A day of updates

I’ve come across some (mostly) recent studies that contain new information on the likely ages and/or metallicities of some of the stars I’ve already covered.  Accordingly, I’ve updated the entries for these stars, many of which are within a few dozen light years of Earth.

Here are the studies:

C.A. Beichman et al., “New Debris Disks Around Nearby Main-Sequence Stars: Impact on the Direct Detection of Planets”, Astrophysical Journal 652:1674-1693, 2006 December 1

G. Bryden et al., “Frequency of Debris Disks around Solar-Type Stars: First Results from a Spitzer-MIPS Survey” Astrophys.J.636:1098-1113,2006

C. Flynn and O. Morell, “Metallicities and kinematics of G and K dwarfs”, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Volume 286, Issue 3, pp. 617-625.  Bibliographic Code: 1997MNRAS.286..617F

Eric E. Mamajek and Lynne A. Hildebrand, “Improved Age Estimation for Solar-Type Dwarfs Using Activity-Rotation Diagnostics,” Astrophysical Journal 687:1264-1293, 2008 November 10

And here are the stars:

36 Ophiuchi C (August 8)
HR 8832 (August 14)
Mu Cassiopeiae (August 19)
P Eridani (August 21)
Beta Canum Venaticorum (August 23)
Zeta Tucanae (August 24)
41 Arae (August 30)
Gamma Leporis (August 31)
Beta Comae Berenices (September 1)
Gliese 250 (September 3)
Alpha Mensae (September 6)
Gliese 432 (September 10)
11 Leonis Minoris (September 13)
Zeta Doradus (September 16)
Gliese 86 A (September 18)
Gliese 706 (September 18)
Gliese 309 (September 18)
55 Cancri (September 20)
Gliese 620.1 (September 25)
Iota Piscium (October 8)
Gliese 796 (October 13)
Theta Boötis (October 13)
GJ 1095 (October 22)
GJ 1085 (November 22)
Kappa Reticuli (December 7)

Note that in a few cases, one study contradicts another.  I don’t think this is something that need concern the SF writer unduly; as long as your story doesn’t assume something about a star that can be shown to be flat-out wrong, you’re on safe ground.