beta Comae Berenices

Go

29.9

1.147

Takeda
2007

2.3

Bryden
2006

+0.03

Bryden
2006

HD 114710. Bryden 2006 give F9.5 as spectral type. Older ages are also found: Lambert 2004, 7.23 GYR; Chen 2001, 9.6 GYR.

*GJ 317

M3.5

30

0.24

-

-0.23

Lightweight M dwarf with a Jupiter-mass planet at 0.95 AU; potential host for icy exomoons. Additional gas giant likely on exterior orbit; low-mass planets possible on interior orbits.  Pyxis

HD 102365

G5, M

30

0.86, 0.09

Bonavita
2007

9.48

Takeda
2007

-0.26

Valenti
2005

GJ 442 A. Wide binary; Bonavita 2007 suggest a = 275 AU.  Endl 2002 rule out Hot Jupiters. Age is uncertain; Ibukiyama 2002, 6.12 GYR; Valenti 2005, 11.0 GYR.

Gamma
Pavonis

F6

30.1

0.95

Chen 2001

7.2

Chen 2001

-0.67

Chen 2001

GJ 827, HD 203608. Bryden 2006 give F8 as spectral type.

*GJ 176

M2

30.6

0.50

-

-0.10

Large M dwarf with one Super Earth or Warm Neptune.  All values Forveille 2008.

61 Ursae
Majoris

G8

31.1

0.73

Valenti
2005

5.1

Valenti
2005

-0.03

Valenti
2005

HD 101501.  Younger ages are also found; key parameters are uncertain; e.g.,  Bryden 2006, age 1.1 GYR, [Fe/H] = -0.20; Rocha-Pinto 2004, age 0.59 GYR; Takeda 2005, mass 0.88 MSOL.

12
Ophiuchi

K0

31.9

0.853

Valenti
2005

4.3

Valenti
2005

+0.05

Valenti
2005

HD 149661. Younger ages are also found: Bryden 2006, 1.2 GYR; Rocha-Pinto 2004, 0.83 GYR.

AU
Microscopii

M1

32.3

0.50

0.02

-

Young M dwarf with debris disk (Kalas 2004).

STAR

TYPE

DIST.

(LYR)

MASS

(MSOL)

AGE

(GYR)

[Fe/H]

REMARKS

 

* One or more planets detected
  All distances are provided in light years (3.26 light years = 1 parsec)

  Parameters for extrasolar planetary systems are taken from the Catalog of Nearby Exoplanets (http://exoplanets.org/).

  M dwarf metallicities are taken from Bailey et al. 2008.

 

ADDITIONAL SOURCES

 

Aufdenberg JP, Merand A, Coude du Foresto V, et al. (2006) First Results from the CHARA Array VII: Long-Baseline Interferometric Measurements of Vega Consistent with a Pole-On, Rapidly Rotating Star. Astrophysical Journal, 645: 664-675.

Barrado y Navascués D.  (1998)  The Castor Moving Group:  The age of Fomalhaut and Vega.  Astronomy and Astrophysics, 339: 831-839.

Bailey J, Butler RP, Tinney CG, Jones H, O’Toole S, Carter BD, Marcy G.  (2008)  A Jupiter-like Planet Orbiting the Nearby M Dwarf GJ 832.  Astrophysical Journal, in press.

Bean JL, Benedict GF, Endl M. (2006) Metallicities of M dwarf planet hosts from spectral synthesis.  Astrophysical Journal, 653:L65-L68

Beichman CA, Bryden G, Stapelfeldt KR, et al.  (2006)  New debris disks around nearby main-sequence stars: Impact on the direct detection of planets.  Astrophysical Journal, 652: 1674-1693

Benedict GF, McArthur BE, Gatewood G, et al. (2006) The extrasolar planet e Eridani b – orbit and mass. Astronomical Journal, 132: 2206-2218.

Bonavita M, Desidera S.  (2007)  The frequency of planets in multiple systems.  Astronomy & Astrophysics, 468:  721-729.

Bryden G, Beichman CA, Trilling DE, Rieke GH, Holmes EK, Lawler SM, Stapelfeldt KR, Werner MW, Gautier TN, Blaylock M, Gordon KD, Stansberry JA, Su KYL.  (2006)  Frequency of debris disks around solar-type stars: first results from a Spitzer MIPS survey.  Astrophysical Journal, 636: 1098–1113.

Buzasi DL, Bruntt H, Bedding TR.  (2005)  Altair: The Brightest Delta Scuti Star.  Astrophysical Journal, 619: 1072-1076.

Cayrel de Strobel G, Soubiran C, Ralite N.  (2001)  Catalogue of [Fe/H] determinations for FGK stars: 2001 edition.  Astronomy & Astrophysics, 373: 159-163.

Chen YQ, Nissen PE, Benoni T, Zhao G.  (2001)  Lithium abundances for 185 main-sequence stars.  Astronomy & Astrophysics, 371: 943-951.

Di Folco E, Thévenin F, Kervella P, Domiciano de Souza A, Coudé du Foresto V, Ségransan D, Morel P.  (2004)  VLTI near-IR interferometric observations of Vega-like stars.  Astronomy & Astrophysics, 426, 601–617.

Endl M, Cochran W, Wittenmyer R, Boss A.  (2007)  An m sin i = 24 Earth mass planetary companion to the nearby M dwarf GJ 176. Astrophysical Journal, 673: 1165-1168.

Eggenberger P, Carrier F, Bouchy F.  (2005)  Models of Procyon A including seismic constraints.  New Astronomy, 10: 195-208.

Forveille T, Bonfils X, Delfosse X, Gillon M, Udry S, Bouchy F, et al.  The HARPS search for southern extra-solar planets XIV. Gliese 176 b, a super-Earth rather than a Neptune, and at a different period.  Astronomy & Astrophysics, in press.

Greaves JS. (2005) Disks around stars and the growth of planetary systems. Science, 307: 68-71.

Haywood (2001)  Solar neighbourhood metallicity distribution (VizieR On-line Data Catalog).

Hill G, Gulliver AF, Adelman FJ.  (2004)  A spectral study of Vega: A rapidly-rotating pole-on star.  In Zverko et al., eds.  The A-Star Puzzle:  Proceedings IAU Symposium No. 224.

Ibukiyama  (2002)  Age-metallicity relation for nearby stars.  (VizieR On-line Data Catalog).

Internet Stellar Database (ISDB).  http://www.stellar-database.com/

Judge PG, Saar SH, Carlsson M, Ayres TR.  (2004)  A Comparison of the Outer Atmosphere of the ‘‘Flat Activity’’ Star Tau Ceti (G8 V) with the Sun (G2 V) and Alpha Centauri A (G2 V).  Astrophysical Journal, 609:392–406.

Kalas P, Liu MC, Matthews BC. (2004) Discovery of a large dust disk around the nearby star AU Microscopii. Science, 303: 1990-1992.

Kalas P, Graham JR, Chiang E, Fitzgerald MP, Clampin M, Kite ES, Stapelfeldt K, Marois C, Krist J. (2008) Optical images of an exosolar planet 25 light years from Earth. SciencExpress, 13 November 2008; 10.1126/science.1166609.

Kervella P, Thevenin F, Segransan D, Berthomieu G, Lopez B, Morel P, Provost J.  (2003a)  The diameters of a Centauri A and B.  Astronomy & Astrophysics, 404: 1087-1097.

Kervella P, Thevenin F, Morel P, Borde P, Di Folco E. (2003b)  The interferometric diameter and internal structure of Sirius A.  Astronomy & Astrophysics, 408: 681-688.

Lambert DL, Reddy BE.  (2004)  Masses, ages and metallicities of F-G dwarfs.  VizieR On-line Data Catalog: J/MNRAS/349/757

Liebert J, Young PA, Arnett D, Holberg JB, Williams KA.  (2005)  The age and progenitor mass of Sirius B.  Astrophysical Journal, 630: L69–L72.

Nordstrom B, Mayor M, Andersen J, et al.  (2004)  The Geneva-Copenhagen Survey of the Solar neighbourhood:  Ages, metallicities, and kinematic properties of ~14,000 F and G dwarfs.  Astronomy & Astrophysics, 418: 989-1019

Porto de Mello G, Fernandez del Peloso E, Ghezzi L.  (2006)  Astrobiologically interesting stars within 10 parsecs of the Sun. Astrobiology, 6:2; 308-331.

Pourbaix D.  (2000)  Resolved double-lined spectroscopic binaries: A neglected source of hypothesis-free parallaxes and stellar masses.  Astronomy & Astrophysics Supplement, 145: 215-222.

RECONS: Research Consortium on Nearby Stars.  Online database: http://joy.chara.gsu.edu/RECONS/; most recent update January 2008.

Rocha-Pinto HJ et al.  (2004) Chemical enrichment and star formation in the Milky Way disk III. Chemodynamical constraints.  Astronomy & Astrophysics, 423: 517-535.

Scholz RD, McCaughrean M, Lodieu N, Kuhlbrodt B.  (2003)  Epsilon Indi B: a new benchmark T dwarf.  Astronomy & Astrophysics, 398: L29-L33.

Takeda Y et al.  (2005)  Spectroscopic study on the atmospheric parameters of nearby F-K dwarfs and subgiants. Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japan, 57: 27-43.

Takeda G, Ford EB, Sills A, Rasio FA, Fischer DA, Valenti JA. (2007) Structure and evolution of nearby stars with planets II: Physical properties of ~1000 cool stars from the SPOCS catalog. Astrophysical Journal Supplement, 168: 297-318. Online database: Structure & Evolution of Target Stars.

Thevenin F, Provost J, Morel P, Berthomieu G, Bouchy F, Carrier F. (2002) Asteroseismology and calibration of Alpha Centauri binary system. Astronomy & Astrophysics, 392: L9–L12.

Trilling DE, Bryden G, Beichman CA, Rieke GH, Su KYL, Stansberry JA, Blaylock M, Stapelfeldt KR, Beeman JW, Haller EE. (2008) Debris disks around Sun-like stars. Astrophysical Journal, 674: 1086-1105.

Valenti JA, Fischer DA.  (2005)  Spectroscopic properties of cool stars (SPOCS). I. 1040 F, G, and K dwarfs from Keck, Lick, and AAT planet search programs.  Astrophysical Journal Supplement, 159:141–166.

 

 

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Last update November 2008