The binary pair has the designation WDS J08405+1933. The primary star is designated Epsilon Cancri and the secondary is HD 73711. Epsilon Cancri is itself a
spectroscopic binary with components designated Aa (also named Meleph[15]) and Ab. HD 73711 is also suspected of being a spectroscopic binary.[16]
Nomenclature
ε Cancri (
Latinised to Epsilon Cancri) is the system's
Bayer designation, which originally referred to the entire cluster.[17]
In 2016, the IAU organized a
Working Group on Star Names (WGSN)[18] to catalog and standardize proper names for stars. The WGSN decided to attribute proper names to individual stars rather than entire
multiple systems.[19] It approved the name Meleph for the component Epsilon Cancri Aa on 5 September 2017 and it is now so included in the List of IAU-approved Star Names.[15]
Properties
The system is moving away from the Sun with a
radial velocity of +30 km/s.[10]
Epsilon Cancri A is a double-lined spectroscopic binary system with an
orbital period of 35.14 days and
eccentricity of 0.42.[11] It has a
stellar classification of A5 III,[5] which matches an
A-typegiant star. The
spectrum displays the
chemically peculiar characteristics of an
Am star.[20] Its spectral type has been listed as kA3hA5mF0, indicating the different spectral types shown by spectral lines of calcium, hydrogen, and other metals.[6] Despite the spectral classification, evolutionary models suggest that the star is still on the
main sequence, although at the very end of its hydrogen-burning life.[1] The age of the system is estimated to be around 637 million years.[11]
HD 73711 is another Am star, given a stellar classification of F0 III on the basis of its hydrogen
absorption lines but a more complete classification of kA3hA5mF0. Although the spectral class would indicate that the star is a
giant, models suggest that it is still fusing hydrogen in its core.[3]
^
abMallama, A. (2014). "Sloan Magnitudes for the Brightest Stars". The Journal of the American Association of Variable Star Observers. 42 (2): 443.
Bibcode:
2014JAVSO..42..443M.
Vizier catalog entry
^
abGlebocki, R.; Gnacinski, P. (2005). "VizieR Online Data Catalog: Catalog of Stellar Rotational Velocities (Glebocki+ 2005)". VizieR On-line Data Catalog: III/244. Originally Published in: 2005csss...13..571G; 2005yCat.3244....0G. 3244.
Bibcode:
2005yCat.3244....0G.
^
abAnders, F.; Khalatyan, A.; Queiroz, A. B. A.; Chiappini, C.; Ardevol, J.; Casamiquela, L.; Figueras, F.; Jimenez-Arranz, O.; Jordi, C.; Monguio, M.; Romero-Gomez, M.; Altamirano, D.; Antoja, T.; Assaad, R.; Cantat-Gaudin, T.; Castro-Ginard, A.; Enke, H.; Girardi, L.; Guiglion, G.; Khan, S.; Luri, X.; Miglio, A.; Minchev, I.; Ramos, P.; Santiago, B. X.; Steinmetz, M. (2022). "VizieR Online Data Catalog: StarHorse2, Gaia EDR3 photo-astrometric distances (Anders+, 2022)". Vizier Online Data Catalog.
Bibcode:
2022yCat.1354....0A.
^Paunzen, E.; et al. (February 2013). "A photometric study of chemically peculiar stars with the STEREO satellites - II. Non-magnetic chemically peculiar stars". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 429 (1): 119–125.
arXiv:1211.1535.
Bibcode:
2013MNRAS.429..119P.
doi:
10.1093/mnras/sts318.
^Wang, J. J; Chen, L; Zhao, J. H; Jiang, P. F (1995). "High-precision study of proper motions and membership of 924 stars in the central region of Praesepe". Astronomy and Astrophysics Supplement. 113: 419.
Bibcode:
1995A&AS..113..419W.