A CN star has unusually strong cyano radical bands in its spectrum compared to other stars of its stellar class. Cyano radical is a simple molecule of one

carbon Carbon () is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol, symbol C and atomic number 6. It is nonmetallic and tetravalence, tetravalent—meaning that its atoms are able to form up to four covalent bonds due to its valence shell exhibiting 4 ...

atom and one

nitrogen Nitrogen is a chemical element; it has Symbol (chemistry), symbol N and atomic number 7. Nitrogen is a Nonmetal (chemistry), nonmetal and the lightest member of pnictogen, group 15 of the periodic table, often called the Pnictogen, pnictogens. ...

atom, with absorption bands around wavelengths 388.9 and . This group of stars was first noticed in certain G and K-type giants by J. J. Nassau and W. W. Morgan in 1949, then a further 4,150 were identified by Nancy G. Roman in 1952. They can be distinguished from barium stars by the lack of

s-process The slow neutron-capture process, or ''s''-process, is a series of nuclear reactions, reactions in nuclear astrophysics that occur in stars, particularly asymptotic giant branch stars. The ''s''-process is responsible for the creation (nucleosynt ...

elements, and from other types of luminous stars by the general weakness of features other than the CN lines. The excess strength of the CN bands is classified by a positive index with increments of 0.5. A value of zero indicates a normal star and is not listed in the stellar class, while the peak value of 4 is essentially similar to a

carbon star A carbon star (C-type star) is typically an asymptotic giant branch star, a luminous red giant, whose Stellar atmosphere, atmosphere contains more carbon than oxygen. The two elements combine in the upper layers of the star, forming carbon monox ...

. Stars classified in the MK system with a CN suffix are considered "strong" CN stars. Hence, 42 Librae is a strong CN star with a class of . A value of 0.5 is also termed a marginal CN star, which corresponds to the typical giant stars in the Hyades cluster.

References

{{star * Cyanides