When is the best time to observe HIP 55597?

HIP 55597 is best observed from February through April, with peak visibility during March when it transits around midnight in the Northern Hemisphere.

Where is HIP 55597 located in the sky?

HIP 55597 lies in the constellation Musca at right ascension 11h 23m and declination -64° 57′.

What telescope do I need to split HIP 55597?

Splitting HIP 55597 requires an aperture of roughly 100 mm or larger — the components are separated by about 2.5″ at magnitudes near 5.1. Larger apertures and steady seeing help resolve the pair cleanly.

HIP 55597 — Double Star in Musca

Observable Double Star Good (54/100)

Sep: 2.5", Companion: mag 6.6

Magnitude 5.1^m DoubleStar Musca (Mus) Visible

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Observe

1Physical Properties

Magnitude 5.11

Spectral Type B5V

Star Color Blue (B-V -0.08)

Distance 326 ly

2Position & Identifiers

RA 11h 23m 21.8s

Dec -64° 57' 18.0"

Constellation Musca (Mus)

HR 4401

HIP 55597

HD 99103

SAO 251382

SIMBAD

3How easy to split?

Primary 5.1 mag Companion 6.6 mag Separation 2.5″

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Telescope	Bortle 3	Bortle 4	Bortle 5
80 mm refractor 80mm refr.	Hard+	Hard+	Hard+
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 Feb – Apr (peak: Mar)

5Multiple Star System

Separation 2.5″

Companion Mag 6.6

Position Angle 309°

Star Colors A: Blue B: White

Discoverer HJ 4432

Separation over time

Measured 1836 → 2016 (180 y)

Separation drift 2.4" → 2.5" (+0.10")

Rate +0.0006" / y

PA drift 289° → 309° (+20°, +0.111°/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.