When is the best time to observe 5 Ursae Minoris?

5 Ursae Minoris is best observed from March through May, with peak visibility during April when it transits around midnight in the Northern Hemisphere.

Where is 5 Ursae Minoris located in the sky?

5 Ursae Minoris lies in the constellation Ursa Minor at right ascension 14h 28m and declination +75° 42′.

What telescope do I need to split 5 Ursae Minoris?

Splitting 5 Ursae Minoris requires an aperture of roughly 60 mm or larger — the components are separated by about 58.9″ at magnitudes near 4.2. The companion is about 7.7 magnitudes fainter, so glare from the primary — not separation — sets the minimum aperture. Larger apertures and steady seeing help resolve the pair cleanly.

5 Ursae Minoris — Double Star in Ursa Minor

DoubleStar Ursa Minor (UMi) Visible

Star Map + List + Plan

Observe

1Physical Properties

Magnitude 4.25

Spectral Type K4-IIIBa0.3

Star Color Red (B-V 1.44)

Distance 172 ly

2Position & Identifiers

RA 14h 27m 31.5s

Dec +75° 41' 46.0"

Constellation Ursa Minor (UMi)

HR 5430

HIP 70692

HD 127700

Flamsteed 5 UMi

Double Cat 9286

SIMBAD

3How easy to split?

Primary 4.3 mag Companion 11.9 mag Separation 58.9″

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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	Hard+

Easy Medium Hard Very hard Impossible

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

4Visibility

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Best season Mar – May (peak: Apr)

5Multiple Star System Triple C: optical

Components 3 (triple)

Component IDs AC

Separation 58.9″

Companion Mag 11.9

Position Angle 130°

Star Colors A: Red

Discoverer HJ 2733

Notes

Component C optical.

Separation over time

Measured 1831 → 2023 (192 y)

Separation drift 70.0" → 58.9" (-11.10")

Rate -0.0578" / y

PA drift 131° → 130° (-1°, -0.005°/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.