Epsilon Cancri
Brightest star of the Beehive Cluster, a multiple system.
Epsilon Cancri is a white-hued multiple star system in the zodiac constellation of Cancer. It is the brightest member of the Beehive Cluster, with an apparent visual magnitude of +6.29, near the lower limit of naked-eye visibility. The system is approximately 606 light-years from the Sun and is moving away with a radial velocity of +30 km/s.
Quick Facts
- Bayer designation
- ε Cancri
- Apparent visual magnitude
- +6.29
- Distance from sun
- approximately 606 ly
- Radial velocity
- +30 km/s
- Age of system
- around 637 million years
Facts from the source article.
Nomenclature
The Bayer designation ε Cancri originally referred to the entire Beehive Cluster. In his Uranometria, Bayer cited the name Melleff or Meeleph for the cluster, from Arabic Al Ma'laf, the Stall. As Meleph, this name is now applied specifically to the star Epsilon Cancri Aa, approved by the IAU Working Group on Star Names on 5 September 2017.
Properties
Epsilon Cancri A is a double-lined spectroscopic binary with an orbital period of 35.14 days and eccentricity of 0.42. Its stellar classification is A5 III, but the spectrum shows the chemically peculiar characteristics of an Am star, with a more complete classification of kA3hA5mF0. Despite the giant spectral type, evolutionary models indicate the star is still on the main sequence, near the end of hydrogen burning. HD 73711 is another Am star, classified as F0 III from hydrogen lines but with a full classification of kA3hA5mF0; models suggest it too remains on the main sequence.
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