Menu

Kappa Fornacis — Double Star in Fornax

Magnitude 5.2m DoubleStar Fornax (For) Visible
Star Map
+ List + Plan Star Hop

Observe

1Physical Properties

Magnitude 5.20
Spectral Type G0Va
Star Color Yellow (B-V 0.60)
Distance 42 ly

2Position & Identifiers

RA 02h 22m 32.6s
Dec -23° 48' 59.0"
Constellation Fornax (For)
HR 695
HIP 11072
HD 14802
SAO 167736
Bayer Kappa

3How easy to split?

Primary 5.2 mag Companion 10.2 mag Separation 0.5″
Sign in and configure your equipment and default location to see a personalized row.
Telescope Bortle 3 Bortle 4 Bortle 5
80mm refr. V. hard V. hard V. hard
150mm Newt. V. hard V. hard V. hard
C8 203mm V. hard V. hard V. hard
Easy Medium Hard Very hard Impossible

Bortle 3 = rural · 4 = outer suburbs · 5 = suburbs

Out of reach for typical amateur telescopes, even at Bortle 3.

4Visibility

Set a location in User Settings to see visibility data.

Best season Sep – Nov (peak: Oct)

5Multiple Star System

Separation 0.5″
Companion Mag 10.2
Position Angle 177°
Star Colors A: Yellow B: Red
Discoverer LAF 27

Separation over time

Period: 26.5 y Eccentricity: 0.329 Now: 0.48", PA 203° -0.02" in 5 years
0.00" 0.16" 0.32" 0.47" 0.63" 2025 2030 2035 2040 2045 0.48"

Apparent separation over time, computed from ORB6 orbital elements. Steep curves indicate fast-changing pairs — catch them while they're splittable.

Eyepiece View

Log in to set your own equipment
80x Dawes: 1.9″ TFOV: 0.6°
Realistic = true angular size
N E 177°

A: 5.2 · B: 10.2 · Sep: 0.5″ · PA: 177° · N up, E right

Unresolved · Rayleigh: 2.3″ · Dawes: 1.9″ · Eff: 2.3″

Explore

6

Size Comparison

Querying VizieR for stellar data…
7

Compare Stars

8

Spectral Classification

9

Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram

Loading HR diagram…
10

Stellar Lifecycle

11

Blackbody Spectrum

12

Stellar Absorption Spectrum

Simulated absorption spectrum based on spectral type. Hover over lines to identify elements.

13

Stellar Fusion

Discover

14

Light Travel Time Machine

15

Relativistic Travel

}