HD 118266: An Attractive Orange and Dim Blue Binary in Virgo

In recent years, I have centered my attention on the wealth of galaxies found within the Virgo constellation, a prominent spring constellation in the northern hemisphere. However, the youthful maiden of the night sky has much more to offer, including the binary star HD 118266, which is also known by its historical designation, HJ 228, as cataloged by John Herschel in the 19th century.

The stellar pair consists of a brighter primary star, classified as a K-type star, with an orange-yellow hue, at a magnitude of 6.6. The secondary star is located 70 arcseconds away, making it easier to observe through a smaller scope. This companion star has a dimmer magnitude of 9. While the color of the secondary star is difficult to determine, I observed it appearing blue. However, literature on this pair is limited, and others may see it as white.

It’s estimated that the pair lies 390 light years away from Earth.

My Observations

This is a beautiful binary star, and on this June night, I find myself reluctant to look away. Now past the 10 o’clock hour, this particular night brings solace with its quietude, warmth, and clear skies. I am grateful for the remarkable double stars scattered across the sky.

The primary star has a clear orange hue, while the secondary star, although dim and difficult to discern, appears light blue to me. A few other faint stars are nearby.

Key Stats

Constellation	Virgo
Best Viewing	Spring
Visual Magnitude	+ 6.6 | +8.9
Separation	70″
Position Angle	15.3°
Distance	390 ly
My Viewing Grade	A-
Designations	SAO 100630, HIP 66326, HR 5114, BD+10 2565

Sources and Notes

The banner illustration was created by the European Southern Observatory (ESO) and is under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Per ESO agreement: Here is the original image on the ESO website.