Iota Cancri

Iota Cancri (ι Cnc, ι Cancri) is a double star in the constellation Cancer approximately 300 light years from Earth.

The two stars of ι Cancri are separated by 30 arcseconds, changing only slowly. Although no orbit has been derived, the two stars show a large common proper motion and are assumed to be gravitationally related.

The brighter star, ι Cancri A, is a yellow G-type giant with an apparent magnitude of +4.02. It is a mild barium star, thought to be formed by mass transfer of enriched material from an asymptotic giant branch star onto a less evolved companion. No such donor has been detected in the ι Cancri system, but it is assumed that there is an unseen white dwarf.

The fainter of the two stars, ι Cancri B, is a white A-type main sequence dwarf with an apparent magnitude of +6.57. It is a shell star, surrounded by material expelled by its rapid rotation.