When is the best time to observe OS Puppis?

OS Puppis is best observed from December through February, with peak visibility during January when it transits around midnight in the Northern Hemisphere.

Where is OS Puppis located in the sky?

OS Puppis lies in the constellation Puppis at right ascension 08h 14m and declination -36° 19′.

What telescope do I need to split OS Puppis?

Splitting OS Puppis requires an aperture of roughly 60 mm or larger — the components are separated by about 66.8″ at magnitudes near 5.1. Larger apertures and steady seeing help resolve the pair cleanly.

OS Puppis — Double Star in Puppis

Observable Double Star Good (55/100)

Sep: 66.8", Companion: mag 6.0

DoubleStar Puppis (Pup) Visible

Star Map + List + Plan Star Hop

Observe

1Physical Properties

Magnitude 5.08

Range 5.07 - 5.20

Variable Type GCAS:

Spectral Type B1.5IV

Star Color Blue (B-V -0.19)

2Position & Identifiers

RA 08h 13m 58.4s

Dec -36° 19' 21.0"

Constellation Puppis (Pup)

HR 3240

HIP 40321

HD 69081

Variable ID OS Pup

SIMBAD

3How easy to split?

Primary 5.1 mag Companion 6.0 mag Separation 66.8″

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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 Dec – Feb (peak: Jan)

5Multiple Star System

Separation 66.8″

Companion Mag 6.0

Position Angle 176°

Star Colors A: Blue B: Blue-white

Discoverer DUN 67

Separation over time

Measured 1826 → 2015 (189 y)

Separation drift 75.0" → 66.8" (-8.20")

Rate -0.0434" / y

PA drift 169° → 176° (+7°, +0.037°/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.