Semper simplicissimam, fundamentalem solutionem quaere. Si simpliciter explicare non potes, non intellexisti. (R. Feynman)
Astrophotography by GrandpaJunkrat - ----- TIC 322312876
Cosmology from my armchair..............................
I do it metric .............................................................. Location:
bastion@protonmail.com The Netherlands
Bortle 7 - 9
Overview and Scientific Classification
TIC 322312876, identified in SIMBAD as 2MASS J21425625+6606021, is classified as an Orion Variable, a group of young, irregularly varying pre‑main‑sequence stars commonly found in active star‑forming regions. Its additional classifications as a young stellar object, emission‑line star, X‑ray source, and near‑infrared source indicate a system with strong magnetic activity, ongoing accretion, and circumstellar dust. The star is faint in the optical but significantly brighter in the near‑infrared, consistent with a young object still partially embedded in its natal environment.
Scientific classification
The combination of object types, Orion Variable (Or), Young Stellar Object (YO), emission‑line star (Em*), and X‑ray source. places TIC 322312876 firmly within the class of low‑mass pre‑main‑sequence stars, likely of the T Tauri type. Its infrared brightness and emission‑line activity suggest the presence of a circumstellar disk, while the X‑ray detection points to strong magnetic activity typical of young, contracting stars. The Gaia classification as a stellar point source confirms its nature as a single star rather than an extended object.
Stellar Mass Estimate
With a Gaia parallax of approximately 1.10 mas, TIC 322312876 lies at a distance of roughly 900–950 parsecs. Its optical faintness (V ≈ 15.75, G ≈ 14.97) combined with strong near‑infrared emission (J ≈ 12.42, H ≈ 11.66, K ≈ 11.41) suggests a low‑mass pre‑main‑sequence star. Based on its luminosity, variability type, and infrared excess, a mass in the range of 0.5 to 1.0 solar masses is the most plausible estimate, consistent with typical T Tauri stars in similar environments.
Age Estimate
As an Orion Variable and young stellar object, TIC 322312876 is expected to be extremely young, with an age of only a few million years. The presence of emission lines, irregular variability, and infrared excess all indicate that the star is still in the pre‑main‑sequence phase and has not yet reached the main sequence. A reasonable age estimate places it between 1 and 5 million years, depending on the degree of accretion and disk evolution.
Spectral Energy Distribution (SED) Reconstruction
The available photometry shows a steep rise from the optical into the near‑infrared, with the star brightening by more than three magnitudes between the V and K bands. This strong reddening and infrared excess indicate the presence of warm circumstellar dust, likely in a protoplanetary disk. A reconstructed SED would show a heavily reddened stellar photosphere at short wavelengths, transitioning into a pronounced infrared excess characteristic of Class II pre‑main‑sequence stars. The SED morphology is consistent with a young, disk‑bearing star undergoing variable extinction and accretion.
