19 Lyrae

Lore & Background

19 Lyrae was discovered to vary in light by J. E. Winzer in 1974. It is classified as an Alpha2 Canum Venaticorum-type variable, with a period of either 1.160898 days or 7.0980 days, and its magnitude ranges from 5.91 to 5.98. The star exhibits abundance anomalies in silicon and strontium, characteristic of magnetic chemically-peculiar stars.

The star has a moderate rotation rate, with a projected rotational velocity of 35 km/s. Stellar models estimate it has 3.8 times the mass of the Sun and 6.4 times its radius, radiating 397 times the Sun's luminosity from a photosphere at an effective temperature of about 11,194 K. Its absolute magnitude is −1.24. 19 Lyrae is moving closer to Earth with a heliocentric radial velocity of −30 km/s, and may come as close as 51.12 parsecs in about 8.5 million years.

Reader's Guide

19 Lyrae holds significance as a magnetic chemically-peculiar star of the Alpha2 Canum Venaticorum type, a class of variables whose light changes are tied to strong magnetic fields and uneven surface distributions of elements. Its discovery by J. E. Winzer in 1974 added to the catalog of such stars, which are important for studying stellar magnetism and chemical diffusion processes. The star's abundance anomalies in silicon and strontium provide clues to the physical mechanisms operating in its atmosphere. Its moderate rotation and well-measured physical parameters—mass, radius, luminosity, and temperature—make it a useful object for testing stellar evolution models of intermediate-mass stars. The star's future close approach to Earth, reaching about 51.12 parsecs in roughly 8.5 million years, offers a long-term perspective on its motion through the galaxy. As a naked-eye variable, it also serves as an accessible target for amateur astronomers interested in observing the subtle brightness changes of chemically peculiar stars.

Did You Know?

• 19 Lyrae is also designated V471 Lyr.
• Its light variations were discovered by J. E. Winzer in 1974.
• The star may come as close as 51.12 pc to Earth in about 8.5 million years.
• It has abundance anomalies in silicon and strontium.