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Observations - 8/8/23
- flt158
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1 year 2 months ago #111973
by flt158
Observations - 8/8/23 was created by flt158
Hello all.
It’s been 8.5 long weeks since I had my WO 158mm f/7 apo in my back garden.
I suppose I’m to blame for all these cloudy conditions though.
That’s because I received a new 2” mirror diagonal from Teleskop Express. Ha! Ha!
Valerie and I had returned the previous one because the 1.25” adaptor was far too stiff to be of any use. But I thought it was supposed to be 6 weeks of cloud rather than 8.5 weeks that one should have such a punishment.
Anyway, it’s all in the past now.
As I had no maps with me, I looked at some old favourites.
There was no wind whatsoever that I could tell.
Dew was beginning to occur at 23.15 Irish Local Time - but no problems during this observing session.
The air temperature was about 10 ˚ Celsius.
Plus, I had Darren observing at the same time with his 10” Dobsonian, and we were communicating by texts. Great!
I observed from 9.45 to 11.15 pm.
I observed 6 doubles + 1 triple.
Each of these systems’ figures are from www.stelledoppie.it – except the second one.
1. The true binary Polaris came first. Magnitudes: A = 2. B = 9.1 Sep = 18.4”. PA - 236˚. There was no sign of B at 40x. But no hassle at 112x. B was in the 9 o’clock position. And my new 2” mirror diagonal was working a treat on its first light. A is F7 and was a very good bright yellow-white beacon.
2. I know Arcturus and CN Boötis are not even an optical binary. But they look like one at 11x with my small 70mm f/6 apo. Glorious Arcturus looked superb with its K1.5 golden-orange colour. CN Boo looked white.
3. Where else to go only straight up to Izar? Stelle Doppie are now saying that this double is an uncertain one – even though the 2 stars are seriously close. Magnitudes: A = 2.6. B = 4.8. Sep = 2.9”. PA = 347˚. That’s 10 o’clock. After a few moments, I could see a tiny black gap between the 2 stars. At 140x, A was a K0 yellow-orange star. B was white. I couldn’t see any blueness with the secondary. But as you know, I’m using an apo refractor. The view looked wonderful at 140x.
4. I wandered over to Albireo. As we all know by now, this double is optical. Mick McCreary published an article about a year ago in Orbit giving some of us the full story. Magnitudes: A = 3.2. B = 4.7. Sep = 34.9”. PA = 54˚. That’s a 2.30 position. A had its familiar K3 orange colour. B is B9.5 and was therefore blue.
5. Schedar (Alpha Cassiopeiae) is an optical double. Its designation is H 5 18 on Stelle Doppie. Magnitudes: A = 2.4. D = 9. (B and C are too faint for my scope). Sep = 70.4”. PA = 283˚. Split at 40x or course. A appeared K0 yellow-orange. D was white. Lovely view as always.
6. Then came neighbouring Achird (Eta Cassiopeiae). It’s a triple star, and very easy to separate even at 40x. A and B are a true binary. But E is an optical component. Magnitudes: A = 3.5. B = 7.4. E = 10.2. (Neither C nor D are visible in my scope). At 112x I could see that A is a G0 yellow star. B is a K7 almond brown. C is white. A and B is one of my favourite doubles in the entire sky.
7. Lastly, Darren told me he was observing in Ursa Major. He had observed Mizar and Alcor. So I joined him. Mizar is a true binary. Magnitudes: A = 2.2. B = 3.9. Sep = 14.6”. PA = 153˚. Both stars are white, and sitting side by side. Split at 40x.
That’s it from me.
Thank you for reading this report.
Clear skies from Aubrey.
It’s been 8.5 long weeks since I had my WO 158mm f/7 apo in my back garden.
I suppose I’m to blame for all these cloudy conditions though.
That’s because I received a new 2” mirror diagonal from Teleskop Express. Ha! Ha!
Valerie and I had returned the previous one because the 1.25” adaptor was far too stiff to be of any use. But I thought it was supposed to be 6 weeks of cloud rather than 8.5 weeks that one should have such a punishment.
Anyway, it’s all in the past now.
As I had no maps with me, I looked at some old favourites.
There was no wind whatsoever that I could tell.
Dew was beginning to occur at 23.15 Irish Local Time - but no problems during this observing session.
The air temperature was about 10 ˚ Celsius.
Plus, I had Darren observing at the same time with his 10” Dobsonian, and we were communicating by texts. Great!
I observed from 9.45 to 11.15 pm.
I observed 6 doubles + 1 triple.
Each of these systems’ figures are from www.stelledoppie.it – except the second one.
1. The true binary Polaris came first. Magnitudes: A = 2. B = 9.1 Sep = 18.4”. PA - 236˚. There was no sign of B at 40x. But no hassle at 112x. B was in the 9 o’clock position. And my new 2” mirror diagonal was working a treat on its first light. A is F7 and was a very good bright yellow-white beacon.
2. I know Arcturus and CN Boötis are not even an optical binary. But they look like one at 11x with my small 70mm f/6 apo. Glorious Arcturus looked superb with its K1.5 golden-orange colour. CN Boo looked white.
3. Where else to go only straight up to Izar? Stelle Doppie are now saying that this double is an uncertain one – even though the 2 stars are seriously close. Magnitudes: A = 2.6. B = 4.8. Sep = 2.9”. PA = 347˚. That’s 10 o’clock. After a few moments, I could see a tiny black gap between the 2 stars. At 140x, A was a K0 yellow-orange star. B was white. I couldn’t see any blueness with the secondary. But as you know, I’m using an apo refractor. The view looked wonderful at 140x.
4. I wandered over to Albireo. As we all know by now, this double is optical. Mick McCreary published an article about a year ago in Orbit giving some of us the full story. Magnitudes: A = 3.2. B = 4.7. Sep = 34.9”. PA = 54˚. That’s a 2.30 position. A had its familiar K3 orange colour. B is B9.5 and was therefore blue.
5. Schedar (Alpha Cassiopeiae) is an optical double. Its designation is H 5 18 on Stelle Doppie. Magnitudes: A = 2.4. D = 9. (B and C are too faint for my scope). Sep = 70.4”. PA = 283˚. Split at 40x or course. A appeared K0 yellow-orange. D was white. Lovely view as always.
6. Then came neighbouring Achird (Eta Cassiopeiae). It’s a triple star, and very easy to separate even at 40x. A and B are a true binary. But E is an optical component. Magnitudes: A = 3.5. B = 7.4. E = 10.2. (Neither C nor D are visible in my scope). At 112x I could see that A is a G0 yellow star. B is a K7 almond brown. C is white. A and B is one of my favourite doubles in the entire sky.
7. Lastly, Darren told me he was observing in Ursa Major. He had observed Mizar and Alcor. So I joined him. Mizar is a true binary. Magnitudes: A = 2.2. B = 3.9. Sep = 14.6”. PA = 153˚. Both stars are white, and sitting side by side. Split at 40x.
That’s it from me.
Thank you for reading this report.
Clear skies from Aubrey.
The following user(s) said Thank You: michael_murphy, Until_then-Goodnight!
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