ArticleslgStudy

astronomy

SU Aurigae

SU Aurigae 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 SU Aurigae rather than just read about it. In short: SU Aurigae is a T Tauri-type variable star in the constellation Auriga. It is located about 500 light-years (150 parsecs) away in the Taurus-Auriga Star Forming Region.

SU Aurigae — main illustration
SU Aurigae — illustration

Key takeaways

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

Reference excerpt

SU Aurigae is a T Tauri-type variable star in the constellation Auriga. It is located about 500 light-years (150 parsecs) away in the Taurus-Auriga Star Forming Region. Its apparent magnitude is 9.30, which is dim enough that it cannot be seen with the unaided eye. In 1907, Henrietta Swan Leavitt discovered that SU Aurigae is a variable star. SU Aurigae's spectral type of G2IIIne means that it is a G-type star with an effective temperature similar to the Sun. The III in the spectral type refers to its luminosity, which is much higher than normal G-type main sequence stars and would put it in the giant star class. However, it is only about 4 million years old, which is relatively young for a star - young protostars like SU Aurigae are luminous because they are larger, not condensing into a normal size until they are older.

SU Aurigae is known to have a circumstellar protoplanetary disk surrounding it, which is typical of many T Tauri stars. SU Aurigae's disk has a high inclination of 62° and is nearly perpendicular to the plane of sky, so orbiting protoplanets or comets may be the cause of why there are drops in the amount of light detected. SU Aurigae's proper motion and distance is similar to AB Aurigae, a better known pre-main-sequence star, meaning that the two may form a very wide binary system; if not, they are still in the same star association.

References

Illustrations

SU Aurigae illustration
SU Aurigae: Light curves for SU Aurigae. The main plot shows the long term variability, and the inset plot shows the short term variability measured by the MOST spacecraft. Adapted from Grankin et al. (2018)[8] and Cody et al. (2013)[9]
Light curves for SU Aurigae. The main plot shows the long term variability, and the inset plot shows the short term variability measured by the MOST spacecraft. Adapted from Grankin et al. (2018)[8] and Cody et al. (2013)[9]

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with SU Aurigae

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what SU Aurigae 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 SU Aurigae 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 SU Aurigae 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 SU Aurigae

In research
SU Aurigae 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 SU Aurigae 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
SU Aurigae is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Auriga, Durchmusterung objects, Henry Draper Catalogue objects, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life
Look for SU Aurigae 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.
Ask Teacher Smith questions about this articleOpens your AI tutor with a question about “SU Aurigae” →

Affiliate

Preply — study more efficiently by working with a personal tutor. 50% off.

How to study SU Aurigae in 20 minutes

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

Frequently asked questions

What is SU Aurigae in simple terms?

SU Aurigae is a T Tauri-type variable star in the constellation Auriga. It is located about 500 light-years (150 parsecs) away in the Taurus-Auriga Star Forming Region.

Why does SU Aurigae 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 SU Aurigae?

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 SU Aurigae.

Tags

  • Auriga
  • Durchmusterung objects
  • Henry Draper Catalogue objects
  • Hipparcos objects
  • Objects with variable star designations
  • T Tauri stars

Keep exploring