The primary component is a giant star with an apparent magnitude of 2.7 and a stellar classification of G5 III.[3] It is radiating about 107 times the luminosity of the Sun from an expanded atmosphere about 13[9] times the Sun's radius. The mass of this star is 3.3[8] times that of the Sun. In 1998, the Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer space telescope detected a strong flare that released an X-ray emission nearly equal to the output of the entire star. The quiescent X-ray luminosity of Mu Velorum A is about 1.7 × 1030 erg s−1.[3]
The fainter companion, Mu Velorum B, is a main sequence star with an apparent magnitude of 6.4[3] and an assigned stellar classification of G2V.[3] However, this classification is suspect. Closer examination of the spectrum suggests the star may actually have a classification of F4V or F5V, which suggests a mass of about 1.5 times the mass of the Sun. Such stars typically do not show a marked level of magnetic activity.[3]
^ abcdJohnson, H. L.; et al. (1966), "UBVRIJKL photometry of the bright stars", Communications of the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, 4 (99): 99, Bibcode:1966CoLPL...4...99J.
^ abcdefghijAyres, Thomas R.; Osten, Rachel A.; Brown, Alexander (November 1999), "The Rise and Fall of μ Velorum: A Remarkable Flare on a Yellow Giant Star Observed with the Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer", The Astrophysical Journal, 526 (1): 445–450, Bibcode:1999ApJ...526..445A, doi:10.1086/308001, S2CID120689663.
^Evans, D. S. (June 20–24, 1966), "The Revision of the General Catalogue of Radial Velocities", in Batten, Alan Henry; Heard, John Frederick (eds.), Determination of Radial Velocities and their Applications, Proceedings from IAU Symposium no. 30, vol. 30, University of Toronto: International Astronomical Union, p. 57, Bibcode:1967IAUS...30...57E.
^ abHeintz, W. D. (April 1986), "Orbits of 20 visual binaries", Astronomy and Astrophysics Supplement Series, 64 (1): 1–7, Bibcode:1986A&AS...64....1H. Listed as Ru 155.
^Hoffleit, D.; Warren, W. H. Jr. (1987), "The Bright Star Catalogue", Astronomical Data Center Bulletin, 1 (4) (5th revised ed.): 285–294, Bibcode:1987ADCBu...1..285H.