Not to be confused with Zeta Chamaeleontis.

Z Chamaeleontis (abbreviated Z Cha) is a dwarf nova variable star system approximately 394 light-years[1] away from the Sun, where two stars orbit each other every 1.78 hours. The system comprises an eclipsing white dwarf and red dwarf and possibly a yet unconfirmed third low-mass substellar companion.[2]

Z Chamaeleontis was discovered in 1904, during the work required to produce the Astrographic Catalogue. By 1905 a period of variability had been derived.[3] in 1969, George S. Mumford discovered that in addition to being a dwarf nova, the star is an eclipsing variable.[4]

Substellar companion

Dai et al. (2009) invoke the presence of a third object to explain orbital period variations with an apparent periodicity of roughly 28 years. The third body could yield a minimum mass 20 times greater than Jupiter and be located 9.9 Astronomical Units away from the dwarf nova, being likely a low-mass brown dwarf.

See also

References

  1. ^
  2. ^ Dai; Qian, Shengbang; Lajús, Eduardo FernáNdez (26 August 2009). "Evidence of a Brown Dwarf in the Eclipsing Dwarf Nova Z Chamaeleonis". The Astrophysical Journal. 703 (1): 109–113. Bibcode:2009ApJ...703..109D. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/703/1/109
  3. ^ Cannon, Annie J. (1907). "Second catalogue of variable stars". Annals of Harvard College Observatory. 55: 1-94. Bibcode:1907AnHar..55....1C. Retrieved 26 January 2025.
  4. ^ Mumford, G. S. (March 1969). "Z Chameleontis". Information Bulletin on Variable Stars. 337: 1. Bibcode:1969IBVS..337....1M. Retrieved 26 January 2025.