16 Vulpeculae — Double Star in Vulpecula

Magnitude 5.2^m DoubleStar Vulpecula (Vul) Visible

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Observe

1Physical Properties

Magnitude 5.22

Spectral Type F2III giant

Star Color Yellow-white (B-V 0.36)

Distance 815 ly

2Position & Identifiers

RA 20h 02m 01.4s

Dec +24° 56' 17.0"

Constellation Vulpecula (Vul)

HR 7657

HIP 98636

HD 190004

SAO 88098

Flamsteed 16 Vul

Double Cat 13277

3How easy to split?

Primary 5.2 mag Companion 6.2 mag Separation 0.9″

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

Easy Medium Hard Very hard Impossible

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

To reach "Medium" at Bortle 3, you'd need at least a 260 mm reflector.

4Visibility

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Best season Jun – Aug (peak: Jul)

5Multiple Star System

Separation 0.8″

Companion Mag 6.2

Position Angle 128°

Star Colors A: Yellow-white B: Yellow

Discoverer STT 395

Separation over time

Period: 1201.0 y Eccentricity: 0.932 Now: 0.85", PA 129° -0.00" in 5 years

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

Eyepiece View

Telescope Eyepiece

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80x Dawes: 1.9″ TFOV: 0.6°

Seeing

Scale Realistic = true angular size

A: 5.2 · B: 6.2 · Sep: 0.8″ · PA: 128° · N up, E right

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

Explore

6

Size Comparison

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Compare Stars

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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

Discover

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.

Tight double — a rewarding split at 1.5″

Double Star mag 4.58 2.1° Vulpecula

Dumbbell Nebula

Planetary nebula — try an OIII filter

Planetary Nebula mag 7.4 2.3° Vulpecula

Open Cluster mag 8.1 2.7° Vulpecula

Observable variable star

Variable Star mag 5.15 3.4° Vulpecula

HIP 95951; Beta2 Cygni; 6 Cygni

Colorful double, sep 34.7″

Double Star mag 5.11 7.6° Cygnus

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