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12 Lyncis — Double Star in Lynx

Observable Double Star Fair (28/100)

Sep: 1.9", Companion: mag 6.0

Magnitude 4.9m DoubleStar Lynx (Lyn) Visible
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1Physical Properties

Magnitude 4.87
Spectral Type A3V
Star Color White (B-V 0.08)
Distance 297 ly

2Position & Identifiers

RA 06h 46m 14.1s
Dec +59° 26' 30.0"
Constellation Lynx (Lyn)
HR 2470
HIP 32438
HD 48250
SAO 25939
Flamsteed 12 Lyn
Double Cat 5400
SIMBAD

3How easy to split?

Primary 4.9 mag Companion 6.0 mag Separation 1.9″
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Telescope Bortle 3 Bortle 4 Bortle 5
80mm refr. Hard Hard Hard
150mm Newt. Medium+ Medium+ Medium+
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 Nov – Jan (peak: Dec)

5Multiple Star System Quadruple D: optical

Components 4 (quadruple)
Component IDs AB
Separation 1.9″
Companion Mag 6.0
Companion Sp A1IV
Position Angle 66°
Star Colors A: White B: White
Discoverer STF 948
AB 5.37 A2n, 5.95 A2V, 699.0y, a = 1.660"; vsini of B 100k/s. C, 7.1v at 8", physical.

Separation over time

Period: 733.1 y Eccentricity: 0.429 Now: 1.9", PA 63° + 0.01" in 5 years
0.00" 0.56" 1.1" 1.7" 2.2" 2025 2030 2035 2040 2045 1.9"

Apparent separation over time, computed from ORB6 orbital elements. Steep curves indicate fast-changing pairs — catch them while they're splittable.

Eyepiece View

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80x Dawes: 1.9″ TFOV: 0.6°
Realistic = true angular size
N E 66°

A: 4.9 · B: 6.0 · Sep: 1.9″ · PA: 66° · N up, E right

Unresolved · Rayleigh: 2.3″ · Dawes: 1.9″ · Eff: 2.3″

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6

Size Comparison

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7

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8

Spectral Classification

9

Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram

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Read: The Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram — Reading Stars Like a Map
10

Stellar Lifecycle

11

Blackbody Spectrum

12

Stellar Absorption Spectrum

Simulated absorption spectrum based on spectral type. Hover over lines to identify elements.

13

Stellar Fusion

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14

Light Travel Time Machine

15

Relativistic Travel

Nearby in the Sky

Other targets within a few degrees — pan your scope a little and keep exploring.

Visibility scores assume a 150 mm Newton at Bortle 4.

2 Lyn
Hard+
Pulsating variable, period 7.2h
Variable Star mag 4.48 3.4° Lynx
NGC 2128
Hard+
Elliptical galaxy
Galaxy mag 13.0 5.7° Camelopardalis
19 Lyn
Easy
Easy double, sep 13.8″
Double Star mag 5.45 6.4° Lynx
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