14 Aurigae (Struve 653): A Multiple Star System in Auriga

14 Aurigae is a multiple-star system featuring a bright pair of stars in the constellation Auriga, the Charioteer. Auriga is most prominent during winter evenings in the Northern Hemisphere. Put on a warm jacket and gloves and head out on cooler nights to view this pair first recorded by William Herschel on September 24, 1780.¹

The magnitude +5 primary star shines white and is classified as stellar type A9IV. The dimmer viewable secondary star, at magnitude +7.3, appears blue in color to other observers and me, though it is classified as a yellow-white F2V star. The two stars are separated by 14 arcseconds and lie 286 light-years away from Earth.

For a comprehensive review of 14 Aurigae, including its role in stellar evolution, I recommend Jim Kaler’s 14 Aurigae post.

My Observations

14 Auriga joins a family of beautiful objects in Auriga, from the alluring 41 Aurigae to the bright Messier objects (namely M 36, 37, and 38).

14 Aurigae’s brighter primary appears off-white. As I stare at it, it seems to put off a tinge of yellow. Meanwhile, the nearby dimmer secondary appears pale blue.

Key Stats

Constellation	Auriga
Best Viewing	Winter
Visual Magnitude	+5.0 | +7.3
Separation	14″
Position Angle	225°
Spectral Class	A9IV & F2V
Milky Way Location	Orion Spur
My Viewing Grade	A-
Designations	SAO 57799, 14 Aur, HD 33959, HR 1706, KW Aurigae

Sources and Notes

¹ William Herschel’s double star catalog. (n.d.). https://www.handprint.com/ASTRO/Herschel_All.html

Sketch by Wayne McGraw