IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nat/nature/v440y2006i7086d10.1038_nature04661.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Vega is a rapidly rotating star

Author

Listed:
  • D. M. Peterson

    (Stony Brook University)

  • C. A. Hummel

    (European Southern Observatory (ESO)
    US Naval Observatory)

  • T. A. Pauls

    (Naval Research Laboratory)

  • J. T. Armstrong

    (Naval Research Laboratory)

  • J. A. Benson

    (US Naval Observatory, Flagstaff Station)

  • G. C. Gilbreath

    (Naval Research Laboratory)

  • R. B. Hindsley

    (Naval Research Laboratory)

  • D. J. Hutter

    (US Naval Observatory, Flagstaff Station)

  • K. J. Johnston

    (US Naval Observatory)

  • D. Mozurkewich

    (Seabrook Engineering)

  • H. R. Schmitt

    (Naval Research Laboratory
    Interferometrics, Inc.)

Abstract

Falling standards Vega, the second brightest star visible in the northern hemisphere, is used by astronomers as a standard against which other stars are calibrated. The intensity of light throughout its spectrum is known precisely, linking brightness and energy output. But there have been problems with conclusions drawn from such comparisons, leading to suggestions that Vega is a distorted, rapidly rotating star seen pole-on. Peterson et al. now report that Vega is indeed rapidly rotating, and is seen almost pole-on. This resolves the earlier problems, but adds uncertainty to Vega's age and raises the possibility that its debris disk could be much older than was thought.

Suggested Citation

  • D. M. Peterson & C. A. Hummel & T. A. Pauls & J. T. Armstrong & J. A. Benson & G. C. Gilbreath & R. B. Hindsley & D. J. Hutter & K. J. Johnston & D. Mozurkewich & H. R. Schmitt, 2006. "Vega is a rapidly rotating star," Nature, Nature, vol. 440(7086), pages 896-899, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:440:y:2006:i:7086:d:10.1038_nature04661
    DOI: 10.1038/nature04661
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/nature04661
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1038/nature04661?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:440:y:2006:i:7086:d:10.1038_nature04661. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.nature.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.