When is the best time to observe 60 Cygni?

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

Where is 60 Cygni located in the sky?

60 Cygni lies in the constellation Cygnus at right ascension 21h 01m and declination +46° 09′.

What telescope do I need to split 60 Cygni?

Splitting 60 Cygni requires an aperture of roughly 100 mm or larger — the components are separated by about 2.9″ at magnitudes near 5.4. The companion is about 4.2 magnitudes fainter, so glare from the primary — not separation — sets the minimum aperture. Larger apertures and steady seeing help resolve the pair cleanly.

60 Cygni — Double Star in Cygnus

Magnitude 5.3–5.5^m DoubleStar Cygnus (Cyg) Visible

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Observe

1Physical Properties

Magnitude 5.37

Range 5.33 - 5.48

Period 7.2 hours

Variable Type Lambda Eridani (Be Star)

Spectral Type B1Ve

Star Color Blue (B-V -0.21)

2Position & Identifiers

RA 21h 01m 10.9s

Dec +46° 09' 21.0"

Constellation Cygnus (Cyg)

HR 8053

HIP 103732

HD 200310

SAO 50359

Flamsteed 60 Cyg

Variable ID V1931 Cyg

Double Cat 14549

SIMBAD

3How easy to split?

Primary 5.4 mag Companion 9.5 mag Separation 2.9″

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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	Medium	Medium	Medium

Easy Medium Hard Very hard Impossible

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

4Visibility

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Best season Jul – Sep (peak: Aug)

5Light Curve

6Multiple Star System

Separation 2.9″

Companion Mag 9.5

Companion Sp sdO

Position Angle 159°

Star Colors A: Blue B: Blue-white

Discoverer STT 426

Separation over time

Measured 1848 → 2017 (169 y)

Separation drift 2.6" → 2.9" (+0.30")

Rate +0.0018" / y

PA drift 166° → 159° (-7°, -0.041°/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.