When is the best time to observe 88 Tauri?

88 Tauri is best observed from October through December, with peak visibility during November when it transits around midnight in the Northern Hemisphere.

Where is 88 Tauri located in the sky?

88 Tauri lies in the constellation Taurus at right ascension 04h 36m and declination +10° 10′.

What telescope do I need to split 88 Tauri?

Splitting 88 Tauri requires an aperture of roughly 60 mm or larger — the components are separated by about 69.2″ at magnitudes near 4.2. The companion is about 3.6 magnitudes fainter, so glare from the primary — not separation — sets the minimum aperture. Larger apertures and steady seeing help resolve the pair cleanly.

88 Tauri — Double Star in Taurus

Observable Double Star Good (49/100)

Sep: 69.2", Companion: mag 7.8

Magnitude 4.2^m DoubleStar Taurus (Tau) Visible

Star Map + List + Plan

Observe

1Physical Properties

Magnitude 4.25

Spectral Type A5m

Star Color Yellow-white (B-V 0.18)

Distance 91 ly

2Position & Identifiers

RA 04h 35m 39.3s

Dec +10° 09' 39.0"

Constellation Taurus (Tau)

HR 1458

HIP 21402

HD 29140

SAO 94026

Flamsteed 88 Tau

Double Cat 3317

SIMBAD

3How easy to split?

Primary 4.3 mag Companion 7.8 mag Separation 69.2″

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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 Oct – Dec (peak: Nov)

5Multiple Star System

Separation 69.2″

Companion Mag 7.8

Position Angle 300°

Star Colors A: Yellow-white B: Yellow

Discoverer SHJ 45

Notes

CPM. Companion 7.84V, +0.54(B-V), +0.04(U-B), F8V. vsini =<25k/s.

Separation over time

Measured 1800 → 2017 (217 y)

Separation drift 64.3" → 69.2" (+4.90")

Rate +0.0226" / y

PA drift 303° → 300° (-3°, -0.014°/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.