The combined apparent magnitude of the system is +4.27, making it visible as a faint star from skies with low or no luminous pollution.

These systems have binarity inferred from variations in their spectral lines, which shift from redder to bluer (gravitational redshift) across the orbit.

[3] The main component (apparent magnitude 4.30) has an spectral class A9IIIp,[4] suggesting it is a late-type giant star and is chemically peculiar.

Its physical properties, however, do not support this evolutionary stage and the peculiar class, Mu Ceti is instead in the late main sequence, about to become a subgiant.

Mu Ceti B has an effective temperature of 5,250 K and has a mass and radius measuring 80% solar units.