Light curves for the 1989 eclipse of Tau Persei, plotted from data published by Schmidtke and Hopkins (1990)[7]
Tau Persei is aneclipsing binary, which means the two stellar components orbit each other in such an orientation that they periodicallyeclipse each other, while blocking the other's light. Unlike many eclipsing binaries that have shortorbital periods, Tau Persei has an orbital period of 4.15 years. With asemi-major axis of 0.055 arcseconds,[5] this is one of the few eclipsing binaries whose components can be resolved withinterferometry.[8]
The primary component of Tau Persei is ared giant with aspectral type of G8III. It has a radius 16 times that of theSun, and is about 390 million years old.[6] Its companion is anA-type main-sequence star. In 1989, the primary star eclipsed the secondary, allowing for the stellar parameters to be derived via itslight curve.[3]
^abSamus, N. N.; Durlevich, O. V.; et al. (2009). "VizieR Online Data Catalog: General Catalogue of Variable Stars (Samus+ 2007-2013)".VizieR On-line Data Catalog: B/GCVS. Originally Published in: 2009yCat....102025S.1.Bibcode:2009yCat....102025S.
^abcdefghijklmnGriffin, R. E. M.; Schroder, K. P.; Misch, A.; Griffin, R. F. (1992). "Optical Spectra of Zeta-Aurigae Binary Systems - Part Three - the 1989 Eclipse of Tau-Persei".Astronomy and Astrophysics.254: 289.Bibcode:1992A&A...254..289G.
