When is the best time to observe HIP 50939?

HIP 50939 is best observed from January through March, with peak visibility during February when it transits around midnight in the Northern Hemisphere.

Where is HIP 50939 located in the sky?

HIP 50939 lies in the constellation Sextans at right ascension 10h 24m and declination +02° 22′.

What telescope do I need to split HIP 50939?

Splitting HIP 50939 requires an aperture of roughly 60 mm or larger — the components are separated by about 201.6″ at magnitudes near 6.3. Larger apertures and steady seeing help resolve the pair cleanly.

HIP 50939 — Double Star in Sextans

Magnitude 6.3^m DoubleStar Sextans (Sex) Visible

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Observe

1Physical Properties

Magnitude 6.32

Spectral Type G9V

Star Color Orange (B-V 1.00)

2Position & Identifiers

RA 10h 24m 13.1s

Dec +02° 22' 05.0"

Constellation Sextans (Sex)

HR 4085

HIP 50939

HD 90125

Double Cat 7755

SIMBAD

3How easy to split?

Primary 6.3 mag Companion 6.7 mag Separation 201.6″

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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 AC

Separation 201.6″

Companion Mag 6.7

Position Angle 63°

Star Colors A: Orange

Discoverer HJ 2530

Notes

B, 13v at 8", optical.

Separation over time

Measured 1895 → 2015 (120 y)

Separation drift 210.1" → 201.6" (-8.50")

Rate -0.0708" / y

PA drift 64° → 63° (-1°, -0.008°/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.