Beta Leonis Minoris — Double Star in Leo Minor

Magnitude 4.2^m DoubleStar Leo Minor (LMi) Visible

Star Map + List + Plan

Observe

1Physical Properties

Magnitude 4.21

Spectral Type G9IIIab bright giant

Star Color Orange (B-V 0.90)

Distance 148 ly

2Position & Identifiers

RA 10h 27m 53.0s

Dec +36° 42' 26.0"

Constellation Leo Minor (LMi)

HR 4100

HIP 51233

HD 90537

SAO 62053

Bayer Beta

Flamsteed 31 LMi

Double Cat 7780

3How easy to split?

Primary 4.2 mag Companion 6.0 mag Separation 0.5″

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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.	V. hard+	V. hard+	V. hard+
Celestron C8 (203 mm SCT) C8 203mm	V. hard+	V. hard+	V. hard+

Easy Medium Hard Very hard Impossible

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

To reach "Medium" at Bortle 3, you'd need at least a 410 mm reflector.

4Visibility

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Best season Jan – Mar (peak: Feb)

5Multiple Star System

Separation 0.5″

Companion Mag 6.0

Position Angle 231°

Star Colors A: Orange

Discoverer HU 879

Notes

4.40 G8III-IV, 6.12 F8V, 37.92y, a = 0.340". Combined mag., colors.

Separation over time

Period: 10.9 y Eccentricity: 0.680 Now: 0.53", PA 226° -0.44" in 5 years

Apparent separation over time, computed from ORB6 orbital elements. Steep curves indicate fast-changing pairs — catch them while they're splittable.

Eyepiece View

Telescope Eyepiece

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80x Dawes: 1.9″ TFOV: 0.6°

Seeing

Scale Realistic = true angular size

A: 4.2 · B: 6.0 · Sep: 0.5″ · PA: 231° · N up, E right

Unresolved · Rayleigh: 2.3″ · Dawes: 1.9″ · Eff: 2.3″

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7

Size Comparison

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9

Spectral Classification

10

Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram

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Read: The Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram — Reading Stars Like a Map

11

Stellar Lifecycle

12

Blackbody Spectrum

13

Stellar Absorption Spectrum

Simulated absorption spectrum based on spectral type. Hover over lines to identify elements.

14

Stellar Fusion

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15Stellar Notes

Spectroscopic Binary

ADS 7780A, 37.9y, K 3.2k/s, V0 +5.7k/s, asini 476. Masses 2.1 and 0.5 solar.

Dynamical

0.017".

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Light Travel Time Machine

17

Relativistic Travel

Nearby in the Sky

Other targets within a few degrees — pan your scope a little and keep exploring.

Visibility scores assume a 150 mm Newton at Bortle 4.

Elliptical galaxy

Galaxy mag 13.1 3.3° Leo Minor

Tania Australis

HIP 50801; Mu Ursae Majoris; 34 Ursae Majoris

Eclipsing binary, period 230.1d

Variable Star mag 3.05 4.9° Ursa Major

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