Groombridge 34

Groombridge 34 is a binary star system in the northern constellation of Andromeda. It was listed as number 34 in a book called A Catalogue of Circumpolar Stars, published in 1838 by British astronomer Stephen Groombridge. This star system is one of the nearest stars to our Solar System, about 11.6 light-years (3.6 parsecs) from the Sun.

The system has two small, dim red dwarf stars. They are too faint to see without a telescope. These stars move around each other in a path that takes about 1,065 years. Both stars can suddenly get brighter or dimmer because of flares. The brighter star is called GX And, and the smaller one is called GQ And.

Groombridge 34 moves fast across the sky, moving at 2.9 arc seconds each year. About 15,000 years ago, it was closest to our Sun, passing within 11 light-years before moving away.

GX Andromedae

The brighter star in the Groombridge 34 system is called GX Andromedae. It is a red dwarf star. This means it is smaller and cooler than our Sun. This star can get brighter and dimmer because of sudden bursts of energy called stellar flares. Scientists have found that it takes about 44 days for this star to spin once. Its magnetic activity changes in a cycle of about 9 years.

GQ Andromedae

The smaller companion star in the Groombridge 34 system is named GQ Andromedae. It is a red dwarf star, meaning it is smaller and cooler than our Sun. Like the main star, it can sometimes flare up in brightness. This star is classified as having a spectral type of M4.1, which tells us about its temperature and color.

Planetary system

In August 2014, scientists found a planet around one of the stars in the Groombridge 34 system. They noticed how the star moved in a special way.

Later, they thought there might be another planet too. After watching more, they found both planets. One goes around its star every 11.4 days. The other takes about 7,600 days. This makes Groombridge 34 one of the closest star systems with more than one planet.

Main article: Exoplanet