Mizar

Mizar

I chose this star because it is closely related to Alcor and forms a unique sextuplet system.
Chemicals: aluminum, calcium, high in silicon and rare earths like cerium and samarium
Location: ascension 13h 23m 55.5s, declination of +54° 55′ 31″
Stellar Classification: dwarf spectral class (A2)

Mizar, classified as a red dwarf, form a naked eye double star in the handle of the Big Dipper asterism in the constellation Ursa Major with Alcor. Mizar is itself a quadruple system and Alcor is a binary, the pair together forming a sextuplet system. It is located at a right ascension of 13h 23m 55.5s and a declination of +54° 55′ 31″.

 Mizar has the distinction of being the first-known double, the pairing discovered by G. B. Riccioli in 1650. The two white stars, 14 seconds of arc apart, are striking as seen through a small telescope. Classified in the dwarf spectral class, from A2 (Mizar A, the brighter) to A5 or A7 (Mizar B), the result of a small decrease in mass. The two orbit with a period of at least 5000 years.The stars have odd chemical abundances as a result of slow rotation, which allows for quiet atmospheres and chemical separation. The brighter of the pair seen through the telescope is rich in silicon and strontium, whereas the fainter is a "metallic line star" that is deficient in aluminum and calcium but high in silicon and in rare earths like cerium and samarium.

 Sources:
Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. (2015, September 22). Mizar and Alcor. Retrieved September 27, 2015, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mizar_and_Alcor

Kaler, J. (1998, July 17). Mizar. Retrieved September 27, 2015, from http://stars.astro.illinois.edu/sow/mizar.html

 Visible Spectra of the Elements. (n.d.). Retrieved September 28, 2015, from http://www.umop.net/spctelem.htm