Xamidimura is a hot blue-white eclipsing binary in the Scorpion’s tail, two stars so close that they pull each other out of round.
At a glance
| type | blue-white star (class B) |
|---|---|
| distance from the Sun | 501 light-years (154 pc) |
| its light left it | 501 years ago |
| luminosity | 10,500 × the Sun |
| radius | 6.12 × the Sun |
| surface temperature | 23,600 K |
| constellation | Scorpius (Scorpion) |
Read off the piece’s own catalogue, the same values it draws with.
About Xamidimura
Xamidimura, Mu¹ Scorpii, is a pair of hot class B stars orbiting so tightly that they are distorted into egg shapes and nearly touch. As they circle, each passes in front of the other, and the light we receive dips and recovers in a steady rhythm.
With its neighbour Mu² Scorpii it forms a pair visible to the eye. Its name comes from the Khoekhoe language of southern Africa, xami di mura, the eyes of the lion, a name for the two stars together.
What you see in the piece
In the piece the pair shows as one point until you fly very close; its brightness on the card is the light of both stars together.
Questions
Is Xamidimura a variable star?
Yes. It is an eclipsing binary: its two stars pass in front of each other, so its brightness dips regularly.
How far away is Xamidimura?
Xamidimura is 501 light-years (154 pc) from the Sun.