The binary nature of this system was suggested by A. Blaauw and T. S. van Albada in 1963.[10] It is a double-lined[11]spectroscopic binary with an
orbital period of 18.6556 days and an
eccentricity of 0.31.[14] The eccentricity is considered unusually large for such a close system.[11] It forms a suspected
eclipsing binary that ranges in brightness from 6.54 down to 6.58.[7]
The primary is a helium-strong, magnetic
chemically peculiar star[15] with a
stellar classification of B1.5 Vp.[5] It has a magnetic field strength of 7,700
G,[16] and the helium concentrations are located at the magnetic poles.[17] V1046 Orionis was found to be a variable star by L. A. Balona in 1997,[11] and is now classified as an
SX Arietis variable.[7] The star undergoes periodic changes in visual brightness,
magnetic field strength, and
spectral characteristics with a cycle time of 0.901175 days – the star's presumed
rotation period.[11] Radio emission has been detected that varies with the rotation period.[17]
The secondary component has an estimated 4.5 times the
mass of the Sun. The class has been estimated as type B6III-IV.[11]
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abcLeone, F.; Catanzaro, G. (March 1999), "Orbital elements of binary systems with a chemically peculiar star", Astronomy and Astrophysics, 343: 273–280,
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abcdefBolton, C. T.; et al. (September 1998), "HD 37017 = V 1046 ORI A double-lined spectroscopic binary with a B2e He-strong magnetic primary", Astronomy and Astrophysics, 337: 183–197,
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^
abLeone, F.; Umana, G. (January 1993), Dworetsky, M. M.; Castelli, F.; Faraggiana, R. (eds.), "Periodic Radio Emission from the Helium Rich Stars HD 37017 and σ Ori E", Peculiar versus Normal Phenomena in A-type and Related Stars. International Astronomical Union, Colloquium No. 138, held in Trieste, Italy, July 1992, vol. 44, no. 138, San Francisco: Astronomical Society of the Pacific, p. 541,
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