When is the best time to observe Enif?

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

Where is Enif located in the sky?

Enif lies in the constellation Pegasus at right ascension 21h 44m and declination +09° 52′.

What telescope do I need to split Enif?

Splitting Enif requires an aperture of roughly 60 mm or larger — the components are separated by about 143.9″ at magnitudes near 2.4. The companion is about 6.3 magnitudes fainter, so glare from the primary — not separation — sets the minimum aperture. Larger apertures and steady seeing help resolve the pair cleanly.

Enif — Double Star in Pegasus

HIP 107315; Epsilon Pegasi; 8 Pegasi

DoubleStar Pegasus (Peg) Visible

Star Map + List + Plan

About Enif

Description

Enif is an orange supergiant of spectral type K2Ib at magnitude 2.39, the brightest star in Pegasus. Located about 670 light-years from Earth, it has a luminosity of roughly 6,700 times solar. Enif marks the nose or muzzle of the winged horse. It is a slow irregular variable and has been observed to produce rare flare events.

Observing Tips

Enif lies well west of the Great Square of Pegasus, marking the horse's muzzle. Its warm orange color is noticeable to the naked eye. The globular cluster M15 lies just 4 degrees to the northwest, making Enif a useful guide star. Best observed August through December.

History

The name Enif comes from the Arabic 'anf al-faras,' meaning 'the nose of the horse.' In 1972, Enif produced a remarkable flare event, briefly brightening by nearly 3 magnitudes to magnitude 0.7 — making it momentarily the brightest star in Pegasus by a wide margin.

Fun Facts

Enif's 1972 flare remains one of the most dramatic brightness eruptions ever observed in a supergiant star. For a few minutes, this normally modest star became one of the 20 brightest in the sky. The cause remains poorly understood.

Observe

1Physical Properties

Magnitude 2.39

Range 2.37 - 2.45

Variable Type LC

Spectral Type K2Ib-II

Star Color Red (B-V 1.53)

Distance 688 ly

2Position & Identifiers

RA 21h 44m 11.2s

Dec +09° 52' 30.0"

Constellation Pegasus (Peg)

HR 8308

HIP 107315

HD 206778

Bayer Epsilon

Flamsteed 8 Peg

Variable ID Eps Peg

Double Cat 15268

SIMBAD Wikipedia

3How easy to split?

Primary 2.4 mag Companion 8.7 mag Separation 143.9″

Telescope	Bortle 3	Bortle 4	Bortle 5
80 mm refractor 80mm refr.	Easy	Easy	Medium+
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

Set a location in User Settings to see visibility data.

Best season Jul – Sep (peak: Aug)

5Multiple Star System Triple optical

Components 3 (triple)

Component IDs AC

Separation 143.9″

Companion Mag 8.7

Companion Sp F8

Position Angle 318°

Star Colors A: Red C: Yellow

Discoverer S 798

Notes

ADS 15268AB optical.

Separation over time

Measured 1825 → 2018 (193 y)

Separation drift 138.5" → 143.9" (+5.40")

Rate +0.0280" / y

PA drift 323° → 318° (-5°, -0.026°/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.