Gravitationally bound systems of three or more stars, such as triple, quadruple and quintuple systems, often with pairs of stars orbiting each other inside a wider orbit. A system belongs here when its cited article calls it a triple, quadruple, quintuple or other multiple star system. Members are placed here from their own cited Wikipedia articles, each with a verbatim supporting quotation, so a reader can check why an entry sits in this group. The grouping forms part of the browse path for this section of the atlas.
All Triple and Higher-Order Star Systems
Filter Results11 entries
Sources
Alpha Centauri (Wikipedia)
Has Member: Alpha Centauri, Lead sentenceQuote, Has Member: Alpha Centauri, Lead sentence
It consists of three stars: Rigil Kentaurus (α Centauri A), Toliman (α Centauri B), and Proxima Centauri (α Centauri C).
Eta Carinae (Wikipedia)
Has Member: Eta Carinae, Lead sentenceQuote, Has Member: Eta Carinae, Lead sentence
Eta Carinae (η Carinae, abbreviated to η Car), formerly known as η Argus, is a stellar system containing at least two stars with a combined luminosity greater than five million times that of the Sun, located around 7,500 light-years (2,300 parsecs) away in the constellation Carina.
Alnitak (Wikipedia)
Has Member: Alnitak, Lead sentenceQuote, Has Member: Alnitak, Lead sentence
Alnitak is a triple star system in the constellation of Orion.
Mintaka (Wikipedia)
Has Member: Mintaka, Lead sentenceQuote, Has Member: Mintaka, Lead sentence
Mintaka , designation Delta Orionis (δ Orionis, abbreviated Delta Ori, δ Ori) and 34 Orionis (34 Ori), is a quintuple star system some 1,200 light-years away in the constellation of Orion.
Algol (Wikipedia)
Has Member: Algol, Lead sentenceQuote, Has Member: Algol, Lead sentence
Algol , designated Beta Persei (β Persei, abbreviated Beta Per, β Per), known colloquially as the Demon Star, is a bright multiple star in the constellation of Perseus and one of the first non-nova variable stars to be discovered.
Regulus (Wikipedia)
Has Member: Regulus, Lead sentenceQuote, Has Member: Regulus, Lead sentence
Regulus appears single, but is actually a quadruple star system composed of four stars that are organized into two pairs.
Spica (Wikipedia)
Has Member: Spica, Lead sentenceQuote, Has Member: Spica, Lead sentence
It is triple star system, containing an inner spectroscopic binary and rotating ellipsoidal variable; a system whose two stars are so close together they are egg-shaped rather than spherical, and can only be separated by their spectra.
Wikipedia: Castor (star)
Has Member: Castor, Lead sentenceQuote, Has Member: Castor, Lead sentence
Castor appears singular to the naked eye, but it is actually a sextuple star system organized into three binary pairs.
Capella (Wikipedia)
Has Member: Capella, Lead sentenceQuote, Has Member: Capella, Lead sentence
Although it appears to be a single star to the naked eye, Capella is actually a quadruple star system organized in two binary pairs stars: the primary pair Capella Aa and Capella Ab; and the secondary pair Capella H and Capella L.
Mizar (Wikipedia)
Has Member: Mizar, Lead: kind of objectQuote, Has Member: Mizar, Lead: kind of object
is itself a quadruple star system
Fomalhaut (Wikipedia)
Has Member: Fomalhaut, Lead: kind of objectQuote, Has Member: Fomalhaut, Lead: kind of object
Fomalhaut constitutes a triple star system
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