B Persei

b Persei
Location of b Persei (circled)
Observation data
Epoch J2000.0      Equinox J2000.0
Constellation Perseus
Right ascension 04h 18m 14.61690s
Declination +50° 17 43.8058
Apparent magnitude (V) 4.52 - 4.68
Characteristics
Spectral type A1III
B−V color index +0.04
Variable type Ellipsoidal
Astrometry
Radial velocity (Rv)19.8±0.9 km/s
Proper motion (μ) RA: 45.42±0.40 mas/yr
Dec.: −56.72±0.32 mas/yr
Parallax (π)10.40±0.35 mas
Distance310 ± 10 ly
(96 ± 3 pc)
Absolute magnitude (MV)0.3
Orbit
PrimaryA or Aa
CompanionB or Ab
Period (P)1.52735997±0.00000036 days
Eccentricity (e)0.0
Inclination (i)22±3 or 55±3°
Periastron epoch (T)2450001.0931±0.003
Orbit
PrimaryAB
CompanionC or Ac
Period (P)703.06±0.07 days
Semi-major axis (a)26.22±0.06 mas
Eccentricity (e)0.185±0.003
Inclination (i)90.5±0.1°
Longitude of the node (Ω)120.0±0.1°
Periastron epoch (T)2440080±3
Argument of periastron (ω)
(secondary)
212±1°
Details
A or Aa
Mass2.25 M
Radius3.2 R
Luminosity59 L
Temperature9,000 K
Rotational velocity (v sin i)81 km/s
B or Ab
Mass0.56 M
Radius0.25 R
Luminosity4.5 - 5.9 L
Temperature6,700 K
C or Ac
Mass1.24 M
Luminosity2 L
Other designations
BD+49°1150, GC 5174, HD 26961, HR 1324, HIP 20070, SAO 24531
Database references
SIMBADdata

b Persei (also known as HD 26961) is a spectroscopic triple star in the constellation Perseus. Its apparent magnitude is 4.60, making it visible to the naked eye. It is about 320 light years away.

In addition to the primary, an A-type giant, there is a smaller and cooler companion in a 1.53 day orbit, probably an F-class star around absolute magnitude 3.0, and a more distant companion (star C or Ac) in an orbit calculated to be 702 days long. The close binary pair forms a rotating ellipsoidal variable with a 1.53 day period. Star C forms an Algol-type variable system with the close binary, showing both primary eclipses (when star C passes in front of the inner pair) and secondary eclipses (when the inner pair passes in front of star C). Timings of the eclipses show a 704.5-day period.