Forming a binary pair, the two whitesubgiants of the Muhlifain system pursue an elongated elliptical orbit around one another. At times they can approach as closely as 8 AU, a distance that would place them nearer together than Saturn'sorbital distance from the Sun.
To the northwest of Muhlifain is Tau Centauri, a less luminousstar that is a relatively near neighbour of Muhlifain in space. The fainter, yellower star to Muhlifain's immediate northeast is w Centauri, an orangegiant much farther from the Sun than the other two brightstars seen here. Imagery provided by Aladin sky atlas
The name Muhlifain means 'pair', but the reason for its original application to this star is unclear. It has been suggested that it was somehow taken from Muliphein, Gamma Canis Majoris, which lies in a quite different part of the sky. It is difficult to be sure whether this transfer was intentional or accidental, or indeed whether the similarity of the names is simply a coincidence.
However the name Muhlifain was derived, it is entirely appropriate for this star system, which resolves into a binary when observed in detail. The Muhlifain system consists of two stars, highly similar to one another, pursuing an elongated mutual orbit over a period of some 85 years. Each star is a whitesubgiant, close to the point of expanding into a true giantstar.
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