When is the best time to observe 12 Comae Berenices?

12 Comae Berenices is best observed from February through April, with peak visibility during March when it transits around midnight in the Northern Hemisphere.

Where is 12 Comae Berenices located in the sky?

12 Comae Berenices lies in the constellation Coma Berenices at right ascension 12h 23m and declination +25° 51′.

What telescope do I need to split 12 Comae Berenices?

Splitting 12 Comae Berenices requires an aperture of roughly 60 mm or larger — the components are separated by about 64.9″ at magnitudes near 4.8. The companion is about 4.1 magnitudes fainter, so glare from the primary — not separation — sets the minimum aperture. Larger apertures and steady seeing help resolve the pair cleanly.

12 Comae Berenices — Double Star in Coma Berenices

Observable Double Star Good (49/100)

Sep: 64.9", Companion: mag 8.9

Magnitude 4.8^m DoubleStar Coma Berenices (Com) Visible

Star Map + List + Plan

Observe

1Physical Properties

Magnitude 4.81

Spectral Type G0III-IV+A3V giant

Star Color Yellow (B-V 0.49)

Distance 233 ly

2Position & Identifiers

RA 12h 22m 30.3s

Dec +25° 50' 46.0"

Constellation Coma Berenices (Com)

HR 4707

HIP 60351

HD 107700

SAO 82273

Flamsteed 12 Com

Double Cat 8530

SIMBAD

3How easy to split?

Primary 4.8 mag Companion 8.9 mag Separation 64.9″

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Telescope	Bortle 3	Bortle 4	Bortle 5
80 mm refractor 80mm refr.	Easy	Medium+	Medium+
150 mm Newton 150mm Newt.	Easy	Easy	Easy
Celestron C8 (203 mm SCT) C8 203mm	Easy	Easy	Easy

Easy Medium Hard Very hard Impossible

Bortle 3 = rural · 4 = outer suburbs · 5 = suburbs

4Visibility

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Best season Feb – Apr (peak: Mar)

5Multiple Star System Triple B,D: optical

Components 3 (triple)

Component IDs AC

Separation 64.9″

Companion Mag 8.9

Companion Sp A3

Position Angle 168°

Star Colors A: Yellow C: White

Discoverer SHJ 143

Notes

AC binary. C, 8.55V, +0.52(B-V), +0.01(U-B), F7V. Component B, 12.52v at 35" optical.

Separation over time

Measured 1783 → 2023 (240 y)

Separation drift 58.9" → 64.9" (+6.00")

Rate +0.0250" / y

PA drift 167° → 168° (+1°, +0.004°/y)

Apparent motion is significant on a human timescale — worth revisiting in a decade.

Measured from the WDS observational archive. No orbital solution has been derived — most likely the period is too long to fit an orbit to the available measurement arc.