The magnitude 4.87[4] primary, designated component A, is a B-type main-sequence star with a stellar classification of B2V.[5] During a search for Beta Cephei variables in the southern sky, it was initially classed as a very short period variable.[10] However, this variability was not confirmed by subsequent observations.[11] Samus et al. (2017) now suspect it is a constant star that was assigned a variable designation in haste.[12] It has an estimated age of 12.5 million years with 7.8 times the mass of the Sun.[7] The star is radiating nearly three thousand times the Sun's luminosity from its photosphere at an effective temperature of 21,150 K.[8]
The companion star, component B, was discovered by Scottish astronomer James Dunlop in 1836.[4] It has a class of B9.5V[3] with an apparent magnitude of +6.58. As of 2010, the secondary had an angular separation of 40.1″ from the primary along a position angle of 76°.[4]
^ abHouk, Nancy (1979). Michigan catalogue of two-dimensional spectral types for the HD stars. Vol. 1. Ann Arbor, Michigan: Department of Astronomy, University of Michigan. Bibcode:1978mcts.book.....H.
^Balona, L. A. (March 1982). "Observations of Early-Type Ultra-Short Period Variables". Information Bulletin on Variable Stars. 2120: 1. Bibcode:1982IBVS.2120....1B.
