The
double star nature of this system was discovered by the English scientist and astronomer
Robert Hooke in 1664. The two components have an
angular separation of 7.606
arcseconds, which can be resolved with a small
telescope. The
orbital period of the pair is greater than 5,000 years. for Gamma Arietis, plotted from
TESS data, folded with a period of 1.6092 days The brighter component, γ2 Arietis, is an
α2 CVn type variable star, a type of star with a strong magnetic field and enhanced spectral lines of some metals, with high
chromospheric activity causing brightness changes as the star rotates. Its brightness varies by 0.04 magnitudes with a period of 2.61 days. It is also an
Ap star, a type of chemically peculiar star with enhanced lines of many metals. The spectral class has been given as A2IVpSiSrCr, noting the particular strength of lines of
silicon,
strontium, and
chromium, although other lines such as
europium,
mercury, and
manganese are also stronger than in a normal star. This spectral type suggests that the star is an A2-class
subgiant. One study from 2016 identified a low-mass companion to γ2 Arietis, a probable
red dwarf in a close orbit. The marginally fainter of the two visible stars, γ1 Arietis, is a
Lambda Boötis (
chemically peculiar) star with a
stellar classification of A0Vnp and a magnitude of 4.64. Lambda Boötis stars are identified based on unusually low abundances of
iron peak elements in their spectra. This star is spinning rapidly with a
projected rotational velocity of 201 km/s, as suggested by the 'n' (nebulosity) notation. The spectral class of this component has also been given as A0IV-V(n)kB8, indicating that
calcium K lines in its spectrum are more typical of a B8 star. Older studies often classified it as B9 or B9.5 with a luminosity class of IV or V, indicating either a
main sequence or subgiant. Both of the visible stars have mass of about , luminosities of about ,
effective temperatures of about , and radii of about . Their age is about 34 million years. ==Nomenclature==