α and β Crucis as seen by BRITE and SMEI

Piotr Kołaczek-Szymański

α and β Crucis (Acrux and Mimosa respectively) are the brightest stars in the constellation of the Southern Cross. Both of them are multiple stars harboring the eccentric spectroscopic binary systems, containing massive primary components of early-B spectral type. The photometric variability of the former was not yet known while the latter is well-known β Cep-type pulsator. Using BRITE and SMEI data, the new pulsation frequencies were discovered showing that Acrux and Mimosa are so-called hybrid pulsators with both g and p modes present.

Proceedings of the Polish Astronomical Society, vol. 10, 52-54 (2020)

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