S Sculptoris is a Mira-type long-period variable. It fluctuates from 5.5 to about 13 magnitude every 362.6 days. Thus once a year, roughly the same time of year (around the last week in October), it becomes barely naked-eye visible but easily seen in binoculars.

To find the star first locate zeta Sculptoris, due west from alpha two binocular fields of view. S Sculptoris is to the southeast, in the same field of view: binoculars.