Struve 1694

Struve 1694 (Σ 1694, Struve 1694) is a double star in the constellation Camelopardalis.^[1]

Position of Σ 1694 (circled)

Σ 1694 is a double star, with components of magnitudes 5.3^m and 5.9^m:

• Σ 1694A (HD 112028) is a white A-type giant star with an apparent magnitude of 5.28^m. It is approximately 300 light years from Earth.
• Σ 1694B (HD 112014) is a spectroscopic binary consisting of two A-type main sequence stars.

Norton's Star Atlas describes the pair as yellowish and bluish.^[1]

Σ 1694 was also known as 32 H. Camelopardalis, Hevelius' 32nd of Camelopardalis. It is not Flamsteed's "32 Camelopardalis", which is ξ Aurigae. In the British Association Catalogue, the star pair are listed as being in Ursa Minor.^[2]

Chinese name

In Chinese, 北極 (Běi Jí), meaning North Pole, refers to an asterism consisting of Σ 1694, γ Ursae Minoris, β Ursae Minoris, 5 Ursae Minoris and 4 Ursae Minoris.^[3] Consequently, Σ 1694 itself is known as 北極五 (Běi Jí wǔ, English: the Fifth Star of North Pole.),^[4] representing 天樞 (Tiānshū), meaning Celestial Pivot.^[5]

This star was regarded as the north star by the Chinese people from the Han dynasty to Song dynasty.