Tau Sculptoris — Double Star in Sculptor

Magnitude 5.7^m DoubleStar Sculptor (Scl) Visible

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Observe

1Physical Properties

Magnitude 5.69

Spectral Type F2V

Star Color Yellow-white (B-V 0.33)

Distance 130 ly

2Position & Identifiers

RA 01h 36m 08.4s

Dec -29° 54' 27.0"

Constellation Sculptor (Scl)

HR 462

HIP 7463

HD 9906

SAO 193201

Bayer Tau

3How easy to split?

Primary 5.7 mag Companion 7.4 mag Separation 0.8″

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Telescope	Bortle 3	Bortle 4	Bortle 5
80 mm refractor 80mm refr.	V. hard	V. hard	V. hard
150 mm Newton 150mm Newt.	Hard	Hard	Hard
Celestron C8 (203 mm SCT) C8 203mm	Hard	Hard	Hard

Easy Medium Hard Very hard Impossible

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

To reach "Medium" at Bortle 3, you'd need at least a 270 mm reflector.

4Visibility

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Best season Sep – Nov (peak: Oct)

5Multiple Star System

Separation 0.8″

Companion Mag 7.3

Position Angle 205°

Star Colors A: Yellow-white B: Yellow

Discoverer HJ 3447

Notes

6.0 F3V, 7.1, probably combined mag. and color.

Separation over time

Period: 679.9 y Eccentricity: 0.756 Now: 0.84", PA 208° + 0.00" in 5 years

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

Eyepiece View

Telescope Eyepiece

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80x Dawes: 1.9″ TFOV: 0.6°

Seeing

Scale Realistic = true angular size

A: 5.7 · B: 7.3 · Sep: 0.8″ · PA: 205° · N up, E right

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

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Size Comparison

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Compare Stars

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Spectral Classification

9

Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram

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Read: The Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram — Reading Stars Like a Map

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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

Nearby in the Sky

Other targets within a few degrees — pan your scope a little and keep exploring.

Visibility scores assume a 150 mm Newton at Bortle 4.

Barred spiral galaxy

Galaxy mag 10.0 0.6° Sculptor

Mira-type variable, range 5.5–8.0

Variable Star mag 5.79 3.3° Sculptor

Easy double, sep 5.0″

Double Star mag 5.31 5.3° Sculptor

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