When is the best time to observe Almaak?

Almaak is best observed from September through November, with peak visibility during October when it transits around midnight in the Northern Hemisphere.

Where is Almaak located in the sky?

Almaak lies in the constellation Andromeda at right ascension 02h 04m and declination +42° 20′.

What telescope do I need to see Almaak?

At magnitude 2.3, Almaak is visible to the naked eye under most conditions.

Almaak — Star in Andromeda

HIP 9640; Gamma1 Andromedae; 57 Andromedae

Star Andromeda (And) Visible

Star Map + List + Plan

About Almaak

Description

Almach is one of the finest double stars in the sky at magnitude 2.26 in Andromeda. A small telescope reveals a gorgeous pair — a golden-orange giant (K3IIb, magnitude 2.3) and a blue-white companion (magnitude 5.0) separated by about 10 arcseconds. Located about 355 light-years from Earth, the fainter companion is itself a triple star, making Almach a quadruple system.

Observing Tips

Almach lies at the eastern end of the main chain of Andromeda stars. It is one of the showpiece double stars of the autumn sky — even a small telescope reveals the striking color contrast between the golden primary and blue secondary. The pair is reminiscent of a miniature Albireo. Best observed September through February.

History

The name Almach (or Almaak) comes from the Arabic 'al-'anaq al-ard,' meaning 'the caracal' (a type of lynx). The double star nature was first noted by Johann Tobias Mayer in 1778. Almach has been a favorite target of visual double star observers for over two centuries.

Fun Facts

Almach rivals Albireo as the most beautiful color-contrast double star in the sky. The warm orange and cool blue pairing is immediately striking, and many observers consider it even finer than Albireo due to the smaller separation and greater brightness of the primary.