BETA CANUM VENATICORUM

'Beta Canum Venaticorum' (β CVn / β Canum Venaticorum) is a yellow G-type main sequence dwarf star in the constellation Canes Venatici. It is the second-brightest star in the constellation.
Along with
the brighter star Cor Caroli, the pair form the "southern dog" in this constellation that represents hunting dogs. The name Chara was originally applied to the "southern dog", but it later became used specifically to refer to Beta Canum Venaticorum. Chara means ''Joy'' in the Greek language.^[1]

Contents

Observations

Possibility of life

References

External links

Observations

β CVn is considered to be slightly metal-poor, which means it has a somewhat lower portion of elements heavier than Helium when compared to the Sun. In terms of mass, age and evolutionary status, however, this star is very similar to the Sun.^[2] As a result it has been called a solar analog.
The spectrum of this star shows a very weak emission of singly-ionized Calcium (Ca II) from the chromosphere, making it a useful reference star for a reference spectrum to compare with other stars in a similar spectral category.^[3] (The Ca II emission lines are readily accessible and can be used to measure the level of activity in a star's chromosphere.)

Possibility of life

In 2006, astronomer Margaret Turnbull labelled Beta CVn as the most likely nearby star to host an intelligent species capable of radio astronomy.^[4]

References

1. Beta Canum Venaticorum
2. Astrobiologically interesting stars within 10 parsecs of the Sun, G. F. Porto de Mello, E. F. del Peloso, L. Ghezzi, , , Astrobiology, 2006
3. Chromospheric H-alpha emission in F8-G3 dwarfs, and its connection with the T Tauri stars, , G. H., Herbig, Astrophysical Journal, 1985
4. Stars searched for extraterrestrials

External links

★ Chara

★ Astronomer announces shortlist of stellar candidates for habitable worlds

★ β Canum Venaticorum