2 Camelopardalis is a triple star[6] system in the northern circumpolar constellation of Camelopardalis, next to the southern constellation border with Perseus. It is dimly visible to the naked eye with a combined apparent visual magnitude of 5.36.[2] The system is located at a distance of about 213 light-years (65 parsecs) from the Sun, based on its parallax.[1] It is drifting further away with a radial velocity of +20 km/s.[4]
| Observation data Epoch J2000 Equinox J2000 | |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Camelopardalis |
| Right ascension | 04h 39m 58.06187s[1] |
| Declination | +53° 28′ 22.4654″[1] |
| Apparent magnitude (V) | 5.36[2] |
| Characteristics | |
| A | |
| Spectral type | A8V[3] |
| U−B color index | +0.05[2] |
| B−V color index | +0.34[2] |
| Astrometry | |
| Radial velocity (Rv) | +20.1±3.2[4] km/s |
| Proper motion (μ) | RA: +44.269[1] mas/yr Dec.: −77.004[1] mas/yr |
| Parallax (π) | 15.3220 ± 0.3790 mas[1] |
| Distance | 213 ± 5 ly (65 ± 2 pc) |
| Orbit[5] | |
| Primary | 2 Cam A |
| Companion | 2 Cam B |
| Period (P) | 26.34 ± 0.05 yr |
| Semi-major axis (a) | 0.1727 ± 0.0023″ |
| Eccentricity (e) | 0.846 ± 0.005 |
| Inclination (i) | 113.3 ± 3.4° |
| Longitude of the node (Ω) | 12.6 ± 2.5° |
| Periastron epoch (T) | B 1988.98 ± 0.03 |
| Argument of periastron (ω) (secondary) | 42.9 ± 2.6° |
| Orbit[5] | |
| Primary | 2 Cam AB |
| Companion | 2 Cam C |
| Period (P) | 660 yr |
| Semi-major axis (a) | 1.666 ± 0.019″ |
| Eccentricity (e) | 0.405 ± 0.015 |
| Inclination (i) | 132.5 ± 1.9° |
| Longitude of the node (Ω) | 286.2 ± 1.8° |
| Periastron epoch (T) | B 2011.7 ± 2.7 |
| Argument of periastron (ω) (secondary) | 105.1 ± 5.4° |
| Details[5] | |
| A | |
| Mass | 1.94 M☉ |
| B | |
| Mass | 1.45 M☉ |
| C | |
| Mass | 1.5 M☉ |
| Other designations | |
| Database references | |
| SIMBAD | 2 Cam |
| 2 Cam AB | |
| 2 Cam C | |
The primary member of 2 Camelopardalis, designated component A, is an A-type main-sequence star with a spectral type of A8V. It has an apparent magnitude of 5.86, and has a secondary with an apparent magnitude of 7.35, designated component B.[7] The two orbit each other on a very eccentric orbit with a period of 26.34 years.[5] Further out, there is an eight-magnitude companion (designated component C), orbiting once every few hundred years.[5] As the third star was previously thought to be relatively massive for its luminosity, it was suspected of being a binary star itself,[8] but the current estimate of component C's magnitude as a single star matches its absolute magnitude.[5]