Delta3 Tauri


Delta3 Tauri is a binary star system in the zodiac constellation of Taurus. Based upon an annual parallax shift of 21.96 mas as seen from Earth, it is located roughly 149 light years distant from the Sun. It is visible to the naked eye with a combined apparent visual magnitude of +4.32. δ3 Tauri is separated from δ1 Tauri by 0.72° on the sky. This star also has the traditional Latin name Cleeia, from the Greek Kleeia, who was one of the Hyades sisters. It is considered a member of the Hyades cluster.
In Chinese, 畢宿, meaning Net, refers to an asterism consisting δ3 Tauri, ε Tauri, δ1 Tauri, γ Tauri, Aldebaran, 71 Tauri and λ Tauri. Consequently, the Chinese name for δ3 Tauri itself is 畢宿二, "the Second Star of Net".
The magnitude 4.35 primary, component A, appears to be an A-type subgiant star with a stellar classification of A2 IV. It is a candidate blue straggler and shows characteristics of an Am star. Abt gave it a classification of A2kA3hA5m, indicating that the spectrum displays the calcium K-line of an A2 star, the hydrogen lines of an A3 star and the metal lines of an A5 star. It is deficient in scandium but has enhanced iron peak and heavy elements. Although suspect of variability in the past, Delta3 Tauri A was subsequently determined to be photometrically constant.
The companion, component B, is a magnitude 8.37 star at an angular separation of 1.80 arc seconds along a position angle of 341°, as of 2010. At 77 arcseconds away is a magnitude 11.12 visual companion, designated component C.