Epsilon Sagittae: A Warm Yellow and Pale Blue Double Star in Sagitta

On the evening of August 19, 1780, astronomer William Herschel swept through the stars in the constellation Sagitta and discovered the subtle yet colorful double star known as Epsilon Sagittae. The next time you’re out on a summer night, be sure to look toward the southern sky to find this lovely star pair.

Epsilon Sagittae sits near the “feathers” end of this celestial arrow, not far from the more prominent Alpha and Beta Sagittae. Though its apparent magnitude of around +5.7 puts it on the edge of naked-eye visibility, it stands out beautifully when split into its two components through binoculars or a small telescope.

The yellow primary star shines at a magnitude of +5.7. Its companion, at magnitude 8.36, sits roughly 88.9 arcseconds away with a soft blue color. The wide separation between the stars makes this an easy pair to split, even with steady binoculars. Despite their proximity in the sky, the two stars are not physically related; the secondary is simply a line-of-sight neighbor.

My Observations

The primary star glows with a warm, golden-yellow hue, commanding attention at the center of the view. The fainter companion appears as a delicate point of light, tinged with a soft, hazy blue. The subtle interplay between the golden primary and its cool-toned partner makes this pair a visual delight.

Key Stats

Constellation	Sagitta
Best Viewing	Summer
Visual Magnitude	+ 5.77 | +8.35
Separation	87.4″
Position Angle	82.8°
Distance	480 ly
My Viewing Grade	B
Designations	SAO 105061, HD 185194, 4 Sagittae, Eps Sge, HIP 96516, HR 7463, H VI 26, ε Sge

Sources and Notes

Sketch by Wayne McGraw