Delta Geminorum

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Delta Geminorum (δ Gem / δ Geminorum) is a star in the constellation Gemini. It also has the traditional name Wasat.

The traditional name comes from the Arabic word for "middle", but it is not certain whether this refers to the middle of Gemini or of the nearby constellation Orion. The star has an apparent magnitude of +3.5 and belongs to the spectral class F0.

Wasat is only two-tenths of a degree south of the ecliptic, and therefore is occasionally occulted by the Moon and more rarely by a planet. The last occultation by a planet was by Saturn on June 30, 1857 and the next will be by Venus on August 12, 2420.

Wasat is actually a binary star, having a cooler class K companion which is not apparent to the naked eye but clearly visible in a small telescope. Wasat and its companion take 1200 years to orbit about each other. [1]

• Coordinates for the equinox 2000:
  • Right ascension: 7h 20m 7s
  • Declination: +21° 58' 54"

[edit] Location

The star's location is shown in the following chart of the Gemini constellation: Wasat is 59 lightyears away from earth.