HD 2767 (HR 122): A Pumpkin Binary Star for Halloween in Andromeda

Nestled within the constellation of Andromeda, the binary star HD 2767 is a pumpkin-colored binary star, making it a perfect target on autumn nights.

HR 2767, first recorded in 1827, is a binary star consisting of an orange giant primary star that shines brightly at magnitude +6. This star is particularly massive, being 14 times larger than our sun, and has a spectral class of K1III, which gives it its warm yellow-orange color. The secondary star is 55 arcseconds away from the primary star, making this binary easy to split with an average backyard telescope. The pretty autumn binary shines from 379 light years away from Earth.

My Observations

It’s been a beautiful week in the Seattle area with clear skies all around. Unfortunately, all good things must end, and tonight marks the end of this streak. Even now, the sky is clear and steady, but tomorrow, on Halloween, the clouds will roll in and say goodbye to the sunny skies. On a brighter note, there is a double star in Andromeda that appears pumpkin-colored, and it’s such an excellent star to visit during autumn. It matches the pumpkins and fallen leaves lying just ten feet from my scope tonight!

By the way, for a somewhat mini-looking version of this binary, take a look at Struve 108, which is also in Andromeda.

Key Stats

Constellation	Andromeda
Best Viewing	Autumn
Visual Magnitude	+6.0 | +9.3
Separation	55.3″ | 6420 AU
Position Angle	86°
Distance	379 ly
My Viewing Grade	B+
Designations	SAO 53956, HIP 2475

Sources and Notes

The banner illustration was created by the European Southern Observatory (ESO) and is under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Per ESO agreement: Here is the original image on the ESO website.