The Bayer designation ο (omicron) has been variously applied to two or three of the stars 30, 31, and 32 Cygni. 31 Cygni has been designated, variously, as ο1 or ο2 Cygni — therefore for clarity, it is preferred to use the Flamsteed designation 31 Cygni.[13]
31 Cygni consists of a visible pair of stars 109″ apart as of 2016, and the brighter of the two is also a spectroscopic binary. 31 Cygni A is also designated HD 192577 and HR 7735, while its 7th-magnitude visual companion is designated HD 192579. Some multiple star catalogues designate a 13th-magnitude star 36″ from 31 Cygni A as 31 Cygni B, and HD 192579 as 31 Cygni C.[14] The 13th-magnitude star is likely to be an unrelated background object.[15]
The spectroscopic pair are an orange supergiant of spectral type K3Ib and a blue-white star likely to be evolving off the main sequence with a spectral type of B2IV-V. The visible companion is a 7th-magnitude B5 main sequence star.[4][3]
31 Cygni A is an Algol-type eclipsing binary and ranges between magnitudes 3.73 and 3.89 over a period of ten years.[7] The eclipsing system has been studied in attempts to determine an accurate direct mass for a red supergiant. The value 6.73 M☉ is believed to be accurate to about 2%, but there are some discrepancies in the orbital fit.[8]
30 Cygni is another naked eye star a tenth of a degree away, forming a bright triple.
^ abSamus, 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.
^ abcdHoffleit, D.; Warren, W. H. (1995). "VizieR Online Data Catalog: Bright Star Catalogue, 5th Revised Ed. (Hoffleit+, 1991)". VizieR On-line Data Catalog: V/50. Originally Published in: 1964BS....C......0H. 5050. Bibcode:1995yCat.5050....0H.
^ abGriffin, R. F. (2008). "Spectroscopic binary orbits from photoelectric radial velocities - Paper 202: 31 and 32 Cygni". The Observatory. 128: 362. Bibcode:2008Obs...128..362G.
^Di Benedetto, G. P.; Ferluga, S. (1990). "Angular diameters of Zeta Aurigae-type supergiants by Michelson interferometry". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 236: 449. Bibcode:1990A&A...236..449D.
^ abKostjuk, N. D. (2004). "VizieR Online Data Catalog: HD-DM-GC-HR-HIP-Bayer-Flamsteed Cross Index (Kostjuk, 2002)". VizieR On-line Data Catalog: IV/27A. Originally Published in: Institute of Astronomy of Russian Academy of Sciences (2002). 4027. Bibcode:2004yCat.4027....0K.