The spectral type of U Camelopardalis in the revised MK system is C-N5, which indicates a classical carbon star spectrum approximately corresponding to late K or early M.[10] The C2 index is 5.5 which is typical of a C-N star.[11] It is also given an alternative spectral type of MS4, indicating a star similar to an M4 class but with somewhat enhanced ZrO bands.[3] The spectral type may vary between C3,9 and C6,4e.[4]
U Camelopardalis is a carbon star. These types of stars have greater levels of carbon in their atmospheres than oxygen, which means they form carbon compounds that make the star appear strikingly red. U Camelopardalis is nearly 4 magnitudes fainter at blue wavelengths than in the centre of the visual range. In the infraredK band it has an apparent magnitude of 0.37.[13] Its brightness varies without a dominant period and it is classified as semi-regular, although a period of 400 days has been published.[13] In the V photometric band the brightness varies by around half a magnitude,[14] but the amplitude is nearly two magnitudes at blue wavelengths.[4] The maximum visual magnitude has been given as 7.2.[7]
The shell of gas surrounding U Camelopardalis was imaged by the Hubble Space Telescope in 2012, showing a nearly perfect sphere of gas surrounding the star.[15]
U Cameloparadlis has a 10th magnitude companion 308" away. It is a B8 main sequence star, hotter but less luminous than U Cam itself. They are not thought to be physically associated.[7]
^ abcNicolet, B. (1978). "Catalogue of homogeneous data in the UBV photoelectric photometric system". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 34: 1–49. Bibcode:1978A&AS...34....1N.
^ abBarnbaum, Cecilia; Stone, Remington P. S.; Keenan, Philip C. (1996). "A Moderate-Resolution Spectral Atlas of Carbon Stars: R, J, N, CH, and Barium Stars". Astrophysical Journal Supplement. 105: 419. Bibcode:1996ApJS..105..419B. doi:10.1086/192323.
^ abcSamus, N. N.; Durlevich, O. V.; et al. (2009). "VizieR Online Data Catalog: General Catalogue of Variable Stars (Samus+ 2007-2013)". VizieR On-line Data Catalog: B/GCVS. Originally Published in: 2009yCat....102025S. 1. Bibcode:2009yCat....102025S.