When is the best time to observe HIP 70518?

HIP 70518 is best observed from March through May, with peak visibility during April when it transits around midnight in the Northern Hemisphere.

Where is HIP 70518 located in the sky?

HIP 70518 lies in the constellation Libra at right ascension 14h 25m and declination -19° 58′.

What telescope do I need to split HIP 70518?

Splitting HIP 70518 requires an aperture of roughly 60 mm or larger — the components are separated by about 35.0″ at magnitudes near 6.6. Larger apertures and steady seeing help resolve the pair cleanly.

HIP 70518 — Double Star in Libra

Magnitude 6.6^m DoubleStar Libra (Lib) Visible

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Observe

1Physical Properties

Magnitude 6.61

Spectral Type A2V

Star Color White (B-V 0.14)

Distance 652 ly

2Position & Identifiers

RA 14h 25m 29.8s

Dec -19° 58' 11.0"

Constellation Libra (Lib)

HR 5397

HIP 70518

HD 126367

SAO 158558

Double Cat 9258

SIMBAD

3How easy to split?

Primary 6.6 mag Companion 7.2 mag Separation 35.0″

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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 Mar – May (peak: Apr)

5Multiple Star System Triple

Components 3 (triple)

Component IDs AB

Separation 35.0″

Companion Mag 7.2

Position Angle 296°

Star Colors A: White

Discoverer SHJ 179

Notes

Triple system. BC, 7.0v A4V or A1IV, 8.2v sep. 1". vsini of B is 60k/s.

Separation over time

Measured 1798 → 2018 (220 y)

Separation drift 35.7" → 35.0" (-0.70")

Rate -0.0032" / y

PA drift 299° → 296° (-3°, -0.014°/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.