When is the best time to observe HIP 82418?

HIP 82418 is best observed from April through June, with peak visibility during May when it transits around midnight in the Northern Hemisphere.

Where is HIP 82418 located in the sky?

HIP 82418 lies in the constellation Ara at right ascension 16h 51m and declination -50° 03′.

What telescope do I need to split HIP 82418?

Splitting HIP 82418 requires an aperture of roughly 100 mm or larger — the components are separated by about 3.2″ at magnitudes near 6.5. Larger apertures and steady seeing help resolve the pair cleanly.

HIP 82418 — Double Star in Ara

Magnitude 6.5^m DoubleStar Ara Visible

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Observe

1Physical Properties

Magnitude 6.47

Spectral Type A5III+F7III giant

Star Color Yellow-white (B-V 0.31)

Distance 408 ly

2Position & Identifiers

RA 16h 50m 35.9s

Dec -50° 02' 44.0"

Constellation Ara

HR 6236

HIP 82418

HD 151566

SAO 227281

SIMBAD

3How easy to split?

Primary 6.5 mag Companion 7.3 mag Separation 3.2″

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Telescope	Bortle 3	Bortle 4	Bortle 5
80 mm refractor 80mm refr.	Medium	Medium	Medium
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 3.2″

Companion Mag 7.3

Position Angle 40°

Star Colors A: Yellow-white B: Yellow-white

Discoverer COO 201

Notes

Secondary = GC 22634, 6.47V A8m. Primary, fast rotation, not Am.

Separation over time

Measured 1889 → 2016 (127 y)

Separation drift 2.9" → 3.2" (+0.30")

Rate +0.0024" / y

PA drift 44° → 40° (-4°, -0.031°/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.