Sigma Orionis (original) (raw)

Sigma Orionis is just below Orion's Belt.

This is a young binary system consisting entirely of dwarf stars several million years old. Jim Kaler points out that only the AB orbit is stable; the others will eventually part the system. The whole system will end when the primary explodes, sending B out on its own (if it doesn't explode as well). The other components will dwindle and slowly expire as white dwarfs.

While the system as a whole goes under the binary label Struve 762, the AB component is actually BU 1032:
AB: 4.1, 5.3; 81�, 0.3".
AB-C: 3.8, 8.8; 240�, 10.7".
AB-D: 3.8, 6.6; 84�, 12.9".
AB-E: 3.8, 6.3; 62�, 41.3"
AB-F: 3.8, 7.9; 324�, 209.6".