| Procyon (Alpha Canis Minoris; a CMi) |
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The brightest star in the constellation Canis Minor. At magnitude 0.38, it is the fifth-brightest in the sky. Procyon was discovered to be a binary system by John M. Schaeberle in 1896. The primary is a normal F star and its faint companion an eleventh magnitude white dwarf. The orbital period is 41 years. The name, of Greek origin, means "before the dog" and refers to the star's rising before the "Dog Star", Sirius. See also: Table 3. |