The spectrum of HD 34626 had long been known to be unusual, with very broad lines indicating rapid rotation and emission lines marking it as a Be star. In 1970, John R. Percy found that it varies in brightness by 0.1 magnitude over time scales of 8 to 12 hours, but these variations are not periodic. This indicates the variability is not caused by ellipsoidal effects, and the nature of the variability remains unknown. It may be a type of SX Arietis variable. It was given its variable star designation in 1972.
HD 34626 has exhausted its core hydrogen and evolved away from the main sequence. Its spectral type indicates that it is a subgiant, but evolutionary models suggest it may be in the giant stage.
12Deutschman, W. A.; Davis, R. J.; Schild, R. E. (February 1976), "The galactic distribution of interstellar absorption as determined from the Celescope catalog of ultraviolet stellar observations and a new catalog of UBV, H-beta photoelectric observations", Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series, 30: 97–225, Bibcode:1976ApJS...30...97D, doi:10.1086/190359
12"MZ Aur". International Variable Star Index. AAVSO. Retrieved 2022-09-27.
12Percy, J. R. (December 1984), "Five suspected Beta Cephei stars revisited", Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, 78: 241–250, Bibcode:1984JRASC..78..241P