When is the best time to observe HIP 56809?

HIP 56809 is best observed from February through April, with peak visibility during March when it transits around midnight in the Northern Hemisphere.

Where is HIP 56809 located in the sky?

HIP 56809 lies in the constellation Ursa Major at right ascension 11h 39m and declination +45° 07′.

What telescope do I need to split HIP 56809?

Splitting HIP 56809 requires an aperture of roughly 80 mm or larger — the components are separated by about 8.8″ at magnitudes near 6.4. Larger apertures and steady seeing help resolve the pair cleanly.

HIP 56809 — Double Star in Ursa Major

Magnitude 6.4^m DoubleStar Ursa Major (UMa) Visible

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Observe

1Physical Properties

Magnitude 6.44

Spectral Type G0V

Star Color Yellow (B-V 0.56)

Distance 67 ly

2Position & Identifiers

RA 11h 38m 44.9s

Dec +45° 06' 31.0"

Constellation Ursa Major (UMa)

HR 4486

HIP 56809

HD 101177

SAO 43841

Double Cat 8250

SIMBAD

3How easy to split?

Primary 6.4 mag Companion 8.2 mag Separation 8.8″

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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 Feb – Apr (peak: Mar)

5Multiple Star System Quintuple C,D,E: optical

Components 5 (quintuple)

Component IDs AB

Separation 8.8″

Companion Mag 8.2

Companion Sp K2V

Position Angle 245°

Star Colors A: Yellow B: Orange

Discoverer STF1561

Notes

AB binary.

Separation over time

Measured 1782 → 2021 (239 y)

Separation drift 12.5" → 8.8" (-3.70")

Rate -0.0155" / y

PA drift 270° → 245° (-25°, -0.105°/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.