Omicron Cassiopeiae

ο Cassiopeiae

Map of the Bayer-designated stars in Cassiopeia. Omicron Cassiopeiae is circled.
Observation data
Epoch J2000.0      Equinox J2000.0
Constellation Cassiopeia
Right ascension 00h 44m 43.51867s
Declination +48° 17 03.7136
Apparent magnitude (V) 4.30 - 4.62
Characteristics
Spectral type B2-5III-Ve(shell)
U−B color index −0.53
B−V color index −0.06
Variable type γ Cas
Astrometry
Radial velocity (Rv)−12.36±0.41 km/s
Proper motion (μ) RA: +18.84 mas/yr
Dec.: −7.18 mas/yr
Parallax (π)4.7046±0.4306 mas
Distance690 ± 60 ly
(210 ± 20 pc)
Absolute magnitude (MV)−2.55 / 0.35
Orbit
Primaryο Cas Aa
Companionο Cas Ab
Period (P)1031.55 d
Semi-major axis (a)0.0170 ± 0.0006″
Eccentricity (e)0
Inclination (i)115.0±2.6°
Longitude of the node (Ω)267.3±0.8°
Periastron epoch (T)JD 2452792.2±0.6
Argument of periastron (ω)
(secondary)
0°
Semi-amplitude (K1)
(primary)
21.593±0.071 km/s
Details
ο Cas Aa
Mass6.2 M
Radius8.0 R
Temperature14,000 K
Rotational velocity (v sin i)220 km/s
ο Cas Ab
Mass~5 M
Other designations
22 Cassiopeiae, BD+47°183, FK5 25, HD 4180, HIP 3504, HR 193, SAO 36620, ADS 622, CCDM J00447+4817
Database references
SIMBADο Cas A
ο Cas B

Omicron Cassiopeiae (ο Cas, ο Cassiopeiae) is a triple star system in the constellation Cassiopeia. It is approximately 700 light-years from Earth, based on its parallax. It is visible to the naked eye with a slightly variable apparent magnitude of about 4.5.

The primary component, ο Cassiopeiae A, is a spectroscopic binary, and its close companion completes one orbit every 2.83 years (1,031.55 days). The system has also been resolved with interferometry.

The primary of this spectroscopic binary is a blue-white B-type giant star. It is classified as a Gamma Cassiopeiae variable and its brightness varies from magnitude 4.30 to 4.62. It is rotating at a speed of 375 km/s at its equator (close to its theoretical break-up velocity of 390 km/s), although because the pole is inclined 36 degrees, its projected rotational velocity is only 220 km/s. The nature of the secondary is not well known. Despite the fact that the secondary is 2.9 magnitudes dimmer than the primary, the secondary appears to have a mass similar to, or even larger than primary. It is possible that the secondary is a pair of early A-type main-sequence stars.

A more distant companion, ο Cassiopeiae B, lies 33.6 arcseconds away. It is an eleventh-magnitude, F-type main-sequence star. Because it has a similar proper motion to the central system, it is assumed to be gravitationally bound.