When is the best time to observe 6 Serpentis?

6 Serpentis is best observed from April through June, with peak visibility during May when it transits around midnight in the Northern Hemisphere.

Where is 6 Serpentis located in the sky?

6 Serpentis lies in the constellation Serpens at right ascension 15h 21m and declination +00° 43′.

What telescope do I need to split 6 Serpentis?

Splitting 6 Serpentis requires an aperture of roughly 100 mm or larger — the components are separated by about 3.4″ at magnitudes near 5.3. The companion is about 3.4 magnitudes fainter, so glare from the primary — not separation — sets the minimum aperture. Larger apertures and steady seeing help resolve the pair cleanly.

6 Serpentis — Double Star in Serpens

Observable Double Star Good (51/100)

Sep: 3.4", Companion: mag 8.8

Magnitude 5.3^m DoubleStar Serpens (Ser) Visible

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Observe

1Physical Properties

Magnitude 5.35

Spectral Type K3III giant

Star Color Red (B-V 1.19)

Distance 466 ly

2Position & Identifiers

RA 15h 21m 02.0s

Dec +00° 42' 55.0"

Constellation Serpens (Ser)

HR 5710

HIP 75119

HD 136514

SAO 120955

Flamsteed 6 Ser

Double Cat 9596

SIMBAD

3How easy to split?

Primary 5.4 mag Companion 8.8 mag Separation 3.4″

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

Easy Medium Hard Very hard Impossible

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

4Visibility

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Best season Apr – Jun (peak: May)

5Multiple Star System

Separation 3.4″

Companion Mag 8.8

Position Angle 23°

Star Colors A: Red

Discoverer BU 32

Notes

CPM?

Separation over time

Measured 1872 → 2019 (147 y)

Separation drift 3.0" → 3.4" (+0.40")

Rate +0.0027" / y

PA drift 30° → 23° (-7°, -0.048°/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.