When is the best time to observe 41 Capricorni?

41 Capricorni is best observed from July through September, with peak visibility during August when it transits around midnight in the Northern Hemisphere.

Where is 41 Capricorni located in the sky?

41 Capricorni lies in the constellation Capricornus at right ascension 21h 42m and declination -23° 16′.

What telescope do I need to split 41 Capricorni?

Splitting 41 Capricorni requires an aperture of roughly 220 mm or larger — the components are separated by about 5.1″ at magnitudes near 5.2. The companion is about 6.0 magnitudes fainter, so glare from the primary — not separation — sets the minimum aperture. Larger apertures and steady seeing help resolve the pair cleanly.

41 Capricorni — Double Star in Capricornus

Magnitude 5.2^m DoubleStar Capricornus (Cap) Visible

Star Map + List + Plan Star Hop

Observe

1Physical Properties

Magnitude 5.24

Spectral Type G9III giant

Star Color Orange (B-V 0.95)

Distance 130 ly

2Position & Identifiers

RA 21h 42m 00.8s

Dec -23° 15' 46.0"

Constellation Capricornus (Cap)

HR 8285

HIP 107128

HD 206356

SAO 190559

Flamsteed 41 Cap

Double Cat 15223

SIMBAD

3How easy to split?

Primary 5.2 mag Companion 11.2 mag Separation 5.1″

Sign in and configure your equipment and default location to see a personalized row.

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 220 mm reflector.

4Visibility

Set a location in User Settings to see visibility data.

Best season Jul – Sep (peak: Aug)

5Multiple Star System

Separation 5.1″

Companion Mag 11.2

Position Angle 208°

Star Colors A: Orange

Discoverer SEE 454

Notes

CPM.

Separation over time

Measured 1897 → 2018 (121 y)

Separation drift 5.2" → 5.1" (-0.10")

Rate -0.0008" / y

PA drift 198° → 208° (+10°, +0.083°/y)

Essentially fixed on human timescales — the same view your grandchildren will see.

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.