The Trapezium in Orion is identified as an asterism, comprising a small cluster of non-associated stars rather than a quadruple star system. The four main stars, labeled A, B, C, and D, can be observed in smaller telescopes, while additional stars E, F, G, and H are visible with larger scopes. Star A is a variable star with a magnitude range of 6.8 to 7.7, while star B is an eclipsing binary at magnitude 7.9. The remaining stars have magnitudes of 5.1, 6.7, and 11.0 for C, D, E, and F respectively.
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In smaller telescopes you can see the four main stars in the trapezoid shape, hence the name, which are just as you said, a small cluster of non-associated stars, not a triple, quadruple, etc. star system. In a decent 6" scope under good seeing conditions you can see also two more stars for a total of 6. The main four are simply labled A, B, C, and D. The two fainter stars easily seen in a decent 8" scope are labled E and F. There are also two fainter stars in the group labled G and H, but they are very faint at magnitude 16.jnorman said:i always thought the trapezium in orion was a very strange quadruple star - not a double binary, but an actual quadruple star group with bizarre orbital patterns. however, now i read that it is just a cluster, i guess implying that they are not really orbitally associated. can someone please provide the correct description of the trapezium for me? thanks.