Albireo

Albireo is the brightest star in the constellation Cygnus, also known as the Swan. Designated Beta Cygni, it is a binary star system, meaning it consists of two stars orbiting a common center of mass. What makes Albireo particularly famous is the striking visual contrast between its two main components. The primary star, Albireo A, is a vibrant orange giant. Its companion, Albireo B, appears a brilliant blue. When viewed through a telescope, this color difference is highly noticeable and is one of the most beautiful double star systems observable from Earth.

The two stars are separated by a significant distance, estimated to be around 400 astronomical units (AU), which is more than ten times the distance between the Sun and Pluto. Despite this separation, they are gravitationally bound. Albireo A is much larger and more luminous than its companion, though Albireo B is hotter. The system is located approximately 430 light-years away from our solar system. Its name, Albireo, is thought to have originated from an Arabic phrase that was later mistranslated. The contrasting colors have made Albireo a favorite for amateur astronomers and a popular target for astrophotography.