h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Well…
I believe that I saw that one when I was originally putting Vela together. Initially I thought that that was the Vela pulsar on which I’ve already mentioned. But then I couldn’t tie it together as the same thing.

I think that it may well be the same thing, but I‘m not sure. Details vary across the references that I’ve seen, including APOD. I think that it would confuse the issue if you refer to it as a separate entity. I’d leave it out unless you can positively ID it as another entity.

I'm talking about runaway star HD 77581, which is definitely a different entity to the pulsar
I can just add it to the star table, add the link to the references tag (not talk about it at all but have the link there), or leave it out completely, up to you

GB

I was wondering why you call them "candidate" extrasolar planets, if they've been published, is that necessary?

Hi Deke
Can I send them both back to Eds for pending FP?

Sorry but I've been caught up in things a bit today.

If you can add a note about HD 77581 I'd be gratefull. Thanks.

Canditate Stars.
As I understood it that's the term where the method of detection has not established the exoplanet's true mass. It could be that some of these detected 'canditate' planets are in fact 'Brown Dwarfs' and therefore what you are looking at is a binary star system with one 'failed' star, not a true sun/planet system. These candidate planets need more data to confirm what they are.

That's my understanding of it. I could be wrong...

Please submit the two if you've finished with them.

Hey, Pyxus on the FP today

Congratulations FP author



I've returned Puppis, but I'd be grateful if you'd check what I've written about HD 77581 in Vela's stars. I hope I've used the correct analogy. Do two stars collide or would they burst apart? Or shall I make it a little more ambiguous? eg 'until it hits another object'

I see what you mean now about the Vela Pulsar and Vela X-1. I am trying to find out if they are different pulsars, or the same thing

Gamma - Regor - Dolan gives the name as Suhail al Muhlif
http://www.astro.wisc.edu/~dolan/constellations/hr/3207.html
and I can't find your name "Regor", I just wondered whether you wanted me to change that?
It must be some star, for the Arabs to have named it "Spectral Gem of Southern Skies"

The Vela Pulsar and Vela X-1 are not the same object.

I’ve looked up the co-ordinates and they’re different.

Vela X-1
R.A. 9h 02 06.86
Dec -40deg 33 16.91

Vela Pulsar
R.A. 8h 35 20.7
Dec -45deg 10 35.7

The Vela Pulsar is a separate entity while Vela X-1 is in orbit with HD 77581

Gamma Velorum
Regor is the more modern name for gamma2 Velorum, the brighter part of the binary pair.
Al Suhail al Muhlif is translated ’the Suhail of the Oath’ ‘Spectral gem of the Southern Skies ’ was a description given by another recorder.

Suhail is a relatively common name written in various guises Suhel, Suhil Suhilon etc. All are taken from the Arabic translation Al Sahl, the ‘Plain‘. It’s actually more of a description than a name. There rae several in the components of Argo and you might even find one in Carina.

Noone, it seems, knows exactly what Suhail really means. But Regor is Roger spelled backwards and is attributed to honour Roger Chaffee, one of the three astronauts killed in the Apollo 1 launch pad fire.

http://www.astro.uiuc.edu/~kaler/sow/regor.html

Hi Deke
I am happy to leave the star name as Regor

Are you happy with what I have written about the runaway star then? As Vela X-1 and the Vela Pulsar are different objects I don't see the need to change anything

I think that’s mostly OK, but I think the runaway star para needs a small bit of clarification.
I’d suggest:

HD 77581 is a super giant runaway star travelling at an estimated speed of 50 miles per second! Such stars are expelled from their usual orbit by the blast from a supernova. In this case probably from the Pulsar that accompanies it and orbits around it, Vela X-1. This Pulsar is the super-dense remains of a supernova which may have imparted the initial kick and sent HD 77581 on its way. It will continue to 'run away' perhaps until it collides with another star, which, much like a snooker ball impacting another, will disturb the comparatively leisurely stroll of the recipient.

Suggest change the comment in the table to ‘Runaway binary star with Pulsar Vela X-1’

Otherwise Fine.

Howzat?

Thanks for the job. Looks OK to me.

button pressed *sets sails*

*waves off the launch*

Equuleus is in.

A41703338

and congrats, FP author with Puppis

Thanks

So, who gets to do the last one?

Well, the Eds say that everyone who has contributed to the project will get a Uni badge slapped on their PS upon completion of the project. So I've been asking around (discreetly) to see if anyone is up for writing up Caelum. Had no takers so far though

Well if you want someone else in on the project that's fine by me.

As you've been the main driving force behind this, I thought you might like the 'honour'. But if not, and if you have no one else that's interested, then I'll do it, if for no other reason than to get it finished.

I'm off to work now so I'll get back to you this evening.

Have a good day