This article will address IX Carinae, a topic of great relevance and interest today. IX Carinae is an issue that has generated debate and controversy in different areas, awakening the interest of experts, academics and the general public. Over the years, IX Carinae has gained increasing importance due to its impact on society and people's daily lives. In this context, it is pertinent to analyze IX Carinae in detail, exploring its different facets, implications and possible solutions. Likewise, we will seek to offer an objective and enriching perspective on IX Carinae, in order to promote a constructive dialogue and foster greater understanding of this topic.
In 1948, Daniel Joseph Kelly O'Connell announced that the star is a variable star.[9] IX Carinae is a semiregular variable star, but its properties are poorly defined. Different sources give its brightness range as magnitude 7.2 to 8.5.[3] or 6.87 to 7.9.[4] The International Variable Star Index finds a period of approximately 384 days from ASAS-3 and visual observations, but also gives a possible period of 108 days.[4] Another analysis finds a primary period of 408±50 d and a longer secondary period of 4,400±2,000 d.[10][3]
The physical characteristics of IX Carinae are also only known approximately, partly because of an uncertain distance. The effective temperature is around 3,600 K,[11][8] while its bolometric luminosity is between 34,000 L☉[12] and 134,000 L☉.[11] It is one of the largest stars with a radius of approximately 600 R☉ (420,000,000 km; 2.8 au). If placed at the center of the Solar System, it would extend close to the orbit of the outer asteroid belt.[7]
IX Carinae has been listed as a candidate supernova close enough to Earth that pre-collapse neutrinos could be detected, allowing for observations of the star to be made from before the supernova explosion.[13]
^Gontcharov, G. A.; Massey, Philip; Olsen, K. A. G.; Plez, Bertrand; Josselin, Eric; Maeder, Andre; Meynet, Georges (2006). "Pulkovo Compilation of Radial Velocities for 35 495 Hipparcos stars in a common system". Astronomy Letters. 32 (11): 759–771. arXiv:1606.08053. Bibcode:2006AstL...32..759G. doi:10.1134/S1063773706110065. S2CID119231169.
^Percy, John R.; Sato, Hiromitsu (2009). "Long Secondary Periods in Pulsating Red Supergiant Stars". Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada. 103 (1): 11. Bibcode:2009JRASC.103...11P.