Miram (Eta Persei): A Gold and Sapphire Binary on Winter Nights

Miram is one of the prettiest binary stars in our galaxy and makes its home in the constellation Perseus. The primary gold-colored star called Eta Persei A is a supergiant star. Its diameter is more than 200 times that of our sun. If we could place the star in our solar system, it would reach all the way to our earth.

The dimmer, yet still beautiful, blue star called Eta Persei B is a dwarf star, and may be too far away from Eta A to be a true companion. Either way, these two stars make for a gem reminiscent of the stunning Albireo.

My Observations

With an outside temperature of 19F and a humidity of 93%, this New Year’s Eve is fridged. When 2021 started, we were hopeful the end of the pandemic was in sight. But no, a new version of the virus (called Omicron) seems to be infecting everyone. Tonight, as I stand freezing in the snow trying to get a little stargazing in between small patches of clouds, I’m grateful for life and for this moment of clear skies during what has been such a cloudy winter.

Miram reminds me of the beauty in a cold universe. The golden hue of the primary star contrasts powerfully with the secondary sapphire. I will for sure revisit this gem when the nights are warmer.

Key Stats

Constellation	Perseus
Best Viewing	Late Fall / Winter
Visual Magnitude	+3.7, +8.5
Absolute Visual Magnitude	-3.40
Distance from Earth	1300 ly
Separation	30.4″ | 8190 AU
Orbital Period	Unknown
Milky Way Location	Orion Spur
My Viewing Grade	A

Sources and Notes

The banner image of the binary is by David Ritter and shared under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.

Sketch by Wayne McGraw

AKA: η Persei, Eta Per, η Per