When is the best time to observe HIP 44768?

HIP 44768 is best observed from January through March, with peak visibility during February when it transits around midnight in the Northern Hemisphere.

Where is HIP 44768 located in the sky?

HIP 44768 lies in the constellation Cancer at right ascension 09h 07m and declination +22° 59′.

What telescope do I need to split HIP 44768?

Splitting HIP 44768 requires an aperture of roughly 80 mm or larger — the components are separated by about 7.5″ at magnitudes near 6.4. Larger apertures and steady seeing help resolve the pair cleanly.

HIP 44768 — Double Star in Cancer

Magnitude 6.4^m DoubleStar Cancer (Cnc) Visible

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Observe

1Physical Properties

Magnitude 6.40

Spectral Type F4V

Distance 815 ly

2Position & Identifiers

RA 09h 07m 26.9s

Dec +22° 58' 52.0"

Constellation Cancer (Cnc)

HR 3617

HIP 44768

HD 78175

SAO 80643

Double Cat 7187

SIMBAD

3How easy to split?

Primary 6.4 mag Companion 7.1 mag Separation 7.5″

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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 Jan – Mar (peak: Feb)

5Multiple Star System Triple

Components 3 (triple)

Component IDs AB

Separation 7.5″

Companion Mag 7.1

Companion Sp F5V

Position Angle 199°

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

Discoverer STF1311

Notes

AB binary. B is F5V. C, optical.

Separation over time

Measured 1782 → 2019 (237 y)

Separation drift 8.8" → 7.5" (-1.30")

Rate -0.0055" / y

PA drift 205° → 199° (-6°, -0.025°/y)

Slow change over generations — observable in lifetime comparisons.

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.