Kruger 60 is a binary star system composed of A and B components, both of which are red dwarf stars. These stars orbit each other every 44.6 years. The fainter companion B is a flare star and has been given the variable star designation "DO Cephei". It is an irregular flare that typically doubles in brightness and then returns to normal over an 8 minute period.

On average, the two stars are separated by 9.5 AUs, which is roughly the average distance of Saturn from the Sun. However, their eccentric mutual orbit causes their distance to vary between 5.5 AUs at periastron, to 13.5 at apastron.

References

James Kaler, Extreme Stars, (Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2001), p. 32.

See also

• http://jumk.de/astronomie/near-stars/do-cephei.shtml
• List of nearest stars