Beta Persei vs Mira
Four magnitudes and more separate the pair overhead, +2.09 for Beta Persei and +6.47 for Mira. Set side by side at equal distance the ranking changes — absolute magnitudes of −0.11 and +1.66 leave Beta Persei roughly 5.1 times the more luminous. Only 89.9 light-years separate the Sun from Beta Persei; Mira sits 3.3 times further out at 299.
Property comparison
| Property | Beta Persei | Mira |
|---|---|---|
| Designação | 26Bet Per | 68Omi Cet |
| Constelação | Perseus | N/A |
| Classe Espectral | Class B — B-type (Blue-White) | Class M — M-type (Red) |
| Magnitude Aparente | +2.09 | +6.47 |
| Magnitude Absoluta | -0.11 | 1.66 |
| Distância | 89.9 ly | 299 ly |
| Massa | N/A | N/A |
| Raio | N/A | N/A |
| Temperatura | N/A | N/A |
| Luminosidade | N/A | N/A |
Full data for each star: Beta Persei · Mira
Key differences
Key Differences
- ◆ Both are famous variable stars but of completely different types.
- ◆ Algol is an eclipsing binary — it dims when its fainter companion passes in front; Mira is a pulsating long-period variable.
- ◆ Algol varies every 2.87 days; Mira has a pulsation period of ~332 days.
- ◆ Mira is a red giant that sheds material, leaving a 13-light-year tail; Algol is a B-type star system.
- ◆ Algol was probably the first eclipsing variable to be recognized by ancient observers.