When is the best time to observe HIP 4164?

HIP 4164 is best observed from August through October, with peak visibility during September when it transits around midnight in the Northern Hemisphere.

Where is HIP 4164 located in the sky?

HIP 4164 lies in the constellation Cetus at right ascension 00h 53m and declination -24° 47′.

What telescope do I need to split HIP 4164?

Splitting HIP 4164 requires an aperture of roughly 80 mm or larger — the components are separated by about 5.4″ at magnitudes near 6.5. Larger apertures and steady seeing help resolve the pair cleanly.

HIP 4164 — Double Star in Cetus

Magnitude 6.5^m DoubleStar Cetus (Cet) Visible

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Observe

1Physical Properties

Magnitude 6.46

Spectral Type F6IV-V subgiant

Star Color Yellow-white (B-V 0.44)

Distance 544 ly

2Position & Identifiers

RA 00h 53m 12.4s

Dec -24° 46' 37.0"

Constellation Cetus (Cet)

HR 251

HIP 4164

HD 5156

SAO 166651

Double Cat 733

SIMBAD

3How easy to split?

Primary 6.5 mag Companion 9.2 mag Separation 5.4″

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

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Best season Aug – Oct (peak: Sep)

5Multiple Star System

Separation 5.4″

Companion Mag 9.2

Position Angle 7°

Star Colors A: Yellow-white B: Orange

Discoverer WNO 1

Notes

Primary F4IV, secondary G0V.

Separation over time

Measured 1876 → 2016 (140 y)

Separation drift 5.6" → 5.4" (-0.20")

Rate -0.0014" / y

PA drift 12° → 7° (-5°, -0.036°/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.