When is the best time to observe 62 Cancri?

62 Cancri is best observed from December through February, with peak visibility during January when it transits around midnight in the Northern Hemisphere.

Where is 62 Cancri located in the sky?

62 Cancri lies in the constellation Cancer at right ascension 08h 57m and declination +15° 19′.

What telescope do I need to split 62 Cancri?

Splitting 62 Cancri requires an aperture of roughly 60 mm or larger — the components are separated by about 975.6″ at magnitudes near 5.2. Larger apertures and steady seeing help resolve the pair cleanly.

62 Cancri — Double Star in Cancer

Observable Double Star Good (44/100)

Sep: 975.6", Companion: mag 5.7

Magnitude 5.2^m DoubleStar Cancer (Cnc) Visible

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Observe

1Physical Properties

Magnitude 5.20

Spectral Type A5III giant

Star Color Yellow-white (B-V 0.15)

2Position & Identifiers

RA 08h 57m 14.9s

Dec +15° 19' 22.0"

Constellation Cancer (Cnc)

HR 3561

HIP 43970

HD 76543

SAO 98247

Flamsteed 62 Cnc

SIMBAD

3How easy to split?

Primary 5.2 mag Companion 5.7 mag Separation 975.6″

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Telescope	Bortle 3	Bortle 4	Bortle 5
80 mm refractor 80mm refr.	Easy	Easy	Easy
150 mm Newton 150mm Newt.	Easy	Easy	Easy
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 Dec – Feb (peak: Jan)

5Multiple Star System

Separation 975.6″

Companion Mag 5.7

Companion Sp F0

Position Angle 17°

Star Colors A: Yellow-white B: Yellow-white

Discoverer SHY 204

Separation over time

Measured 1903 → 2016 (113 y)

Separation drift 975.6" → 975.6" (+0.00")

Rate +0.0000" / y

PA drift 18° → 17° (-1°, -0.009°/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.