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Luyten 726-8

Gliese 65, LHS 9, BL Ceti (A), UV Ceti (B)

Red dwarf in Cetus

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Proper Name	None
Bayer Designation	None
Flamsteed Number	None
HR (BSC)	None
HD	None
Other Designations	Luyten 726-8, Gliese 65, LHS 9
Variable Designations	BL Ceti (A) UV Ceti (B)
Constellation	Cetus
Right Ascension	1h 39m 1s (A), 1h 39m 2s (B)
Declination	-17° 57' 2" (A), -17° 57' 1" (B)
Distance	8.9 light years / 2.7 parsecs (A) 8.7 light years / 2.7 parsecs (B)
Magnitude	Apparent: +12.80 Absolute: +15.63 (A), +15.66 (B)
Spectral Class	M5.5V red dwarf (A), M6V red dwarf (B)
Optimum Visibility	October / November
Notes	UV Ceti (the 'B' component of this binary system) is important as being the first flare star to be discovered. Though a faint red dwarf, it exhibits sudden and violent bursts of flaring activity, brightening by several magnitudes in a matter of seconds. Its companion, BL Ceti, is another flare star of a similar kind, but its flare activity is not so extreme as that of UV Ceti.

Imagery provided by Aladin sky atlas

A binary system consisting of two low-mass red dwarfs, individually designated BL Ceti and UV Ceti, in orbit around one another. This system, one of the closest to our own Sun at 8.7 light years, exhibits violent flaring activity from time to time.

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