When is the best time to observe HIP 76603?

HIP 76603 is best observed from April through June, with peak visibility during May when it transits around midnight in the Northern Hemisphere.

Where is HIP 76603 located in the sky?

HIP 76603 lies in the constellation Libra at right ascension 15h 39m and declination -08° 47′.

What telescope do I need to split HIP 76603?

Splitting HIP 76603 requires an aperture of roughly 60 mm or larger — the components are separated by about 11.7″ at magnitudes near 6.5. Larger apertures and steady seeing help resolve the pair cleanly.

HIP 76603 — Double Star in Libra

Magnitude 6.5^m DoubleStar Libra (Lib) Visible

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Observe

1Physical Properties

Magnitude 6.48

Spectral Type F6V

Star Color Yellow (B-V 0.52)

Distance 297 ly

2Position & Identifiers

RA 15h 38m 40.1s

Dec -08° 47' 28.0"

Constellation Libra (Lib)

HR 5816

HIP 76603

HD 139461

SAO 140672

Double Cat 9728

SIMBAD

3How easy to split?

Primary 6.5 mag Companion 6.5 mag Separation 11.7″

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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 Apr – Jun (peak: May)

5Multiple Star System

Separation 11.7″

Companion Mag 6.5

Companion Sp F8V

Position Angle 188°

Star Colors A: Yellow B: Yellow

Discoverer STF1962

Notes

Binary with HR 5815. Combined mag. 5.79V.

Separation over time

Measured 1823 → 2019 (196 y)

Separation drift 11.9" → 11.7" (-0.20")

Rate -0.0010" / y

PA drift 187° → 188° (+1°, +0.005°/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.