GJ 3379 (Giclas 99-49) is the nearest star in the Orion constellation, located at a distance of 17 light years from the Sun based on parallax. It is a single star with an apparent visual magnitude of 11.31 and an absolute magnitude of 12.71, therefore, the star is not visible with the naked eye. It is positioned in the upper left part of the Orion constellation, to the SSE of Betelgeuse. This star is drifting further away with a radial velocity of 30.0 kilometers per second. In the past, this star had a relatively close encounter with the Solar System. Some 161,000±6,000 years ago, it achieved a minimum distance of 4.08 ± 0.20 ly (1.25 ± 0.06 pc).
Physical characteristics
This star is a small red dwarf with a stellar classification of M3.5V – an M-type main-sequence star. It is much smaller, cooler, and less massive than the Sun, radiating only 0.6% of the Sun's luminosity. This is a very active star that varies in brightness with an amplitude of 0.0074±0.0029 magnitude, modulated by a rapid rotation period of 1.8 days. The magnetic field strength has been measured as 2.3 kG. It is a source of X-ray emission with a luminosity of 9.5×1027 erg s−1.
According to the SIMBAD database, the star is classified as an eruptive variable.
References
External links
- "The 100 nearest star systems". Research Consortium On Nearby Stars. Retrieved 2020-12-26.
