When is the best time to observe 41 Sextantis?

41 Sextantis is best observed from January through March, with peak visibility during February when it transits around midnight in the Northern Hemisphere.

Where is 41 Sextantis located in the sky?

41 Sextantis lies in the constellation Sextans at right ascension 10h 50m and declination -08° 54′.

What telescope do I need to split 41 Sextantis?

Splitting 41 Sextantis requires an aperture of roughly 60 mm or larger — the components are separated by about 28.1″ at magnitudes near 5.8. The companion is about 5.9 magnitudes fainter, so glare from the primary — not separation — sets the minimum aperture. Larger apertures and steady seeing help resolve the pair cleanly.

41 Sextantis — Double Star in Sextans

Magnitude 5.8^m DoubleStar Sextans (Sex) Visible

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Observe

1Physical Properties

Magnitude 5.79

Spectral Type A3m

Star Color White (B-V 0.16)

2Position & Identifiers

RA 10h 50m 18.1s

Dec -08° 53' 52.0"

Constellation Sextans (Sex)

HR 4237

HIP 52980

HD 93903

SAO 137823

Flamsteed 41 Sex

Double Cat 7942

SIMBAD

3How easy to split?

Primary 5.8 mag Companion 11.7 mag Separation 28.1″

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

Easy Medium Hard Very hard Impossible

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

4Visibility

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Best season Jan – Mar (peak: Feb)

5Multiple Star System Triple C: optical

Components 3 (triple)

Component IDs AB

Separation 28.1″

Companion Mag 11.7

Position Angle 307°

Star Colors A: White

Discoverer HJ 838

Separation over time

Measured 1827 → 2015 (188 y)

Separation drift 20.0" → 28.1" (+8.10")

Rate +0.0431" / y

PA drift 305° → 307° (+2°, +0.011°/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.