Observation data Epoch J2000 Equinox J2000 | |
---|---|
Constellation | Auriga |
Right ascension | 05h 38m 38.08510s [1] |
Declination | +30° 29′ 32.7054″ [1] |
Apparent magnitude (V) | 5.406 [2] (6.29 / 6.21) [3] |
Characteristics | |
Spectral type | G8III + A1IV or B9.5V [4] |
U−B color index | +0.25 [5] |
B−V color index | +0.45 [5] |
Variable type | suspected [6] |
Astrometry | |
Proper motion (μ) | RA: -21.32 [1] mas/yr Dec.: -10.10 [1] mas/yr |
Distance | 163 [4] pc |
Absolute magnitude (MV) | −0.29 [7] |
Orbit [4] | |
Primary | 26 Aur A |
Companion | 26 Aur B |
Period (P) | 52.735±0.156 yr |
Semi-major axis (a) | 0.154±0.001" (21.1+3.2 −2.4 AU ) |
Eccentricity (e) | 0.653±0.002 |
Inclination (i) | 124.22±0.29° |
Longitude of the node (Ω) | 127.08±0.38° |
Periastron epoch (T) | 1974.927±0.026 |
Argument of periastron (ω) (secondary) | 309.07±0.14° |
Details | |
26 Aur A | |
Mass | 2.1 ± 1.0 [4] M☉ |
26 Aur B | |
Mass | 3.0 ± 0.4 [4] M☉ |
Other designations | |
Database references | |
SIMBAD | data |
26 Aurigae is a binary star [3] system in the northern constellation of Auriga. It is visible to the naked eye as a faint star with an apparent visual magnitude of 5.41. [2]
The distance to this system remains poorly constrained. The new Hipparcos reduction gives a parallax of 5.76±6.42. [1] The original Hipparcos parallax was given as 7.29±0.96, [8] leading to a distance of 137.2+20.8
−16.0 pc being assumed in many texts. A distance of 163 pc has been derived from fitting the spectrum. [4]
26 Aurigae is a visual binary system, and the two stars orbit each other every 52.735 years with an ellipticity of 0.653 and an angular separation 0.154″ . [4] The system is made of a magnitude 6.29 [3] G-type red giant, and a hotter magnitude 6.21 [3] star that has been classified as an early B-type main-sequence star to an A-type subgiant star. [4] Component A is the cool giant star, the brighter but less massive of the pair. [9] [4] The hotter star is sometimes listed as the primary on the basis of its stronger showing in the blended spectrum. [10]
Beta Cancri, also named Tarf, is the brightest star in the zodiacal constellation of Cancer. It has an apparent visual magnitude of +3.5 and an absolute magnitude of −1.2. Based on parallax measurements obtained during the Hipparcos mission, it is approximately 290 light-years distant from the Sun. An exoplanet, designated Beta Cancri b, is believed to be orbiting the star.
Omicron Serpentis is a solitary star in the Serpens Cauda (tail) section of the equatorial constellation Serpens. Based upon an annual parallax shift of 18.83 mas as seen from Earth, it is located around 173 light years from the Sun. The star is visible to the naked eye with a base apparent visual magnitude of +4.26.
28 Andromedae is a Delta Scuti variable star in the constellation Andromeda. 28 Andromedae is the Flamsteed designation. It also bears the variable star name GN Andromedae. Its apparent magnitude is 5.214, varying by less than 0.1 magnitudes.
15 Arietis is a single variable star in the northern constellation of Aries. 15 Arietis is the Flamsteed designation; it also bears the variable star designation AV Arietis. It has an apparent visual magnitude of 5.74, which is just bright enough to be visible to the naked eye from dark suburban skies. An annual parallax shift of 5.84 mas corresponds to a physical distance of approximately 560 light-years from Earth. At that distance, the star's brightness is reduced by 0.33 in magnitude because of extinction from interstellar gas and dust.
9 Aurigae is a star system in Auriga (constellation). It has an apparent magnitude of about 5, making it visible to the naked eye in many suburban skies. Parallax estimates made by the Hipparcos spacecraft put it at about 85.7 light-years from the solar system.
AR Aurigae, also known by its Flamsteed designation 17 Aurigae, is a binary star in the constellation Auriga. Based on parallax measurements made by the Hipparcos spacecraft, it is approximately 400 light-years from Earth.
21 Cancri is a double star in the northern zodiac constellation of Cancer. It is just visible to the naked eye as a dim, red-hued star with an apparent visual magnitude of 6.08. The star is located around 820 light years away from the Sun, based on parallax. It is moving further from the Earth with a heliocentric radial velocity of 35 km/s.
Kappa Leonis, Latinized from κ Leonis, is a double star in the constellation Leo. It was called Al-minħar al-asad, meaning the Lion's nose. The name is corrupted as Al Minliar al Asad in the Yale Bright Star Catalogue. This star is visible to the naked eye with an apparent visual magnitude of 4.46. It has an annual parallax shift of 16.20 mas as seen from Earth, which provides a distance estimate of about 201 light years. Kappa Leonis is moving away from the Sun with a radial velocity of +28 km/s.
2 Centauri is a single star in the southern constellation of Centaurus, located approximately 183 light-years from Earth. It has the Bayer designation g Centauri; 2 Centauri is the Flamsteed designation. This object is visible to the naked eye as faint, red-hued star with an apparent visual magnitude of 4.19. It is moving away from the Earth with a heliocentric radial velocity of +41 km/s. The star is a member of the HD 1614 supercluster.
ν Persei, Latinized as Nu Persei, is a single star and a suspected variable in the northern constellation of Perseus. It has a yellow-white hue and is visible to the naked eye with an apparent visual magnitude of 3.80. This object is located approximately 560 light-years from the Sun based on parallax but is drifting closer with a radial velocity of −12 km/s.
HD 36678 is single star in the northern constellation of Auriga. This star is dimly visible to the naked eye with an apparent visual magnitude of 5.83. It is located at a distance of approximately 840 light years from the Sun based on parallax. This is an aging red giant star with a stellar classification of M0III. It is currently on the asymptotic giant branch of the HR diagram, and has expanded to ~63 times the radius of the Sun. The star is radiating ~875 times the Sun's luminosity from its enlarged photosphere at an effective temperature of 3,950 K.
Xi Leonis is a solitary star in the zodiac constellation of Leo. It has an apparent visual magnitude of 5.1 and is faintly visible to the naked eye. The distance to this star, as determined by parallax measurements, is roughly 216 light years.
Nu Herculis, Latinized from ν Herculis, is a binary and variable star in the constellation of Hercules. With an apparent magnitude of about 4.4, it is faintly visible to the naked eye. Parallax measurements made by the Hipparcos spacecraft put it at a distance of about 860 light years.
Lambda Cygni is a class B5V star in the constellation Cygnus. Its apparent magnitude is 4.54 and it is approximately 770 light years away based on parallax.
30 Cygni is a class A5III star in the constellation Cygnus. Its apparent magnitude is 4.83 and it is approximately 610 light years away based on parallax.
Upsilon Geminorum, Latinized from υ Geminorum, is a star in the constellation Gemini. It has an apparent visual magnitude of 4.04, which is bright enough to be seen with the naked eye. Based upon an annual parallax shift of 12.04 mas, it is around 270 light years from the Sun. There is a visual companion: a magnitude 13.20 star located at an angular separation of 55.20″ along a position angle of 40°, as of 2008.
1 Geminorum is a star in the constellation Gemini. Its apparent magnitude is 4.15.
Sigma Geminorum is a binary star system in the constellation Gemini, just to the northeast of Pollux. It is visible to the naked eye with an apparent visual magnitude of 4.20. Its annual parallax shift of 26.08 mas indicates that it is located 125 light years from the Sun.
Omicron1 Orionis is a binary star in the northeastern corner of the constellation Orion. It is visible to the naked eye with an apparent visual magnitude of 4.7. Based upon an annual parallax shift of 5.01±0.71 mas, it is located approximately 650 light years from the Sun. At that distance, the visual magnitude of the star is diminished by an interstellar absorption factor of 0.27 due to intervening dust.
25 Serpentis is a star system in the constellation of Serpens Caput. With an apparent magnitude of 5.37, it is just barely visible to the naked eye. The system is estimated to be some 450 light-years based on its parallax.