YZ Cassiopeiae

YZ Cas
Location of YZ Cassiopeiae (circled)
Observation data
Epoch J2000      Equinox J2000
Constellation Cassiopeia
A
Right ascension 00h 45m 39.0777s
Declination +74° 59 17.063
Apparent magnitude (V) 5.653
B
Right ascension 00h 45m 42,1503s
Declination +74° 58 43.242
Apparent magnitude (V) 11.23
Characteristics
A
Spectral type A2IV (A1Vm + F2V)
U−B color index +0.07
B−V color index +0.05
Variable type Algol
B
Spectral type F2V
U−B color index +0.64
B−V color index +0.94
Astrometry
Radial velocity (Rv)+8.90±0.4 km/s
Proper motion (μ) RA: 15.07 mas/yr
Dec.: 22.17 mas/yr
Parallax (π)11.24±0.55 mas
Distance103.8 pc
Absolute magnitude (MV)+0.251
Orbit
CompanionTYC 4307-2168-1
Period (P)86 580 yr
Orbit
PrimaryAa
CompanionAb
Period (P)4.467 days
Semi-major axis (a)17.47 R
Eccentricity (e)0.0
Inclination (i)88.332°
Details
Aa
Mass2.308 M
Radius2.547 R
Luminosity41.69 L
Surface gravity (log g)3.988 cgs
Temperature9,200 K
Rotational velocity (v sin i)29.2 km/s
Ab
Mass1.325 M
Radius1.359 R
Luminosity3.34 L
Surface gravity (log g)4.311 cgs
Temperature6,890 K
Metallicity [Fe/H]+0.10 dex
Rotational velocity (v sin i)15.0 km/s
Age490 - 550 Myr
Other designations
21 Cassiopeiae, HR 192, BD+74 27, HD 4161, SAO 4216, HIP 3572, GC 891, ADS 624 A, CCDM J00457+7459
Database references
SIMBADdata

YZ Cassiopeiae (21 Cas) is a star system 103.8 parsecs (339 ly) away from Earth, in the constellation Cassiopeia. It comprises three stars: an eclipsing Algol-type binary and a visually fainter star about 3000 AU distant. It is faintly visible to the naked eye under good observing conditions.

The primary star in the YZ Cassiopeiae system is a white subgiant (main sequence) star of spectral type A1Vm and 2.31 solar masses (M) with a less massive main sequence dwarf star of type F2V and 1.35 M.

In 1924, Joel Stebbins announced his discovery that the star, then known as 21 Cassiopeiae, is an eclipsing binary. It was given its variable star designation, YZ Cassiopeiae, in 1925. The apparent magnitude of the eclipsing binary varies from 5.65 to 6.05 with a period of 4.4672 days. Combined, they appear to have a spectral type of A2IV.

The binary has a dimmer (magnitude 9.7 according to Norton, or 10.5 by SIMBAD) companion of 0.8 M orbiting with a period of about 86 580 years.