When is the best time to observe 52 Piscium?

52 Piscium is best observed from August through October, with peak visibility during September when it transits around midnight in the Northern Hemisphere.

Where is 52 Piscium located in the sky?

52 Piscium lies in the constellation Pisces at right ascension 00h 33m and declination +20° 18′.

What telescope do I need to split 52 Piscium?

Splitting 52 Piscium requires an aperture of roughly 60 mm or larger — the components are separated by about 58.5″ at magnitudes near 5.4. The companion is about 6.3 magnitudes fainter, so glare from the primary — not separation — sets the minimum aperture. Larger apertures and steady seeing help resolve the pair cleanly.

52 Piscium — Double Star in Pisces

Magnitude 5.4^m DoubleStar Pisces (Psc) Visible

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Observe

1Physical Properties

Magnitude 5.38

Spectral Type K0III giant

Star Color Orange (B-V 1.08)

Distance 102 ly

2Position & Identifiers

RA 00h 32m 35.5s

Dec +20° 17' 40.0"

Constellation Pisces (Psc)

HR 131

HIP 2568

HD 2910

SAO 74084

Flamsteed 52 Psc

Double Cat 452

SIMBAD

3How easy to split?

Primary 5.4 mag Companion 11.7 mag Separation 58.5″

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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 Aug – Oct (peak: Sep)

5Multiple Star System

Separation 58.5″

Companion Mag 11.7

Position Angle 298°

Star Colors A: Orange

Discoverer HJ 1982

Separation over time

Measured 1830 → 2014 (184 y)

Separation drift 25.0" → 58.5" (+33.50")

Rate +0.1821" / y

PA drift 310° → 298° (-12°, -0.065°/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.