GRO J0422+32[1] is an X-ray nova and black hole candidate that was discovered by the BATSE instrument on the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory satellite on 5 August 1992.[4][5] During outburst, it was observed to be stronger than the Crab Nebula gamma-ray source out to photon energies of about 500 keV.[2]

GRO J0422+32
Observation data
Epoch J2000.0      Equinox J2000.0 (ICRS)
Constellation Perseus
Right ascension 04h 21m 42.77s[1]
Declination +32° 54′ 26.7″[1]
Apparent magnitude (V) 13.2
Distance7,800[2] ly
(2,400 pc)
Spectral typeM4.5V[1] + Black hole
Other designations
V518 Per, GRO J0422+33, RLC2006 XB2, Granat 0417+335, Nova Persei 1992, Nova Persei 1993, ZGH2005 OS00676-097731 GRO J0422+32, ZGH2005 XS00676B3-003
Database references
SIMBADdata
A visual band light curve for GRO J0422+32, adapted from Chevalier and Ilovaiski (1995)[3]

The mass of the black hole in GRO J0422+32 falls in the range 3.66 to 4.97 solar masses.[6] This is the smallest yet found for any stellar black hole, and near the theoretical upper mass limit (~2.7 M) for a neutron star. Further analysis in 2012 calculated a mass of 2.1 M, which raises questions as to what the object actually is.[7]

It is also known to have a companion M-type main-sequence star, V518 Per,[8] in the constellation Perseus. It has a magnitude of 13.5 in the B spectral band, and 13.2 in the visible band.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d "GRO J0422+32". SIMBAD. Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg. Retrieved 4 December 2016.
  2. ^ a b Ling, J. C.; Wm; Wheaton, A. (2003). "BATSE Soft γ-Ray Observations of GROJ0422+32". Astrophys. J. 584 (1): 399–413. arXiv:astro-ph/0210673. Bibcode:2003ApJ...584..399L. doi:10.1086/345602. S2CID 118954541.
  3. ^ Chevalier, C.; Ilovaisky, S. A. (May 1995). "CCD photometry of GRO J0422+32 during activity and quiescence". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 297: 103–114. Bibcode:1995A&A...297..103C.
  4. ^ Harmon, B. A.; Fishman, G. J.; Paciesas, W. S.; Briggs, M. S. (1993). "Gro J0422+32". International Astronomical Union Circular (5781): 2. Bibcode:1993IAUC.5781....2H.
  5. ^ McCrosky, R. E.; Mueller, J.; Schmeer, P. (1992). "Gro J0422+32 = GRS 0417+335". International Astronomical Union Circular (5597): 3. Bibcode:1992IAUC.5597....3M.
  6. ^ Gelino, Dawn M.; Harrison, Thomas E. (2003). "GRO J0422+32: The Lowest Mass Black Hole?". The Astrophysical Journal. 599 (2): 1254–1259. arXiv:astro-ph/0308490. Bibcode:2003ApJ...599.1254G. doi:10.1086/379311. S2CID 17785067.
  7. ^ Kreidberg, Laura; Bailyn, Charles D.; Farr, Will M.; Kalogera, Vicky (2012). "Mass Measurements of Black Holes in X-ray Transients: is There a Mass Gap?". The Astrophysical Journal. 757 (36): 17pp. arXiv:1205.1805. Bibcode:2012ApJ...757...36K. doi:10.1088/0004-637x/757/1/36. S2CID 118452794.
  8. ^ General Catalogue of Variable Stars, 3rd ed. (1971) Moscow[page needed]