The stellar classification of HD 73526 is G6 V,[3] indicating this is a G-type main-sequence star that, like the Sun, is generating energy through corehydrogen fusion. Based on its properties, it may be starting to evolve off the main sequence.[3] This star has slightly more mass than the Sun and a 53% greater radius. The abundance of iron in its atmosphere suggests the star's metallicity – what astronomers term the abundance of elements with higher atomic number than helium – is 70% greater than in the Sun. It is a much older star with an estimated age of nearly ten billion years, and is spinning slowly with a projected rotational velocity of 1.7 km/s. The star is radiating more than double the luminosity of the Sun from its photosphere at an effective temperature of 5,564 K.[4]
Planetary system
On June 13 2002,[8] a 2.1 MJ planet HD 73526 b was announced orbiting HD 73526 in an orbit just a little smaller than that of Venus' orbit around the Sun.[5] This planet receives an insolation 3.65 times that of Earth or 1.89 times that of Venus. This was a single planet system until 2006 when a 2.3 MJ second planet HD 73526 c was discovered. These planets forms a 2:1 orbital resonance with planet b.[3] In fact, they seem to be in a very deep resonance with very long timescale stability due to an ACR (Apsidal Corotation Resonance) the planets seem to satisfy.[9] Although these are minimum masses as the inclinations of these planets are unknown, orbital stability analysis indicates that the orbital inclinations of both planets are likely to be near 90°, making the minimum masses very close to the true masses of the planets.[10]