BPM 37093 - the "diamond" star
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Image courtesy of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, reproduced with permission.

BPM 37093 - the "diamond" star

What's in a Name: The 37093rd star in the Bruce Proper Motion catalog. Also known as V*886 Cen, the 886th variable star in the constellation Centaurus.
Claim to Fame: The most massive pulsating white dwarf currently known, with a crystal core of carbon and oxygen. A white dwarf is the final state of stars like the Sun, an exposed core that just slowly cools down over time. These stars begin to pulsate when the surface temperature reaches about 12,000 degrees.
Type of Star: Hydrogen-atmosphere variable white dwarf (Spectral Class DAV4.3).
How Far Away: 50 light years.
How Big:About 1/200 the Sun's radius (0.6 times the Earth's radius), but nearly the same mass as the Sun!
How Bright:1/2000 times the Sun's absolute visual brightness.
Where to View: In the constellation Centaurus. Not visible to the unaided eye.
When to View: Best viewed from the Southern hemisphere during March-June.

Last modified October 26, 2004 by Travis Metcalfe.

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