Semper simplicissimam, fundamentalem solutionem quaere. Si simpliciter explicare non potes, non intellexisti. (R. Feynman)
Astrophotography by GrandpaJunkrat - ----- V373 CEP
Cosmology from my armchair..............................
I do it metric .............................................................. Location:
bastion@protonmail.com The Netherlands
Bortle 7 - 9
Overview and Scientific Classification
V373 Cep is a young, variable Herbig Ae/Be star located in the star‑forming region surrounding NGC 7129. It is known for its strong emission lines, infrared excess, and irregular brightness variations typical of UXOR‑type young stars. These variations are caused by changing extinction from circumstellar dust structures. V373 Cep is embedded in a complex environment of reflection nebulae, jets, and molecular clouds, making it an especially interesting object for studying early stellar evolution and disk interactions.
Scientific classification
V373 Cep belongs to the class of Herbig Ae/Be stars, young intermediate‑mass stars that have not yet reached the main sequence. In the literature, it is classified as an emission‑line star with strong Hα activity and a pronounced infrared component indicating the presence of a circumstellar disk. The star is listed in catalogs as EM* LkHα 234 and is part of a group of young stellar objects (YSOs) that are still actively accreting material.
Stellar Mass Estimate
The mass of V373 Cep is estimated to be around 2 to 3 solar masses, consistent with typical Herbig Ae stars. The exact value remains uncertain due to strong extinction and the complexity of its environment, but photometric and spectral modeling suggests a star in the lower‑mass range of the Ae/Be category. The presence of a disk and accretion indicators supports the idea that the star has not yet reached its final main‑sequence parameters.
Age Estimate
V373 Cep is extremely young, with an estimated age of less than one million years. It is still in the pre‑main‑sequence phase and shows signs of active accretion, variable extinction, and interaction with surrounding gas and dust. The proximity of other young objects in NGC 7129 reinforces the view that this is a recently formed stellar population in which V373 Cep is one of the most prominent members.
Spectral Energy Distribution (SED) Reconstruction
The SED of V373 Cep shows a pronounced rise in the near and mid‑infrared, caused by thermal emission from warm dust in the circumstellar disk. Optical fluxes are dominated by variable extinction, leading to strong fluctuations at shorter wavelengths. In the infrared, the SED is more stable and displays the typical shape of a Herbig Ae/Be system, with a disk component reflecting both passive heating and possible accretion‑related heating. The combination of optical dimming events and infrared excess fits well with a UXOR‑type system in which dust structures in the inner disk temporarily obscure the star.
