Castor


The object was found in the following catalogues:
  1. The Bright Star Catalogue, 5th Revised Ed. (Preliminary Version)

  2. SKY2000 - Master Star Catalog

  3. Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory Star Catalog

  4. The Washington Visual Double Star Catalog, 1996.0

  5. 4th Catalog of Orbits of Visual Binaries


catalogues and names Castor, a Gem, 66 Gem, HR 2890, HD 60178, SAO 60198, FK5: 287, WDS 07346+3153B
constellation Gemini

data from The Bright Star Catalogue, 5th Revised Ed. (Preliminary Version) (Hoffleit+, 1991)


object is infrared source (NASA merged infrared catalogue, Schmitz et al., 1978)

position, motion, parallax:

position (J2000) RA: 7h 34min 36sec DEC: +31° 53' 19''
position (J1900) RA: 7h 28min 13sec DEC: +32° 6' 27''
proper motion (J2000) RA: -0,172 arcsec/a DEC: -0,099 arcsec/a
radial velocity -1 km/s
note: spectroscopic binaries, single lined spectra
note: orbital data avaible
rotational velocity 30 km/s (uncertain) (variable)
trigonometric parallax 0,067 arcsec
note (category: dynamical parallaxes): 0.052".

magnitude

visual magnitude 2,88
(V on UBV Johnson system)

spectral / color information

spectral class A2Vm
B-V-magnitude 0,04
U-B-magnitude 0,02
note (category: spectra): K-line indicates A1, metallic lines A5.

double/multiple star system information

number of components of multiple star system 6
separation 2 arcsec
mag difference (of double or brightest multiple) 0,9
component ID AB
note (category: double and multiple data): Binary with HR 2891. Combined colors.
note (category: spectroscopic binaries): ADS 6175B, 2.9283d, K 31.9k/s, V0 -1.2k/s, asini 1.28.

data from SKY2000 - Master Star Catalog (Myers+ 1997)

position, motion, parallax:

position (J2000) RA: 7h 34min 36,13sec DEC: +31° 53' 19,43'' ±0,06 arcsec source: 15
proper motion (J2000) RA: -0,0135 arcsec/a DEC: -0,099 arcsec/a source: 25
radial velocity -1 km/s source: 25
trigonometric parallax 0,067 ±0,007 arcsec source: 25
galactic coord. (B1950) longitude: 187,45° latitude: 22,48°
GCI unit vector (J2000) X: -0,340613 Y: 0,777761 Z: 0,528271

magnitude:

visual 2,88 (observed) source: 25
photovisual 2,9 source: 2

spectral information:

spectral class A0 source: 96
Morgan-Keenan A2Vm source: 25
B-magnitude 2,92 ±0,05 B-V-magnitude 0,04
U-magnitude 2,94 ±0,05 U-B-magnitude 0,02

double/multiple star system information:

source of data: 19
separation between brightest and second brightest component 3,3 arcsec
magnitude difference between brightest and second brightest component 0,9
position angle 73 °

component magnitude spectral class catalogue(s)/name(s)
A 1,98 - Castor, a Geminorum, 66 Gem, HR 2891, HD 60179,
B 2,88 A0 Castor, a Geminorum, 66 Gem, HR 2890, HD 60178, SAO 60198

sources:

2 HD and HDE Catalogs
Cannon, A.J., and E.C. Pickering, Harvard Annals, Vols 91-99, 1918-24, Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University; Cannon, A.J., Harvard Annals, Vol. 100, 1925-36, Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University; and Cannon, A.J., and M. Walton Mayall, Harvard Annals, Vol. 112, 1949, Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University
15 FK5, FK5 Extension and FK5 Supplement
Fricke, W., H. Schwan and T. Lederle, "Fifth Fundamental Catalogue (FK5), Part I. The Basic Fundamental Stars," Veroff. Astronomisches Recheninstitut, No. 32, Heidelberg, Germany, 1988, and Fricke, W., H. Schwan, and T.E. Corbin, "Fifth Fundamental Catalogue (FK5), Part II. The FK5 Extension," Veröff. Astronomisches Recheninstitut, No. 33, Heidelberg, Germany, 1991
19 WDS Catalog
Worley, C.E., and G.G. Douglass, Washington Catalog of Visual Double Stars 1996.0, United States Naval Observatory, 1996
25 Bright Star Catalogue, 5th edition
Hoffleit, D. and Warren, W.H. Jr., The Bright Star Catalogue, 5th Revised Edition, Version 2, 1994
96 SAO or HD/HDE Catalog
Reference from Value 1 or Reference from Value 2

data from Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory Star Catalog (SAO Staff 1966; USNO, ADC 1990)

position and proper motion:

position (J1950) RA: 7h 31min 24,654sec DEC: +31° 59' 59,07'' ±0,003 arcsec
position (J2000) RA: 7h 34min 35,994sec DEC: +31° 53' 18,54''
proper motion J1950 (FK4) RA: -0,0134 arcsec/a DEC: -0,102 arcsec/a ±0,001 arcsec/a in RA
±0,001 arcsec/a in DEC
proper motion J2000 (FK5) RA: -0,0135 arcsec/a DEC: -0,098 arcsec/a
source of proper motion data Determined by source catalog

magnitude:

visual 1,6 (accuracy: 2 decimals)
source of visual magnitude data Combined magnitude of component stars.

spectral information:

spectral class A0
source of spectral data Taken from the Henry Draper Catalogue or no spectrum in source catalog.

remarks for duplicity and variability

Double star - see source catalog for source

catalogues

source catalogue FK4, catalogue number: 287
Durchmusterung BD+32 1581
Boss General Catalogue 10120
Henry Draper Catalogue 60178
The "SAO Catalog" entry refers to two consecutive HD numbers, the lower of which is given.

data from The Washington Visual Double Star Catalog, 1996.0 (Worley+, 1996)

position and proper motion:

position (J2000) RA: 7h 34,6min DEC: +31° 53'
proper motion (J2000) RA: -0,172 arcsec/a DEC: -0,099 arcsec/a

double/multiple star system information:

component year number of measures position angle angular separation magnitude of 1st component magnitude of 2nd component spectral class(es) discoverer code
AB 1819 often 270° 4,5'' 2 2,9 A1V A2Vm STF1110
1992 73° 3,3''
AC 1835 often 164° 72,5'' 2 8,8 - STF1110
1990 - 71,2''
AD 1902 2 222° 204,4'' 2 - - STF1110
BC 1862 16 160° 70,4'' 2,9 8,7 - STF1110
1957 163° 69,5''

discoverer information:

discoverer code discoverer reference
STF1110 Struve, F.G.W. -

notes:

note Alpha Gem. Castor. Mt. Wilson spectral types A2,A2,M1. P = 467yr., a = 6.80", motion retrograde. A and B are both spectroscopic binaries, and C is the eclipsing binary YY Gem, P =0.81d, so the object is sextuple. Castor A is also reported to exhibit x-ray and radio emission.

data from 4th Catalog of Orbits of Visual Binaries (Worley+, 1983)

position:

position (J1900) RA: 7h 28,2min DEC: +32° 6'

magnitudes, spectral classes, orbital elements:

author: P. Muller W. Rabe
date of observation: 1957
magnitude of component A: 1,94 1,94
magnitude of component B: 1,94 1,94
spectral class component B: A1V A1V
spectral class component B: A1V A1V
period [y]: 511,3 420,07
semi-major axis [arcsec]: 7,369 6,295
inclination [deg]: 112,94 115,94
node [deg]: 41,65 (ascending) 40,47 (ascending)
equinox of node: 1900
eccentricity: 0,36 0,33
time of periastron passage: 1950,65 1965,3
dates of ephemeris: 1950-1970 1957-1967
grade: reliable reliable
reference: Bull. Astron. 20, 145; 1956. Astron. Nachr. 284, 101; 1958.
notes Castor, a sextuple system. Both A and B are single-lined spectroscopic binaries with P = 9.21 d and 2.93 d, respectively. Star C (mag. 9.1, M1Ve) is the spectroscopic and detached eclipsing binary YY Gem (P = 0.81 d), 70" from the center of AB and in slow retrograde motion (cf. Heintz, Veroff. Sternw. Munchen 5, 93; 1960).