astronomy

Gliese 402

Gliese 402 is a astronomy topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Gliese 402 rather than just read about it. In short: Gliese 402 is a star located 22.722 light-years (6.967 parsecs) from the Solar System. Located in the constellation of Leo, it is also known as Wolf 358 from its entry in Max Wolf's star catalogue.

Key takeaways

Gliese 402 belongs to astronomy; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Gliese 402 to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Gliese 402 from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Gliese 402 is a star located 22.722 light-years (6.967 parsecs) from the Solar System. Located in the constellation of Leo, it is also known as Wolf 358 from its entry in Max Wolf's star catalogue. Gliese 402 is a BY Draconis variable, with its apparent magnitude varying between 11.64 and 11.70. The brightness changes are due to starspots and chromospheric activity combined with the rotation of the star. It has been given the variable star designation EE Leonis. Like the vast majority of stars in the Solar neighborhood, Gliese 402 is a dim red dwarf. With an apparent magnitude +11.66, it is far too dim to be seen with the naked eye; it can only be seen with a telescope. Its luminosity is only 0.73% that of the Sun. Its spectral type is M4V and its effective temperature is 3,240 K. Its physical characteristics are quite similar to those of Ross 128 or Krüger 60 B, with a radius of about 26.8% of the Sun. Its projected rotation speed is at most 2.3 km/s or less, while its metallicity is slightly lower than that of the Sun. The stars nearest to Gliese 402 are Gliese 393, at 3.43 light-years, Gliese 408, at 6.26 light-years, and Gliese 382 at 6.66 light-years.

See also Wolf 359 – next entry on Max Wolf's catalogue

References

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Gliese 402

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Gliese 402 claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In astronomy, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Gliese 402 before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Gliese 402 ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Gliese 402

In research: Gliese 402 appears in astronomy research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Gliese 402 in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Gliese 402 is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Gliese and GJ objects, Hipparcos objects, Leo (constellation), so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Gliese 402 outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Gliese 402 in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Gliese 402 means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Gliese 402 out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Gliese 402 in simple terms?

Gliese 402 is a star located 22.722 light-years (6.967 parsecs) from the Solar System. Located in the constellation of Leo, it is also known as Wolf 358 from its entry in Max Wolf's star catalogue.

Why does Gliese 402 matter?

Because it connects several astronomy ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Gliese 402?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Gliese 402.