This is a double-lined spectroscopic binary.[10] In such systems, the orbital motion causes the lines of the stellar spectrum to shift from redder to bluer over time. Both stars, Aa and Ab, take 30 days to be complete an orbit and are separated by 0.36 astronomical units. The combined stellar classification of B9IV/V matches a star that is entering the subgiant phase,[4] but the stars are actually in the main sequence[3] and are only 15 million years old.[6] Component Aa is 2.75 times more massive than the Sun, while component Ab is 2.63 times more massive.[6]
It is suspected a that there is a far more distant red dwarf orbiting the inner pair. This system display X-ray emission, which is unusual for a star of such spectral type, but is typical of a young, smaller star such as a red dwarf. Furthermore, it was found to have a difference in the proper motion measurements taken by the Hipparcos and Gaia missions. The proper motion discrepancy suggest the separation of the companion is about 20 astronomical units, enough to be detected with adaptive optics or more advanced instruments.[6]
^ abHouk, Nancy; Cowley, A. P. (1979), Michigan catalogue of two-dimensional spectral types for the HD stars, vol. 1, Ann Arbor, Michigan: Dept. of Astronomy, University of Michigan, Bibcode:1978mcts.book.....H.
^Samus, N. N.; Durlevich, O. V.; et al. (2009), "VizieR Online Data Catalog: General Catalogue of Variable Stars (Samus+ 2007-2013)", VizieR On-line Data Catalog: B/GCVS. Originally Published in: 2009yCat....102025S, 1: B/gcvs, Bibcode:2009yCat....102025S.
^ abcdefghWaisberg, Idel; Klein, Ygal; Katz, Boaz (2025-02-01), "Hidden Companions to Intermediate-mass Stars. XXV. Uncovering a 2.6 M⊙, 0.36 au Companion to m Carinae (Plus Evidence for a M ∼ 0.5M⊙ Outer Companion)", Research Notes of the American Astronomical Society, 9 (2): 29, Bibcode:2025RNAAS...9...29W, doi:10.3847/2515-5172/adb28e, ISSN2515-5172.
^ abcDavid, Trevor J.; Hillenbrand, Lynne A. (2015), "The Ages of Early-Type Stars: Strömgren Photometric Methods Calibrated, Validated, Tested, and Applied to Hosts and Prospective Hosts of Directly Imaged Exoplanets", The Astrophysical Journal, 804 (2): 146, arXiv:1501.03154, Bibcode:2015ApJ...804..146D, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/804/2/146, S2CID33401607.