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Best Doubles in Aries??

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9 years 11 months ago #102654 by mykc
Best Doubles in Aries?? was created by mykc
Some time ago the double star observers on this forum were urged to compile a list of doubles that could become an IFAS challenge. There was some discussion about the criteria for inclusion of objects, with broad agreement. One of the criteria was that all the objects had to have been observed by IFAS members. Compiling a list is quite a task, and it seems sensible to put it together one constellation at a time?
The following is a list of 15 candidate doubles from Aries selected from observations of more than 40 doubles in that constellation, arranged from Easy to Difficult, with my observing notes. It is striking that so many of the doubles in Aries, starting with the famous Gamma Arietis, consist of stars of similar brightness. Would anyone like to chip in with other observations, or to vote for or against these candidates? All comments, corrections and suggestions welcome. The original data (from recent versions of the WDS catalogue) are in an Excel file from which a finalised observing list can easily be compiled.
Mike

STF180, γ Ari AB, RA 01:53:32, Dec +19:17:39, Mag1 4.5, Mag2 4.6, Sep 7.2" Easy
MC: 2014-12-28, 280mm SCT, 55mm TV Plossl, 51x, Rating 4. Perfectly matched, brilliant, pure white stars, really close at 50x.
MC: 2013-01-08, 280mm SCT, 10mm Plossl, 280x, Rating 4. Bright, perfect, white twins, well separated at 280x.
MC: 2012-11-05, 200 f/5 Reflector, 10mm Plossl, 100x, Rating 4. Perfectly matched pair of brilliant white stars, nicely split at 100X - excellent. Showcase double called the "Ram's Eyes".

STF394 AB, RA 03:28:01, Dec +20:27:51, Mag1 7.1, Mag2 8.2, Sep 6.8" Easy MC: 2013-01-08, 280mm SCT, 31mm Hyperion, 90x, Rating 3. Pretty, yellow/bluish combination, both quite bright, and close at 90x.

STF224 AB, RA 02:10:52, Dec +13:41:00, Mag1 8.3, Mag2 8.9, Sep 6" Easy
MC: 2014-12-28, 280mm SCT, 21mm Hyperion, 133x, Rating 4. Two richly coloured, golden stars, both bright, nicely separated at 133x.
MC: 2014-08-23, 280mm SCT, 31mm Hyperion, 90x, Rating 4. Pretty pair of golden suns, of slightly different brightness, nicely separated at 90x.

BU510 AC, RA 01:48:33, Dec +16:18:22, Mag1 8.7, Mag2 8.6, Sep 53.3"; BU510 AB, Mag1 8.7, Mag2 10.9, Sep 1.7" Easy
MC: 2014-08-23, 280mm SCT, 55mm TV Plossl, 51x, Rating 3. Almost identical pale yellow stars, widely separated at 50x, forming a slender arrowhead with a nearby brighter white star.

STF376 AB, RA 03:20:21, Dec +19:43:49, Mag1 8.3, Mag2 8.4, Sep 7.1" Easy
MC: 2014-08-23, 280mm SCT, 31mm Hyperion, 90x, Rating 3. Nice pair of white stars, practically identical in brightness, and well separated at 90x, with a brighter golden star nearby to the North.

STF178 AB, RA 01:52:03, Dec +10:48:38, Mag1 8.2, Mag2 8.2, Sep 3" Medium
MC: 2014-12-28, 280mm SCT, 13mm Hyperion, 215x, Rating 4. Identical yellow stars, attractively close at 215X, a nice combination.

STF240 AB, RA 02:17:16, Dec +23:52:25, Mag1 8.3, Mag2 8.6, Sep 4.8" Medium
MC: 2014-12-28, 280mm SCT, 21mm Hyperion, 133x, Rating 4. Deep yellow stars, of very similar brightness, nicely separated at 133x, with a bright orange star prominent to the south.
MC: 2014-08-23, 280mm SCT, 31mm Hyperion, 90x, Rating 4. Very similar, pale yellow stars, nice and close at 90x, with a bright orange star in close attendance to the South.

STF287 AB, RA 02:39:00, Dec +14:51:38, Mag1 7.4, Mag2 9.6, Sep 6.8" Medium
MC: 2014-08-23, 280mm SCT, 31mm Hyperion, 90x, Rating 3. Bright golden star, with a paler and fainter companion, nicely separated at 90x.

STF291 AB, RA 02:41:07, Dec +18:48:01, Mag1 7.7, Mag2 7.5, Sep 3.4"; STF291 AC, Mag1 7.7, Mag2 9.5, Sep 65.2" Medium
MC: 2013-01-08, 280mm SCT, 10mm Plossl, 280x, Rating 3. Perfectly matched, pale yellow pair, close at 280x, with a fainter more distant companion. The spiral galaxy NGC 1036 is 31' NNW.

STF300 AB, RA 02:44:37, Dec +29:27:37, Mag1 7.9, Mag2 8.1, Sep 3.2" Medium
MC: 2013-01-08, 280mm SCT, 10mm Plossl, 280x, Rating 3. Almost equal pair of very pale yellow stars, close at 280x.

STF305 AB, RA 02:47:27, Dec +19:22:20, Mag1 7.5, Mag2 8.2, Sep 3.6" Medium
MC: 2013-01-08, 280mm SCT, 10mm Plossl, 280x, Rating 3. Slightly unequal pair of pale yellow stars, nicely split at 280x.

STF311, π Ari AB, RA 02:49:18, Dec +17:27:52, Mag1 5.3, Mag2 7.9, Sep 3.1"; STF311 AC, Mag1 5.3, Mag2 10.7, Sep 24.1" Difficult
MC: 2014-12-28, 280mm SCT, 21mm Hyperion, 133x, Rating 4. Beautiful triple. A bright, pure white star, deliciously close to a much fainter white companion at 133x, widely separated from a fainter companion, the three stars almost in line. A distant, faint, yellow star is listed as another component.

STF333, ε Ari AB, RA 02:59:13, Dec +21:20:26, Mag1 5.2, Mag2 5.6, Sep 1.3" Difficult
MC: 2014-12-28, 280mm SCT, 8mm Hyperion, 350x, Rating 4. Very fine pair of bright stars, white with a hint of yellow, very close, but clearly split, at 350x.

STF174, 1 Ari AB, RA 01:50:09, Dec +22:16:29, Mag1 6.3, Mag2 7.2, Sep 2.8" Difficult
MC: 2013-01-08, 280mm SCT, 10mm Plossl, 280x, Rating 3. Very nice, golden/pale blue unequal pair, well split at 280x.
MC: 2012-11-06, 200 f/5 Reflector, 5mm Orthoscopic, 200x, Rating 3. Yellow primary with close, fainter bluish secondary; nicely resolved at 200X. Very pretty.

STF226 AB, RA 02:12:15, Dec +23:57:30, Mag1 8, Mag2 9.6, Sep 1.8" Difficult
MC: 2014-12-28, 280mm SCT, 13mm Hyperion, 215x, Rating 3. Bright orange star split by a hair from a fainter, but equally fiery, secondary at 215x.

Skywatcher 120 mm ED on a CG5 mount.
Orion UK 300mm Dobsonian

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