Mintaka

Common card · No. 247361

Mintaka , designation Delta Orionis (δ Orionis, abbreviated Delta Ori, δ Ori) and 34 Orionis (34 Ori), is a quintuple star system some 1,200 light-years away in the constellation of Orion. Together with Alnitak (Zeta Orionis) and Alnilam (Epsilon Orionis), the three stars form Orion's Belt, known by many names among ancient cultures. The star is located very close to the celestial equator. When Orion is near the meridian, Mintaka is the rightmost of the Belt's stars when viewed from the Northern Hemisphere facing south. The five stars form a hierarchy: Delta Ori A Delta Ori Aa, an eclipsing binary with an orbital period of 5.7 days Delta Ori Aa1 Delta Ori Aa2 Delta Ori Ab, which orbits Aa with an orbital period of 152 years Delta Ori C, a binary star with an orbital period of 30 days, also known as HD 36485 Delta Ori Ca Delta Ori Cb All five stars are hot and luminous, more massive than the Sun.

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