An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics

A luminous → FU Orionis object consisting of two young stars in a → binary system, a → Herbig Be star embedded in a dust cocoon and a less massive component located 0.1 arcsecond south-east. It is associated with a very large-scale and high-velocity → bipolar outflow extending in total 3.6 pc (for a distance of 1150 pc) with radial velocities up to -620 km/sec. The outflow is traced by a → jet and at least 15 → Herbig-Haro objects. In 2008 Z CMa showed the largest “outburst” ever reported in the past 90 years.

See also: → Canis Major.