The spectrum of HD 34626 had long been known to be unusual, with very broad lines indicating rapid rotation and emission lines marking it as a Be star. In 1970, John R. Percy found that it varies in brightness by 0.1 magnitude over time scales of 8 to 12 hours, but these variations are not periodic.[10] This indicates the variability is not caused by ellipsoidal effects, and the nature of the variability remains unknown.[8] It may be a type of SX Arietis variable.[6] It was given its variable star designation in 1972.[11]
HD 34626 has exhausted its core hydrogen and evolved away from the main sequence. Its spectral type indicates that it is a subgiant, but evolutionary models suggest it may be in the giant stage.[2]
^ abDeutschman, W. A.; Davis, R. J.; Schild, R. E. (February 1976), "The galactic distribution of interstellar absorption as determined from the Celescope catalog of ultraviolet stellar observations and a new catalog of UBV, H-beta photoelectric observations", Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series, 30: 97–225, Bibcode:1976ApJS...30...97D, doi:10.1086/190359
^ ab"MZ Aur". International Variable Star Index. AAVSO. Retrieved 2022-09-27.
^ abPercy, J. R. (December 1984), "Five suspected Beta Cephei stars revisited", Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, 78: 241–250, Bibcode:1984JRASC..78..241P