Wolf 359 facts for kids

Wolf 359 is a small, cool star called a red dwarf. It is found in the Leo constellation. Max Wolf first measured it in 1919.

This star is about 7.8 light years away from Earth. It looks very dim from Earth, with an apparent magnitude of 13.5. You need a big telescope to see it.

Wolf 359 is one of the closest stars to our Solar System. Only a few stars are nearer. These include the Alpha Centauri system (with Proxima Centauri), Barnard's Star, and WISE 1049-5319.

About Wolf 359

Wolf 359 is one of the dimmest and lightest stars we know. Its outer layer, called the photosphere, is where it gives off light. This layer has a temperature of about 2,800 K. This temperature is cool enough for different chemical compounds to form.

Scientists can see signs of compounds like water and titanium(II) oxide in the star's spectrum. This is done by looking at absorption lines.

Magnetic Activity

The surface of Wolf 359 has a strong magnetic field. This field is even stronger than the average magnetic field on our Sun. Because of magnetic activity, Wolf 359 is a flare star.

A flare star has sudden, bright bursts of light that last for several minutes. These flares also release strong bursts of X-ray and gamma ray radiation.

Star Age and Companions

Wolf 359 is a relatively young star. It is less than a billion years old. Scientists have not found any other stars or planets orbiting it. They also haven't found any disks of space dust or rocks around it.

Images for kids

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  Wolf 359 is the orange-hued star located just above the center of this 2009 astrophotograph.

See also

In Spanish: Wolf 359 para niños