The variable radial velocity of this star was announced in 1911 by W. W. Campbell. It is a single-lined spectroscopic binary in an assumed circular orbit with a period of 111.1 days. The a sin i value for this system is 0.01511 ± 0.00040 AU (2.26 ± 0.06 Gm), where a is the semimajor axis and i is the (unknown) orbital inclination. This value provides a lower bound on the true semimajor axis, which in this case is their actual separation.[5]
The system displays an excess of ultraviolet radiation that must be coming from the secondary companion. Simon et al. (1982) classified this object as a subdwarf O star.[4] Alternatively, it may be a white dwarf companion with an accretion disk.[19][5] Several puzzling features in the evolutionary history of this pair may be explained if the primary is a fast rotator being seen nearly pole-on. The star may have been spun up during a mass transfer episode with the secondary.[16]
^ abcdDucati, J. R. (2002). "VizieR Online Data Catalog: Catalogue of Stellar Photometry in Johnson's 11-color system". CDS/ADC Collection of Electronic Catalogues. 2237. Bibcode:2002yCat.2237....0D.
^ abKeenan, Philip C.; McNeil, Raymond C. (1989). "The Perkins catalog of revised MK types for the cooler stars". Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series. 71: 245. Bibcode:1989ApJS...71..245K. doi:10.1086/191373.
^ abcdGriffin, R. F. (2006). "Spectroscopic binary orbits from photoelectric radial velocities - Paper 186: 56 Pegasi". The Observatory. 126: 1. Bibcode:2006Obs...126....1G.
^ abFrankowski, A.; Jorissen, A. (February 2006). "The puzzling case of 56 Pegasi: a fast rotator seen nearly pole-on". The Observatory. 126: 25–37. arXiv:astro-ph/0512036. Bibcode:2006Obs...126...25F.
^Schindler, M.; et al. (December 1982). "Ultraviolet and X-ray detection of the 56 Pegasi system /K0 IIp + WD/ - Evidence for accretion of a cool stellar wind onto a white dwarf". Astrophysical Journal, Part 1. 263: 269–276. Bibcode:1982ApJ...263..269S. doi:10.1086/160501.