Triple star in Cassiopeia
The separation of the two close components (A and B) of this triple star is just over 2", so high magnification is required to separate them. These two are about 100 astronomical units apart, and have an orbital period of some 800 years. The C component is much farther away, but the details of its orbit are uncertain.
There are actually at least five stars in this system, for both the A and C components have close companions, too close to be observed through backyard telescopes.
| Magnitudes | 4.6, 6.9, 8.4 |
| Separation | 2.3", 7.3" |
| Distance (light yrs) | 140 |
| Right Ascension | 2:29.0 |
| Declination | +67 24 |
Image details: 15 exposures of 1/20 second, taken with a Canon T6i camera at ISO 12800 through a Meade 14” LX850 telescope at f/16.
October 2023