Omega Leonis split - 14/4/21

Hello, everyone especially if you greatly admire tight doubles. 

I placed my William Optics 158 mm F/7 apochromatic refractor in its usual spot - the back garden on Tuesday night 14th April 2021 and did some observing from 9 to 10.30 pm. What was truly remarkable was my sky was nearly overcast until just before 9 pm. A high altitude north westerly breeze moved all these clouds along thankfully. The sky steadily cleared as the sky got darker which was amazing!
The air temperatures dropped from +4 degrees Celsius down to precisely 0 degrees during those 90 minutes. There was no wind to speak of at all. But more importantly no dew either. 
I had put out on the central tray of my Berlebach Planet mount each of my 8 eyepieces which range from 40X to 374X - as I reckoned a certain double star might prove to be a toughie.  

You see, over on Cloudy Nights, a Swede had laid down a challenge to me personally and try to see if my scope could split a true binary called Omega Leonis or for Struve fans STF 1356. Its components have the magnitudes: A = 5.7. B = 7.3. Sep = 0.9". PA = 115.6 degrees. Those figures are from www.stelledoppie.it . 
Imagine my surprise when something started to happen at 140X and 167X. I could see 2 stars okay, but they were not split. 

However my 5 mm Nagler which gives me 225X did the business. I suddenly had a most miniscule piece of black space between the 2 stars!
I was greatly surprised at that because there is a full 1.6 delta magnitudes between these 2 stars. 
Of course, having put out all my other eyepieces I used them too. My William Optics 4 mm gave such a wonderful view at 280X. 
I also noticed the primary at that magnification has a spectral class of F9, which means it ought to have a yellow-white colour. And indeed it does. The secondary was a straight white star.  

And I also observed Omega Leonis at 320X and 374X. 
Both powers give most magnificent views!

My wife and I are 14 years married today. She joined me briefly last Tuesday night and greatly admired Omega Leonis too! 

Clear skies from Aubrey. 

Congratulations on the split.
Congratulations on the anniversary.
14 years?  So, Valerie is still breaking you in?
I'm 29 years married and still in training.

Paul

Hi Aubrey,

Very big congratulations to you and Valerie on your 14th wedding anniversary...That's lovely news. 

What luck you had with the weather last night. It is great when you get a nice surprise like that, and well done on splitting that tight double... Would the seperation of 0.9" be one of the tightest doubles that you've split? 

Clear skies, 

Darren. 


 

Thank you, Paul for giving me the double congratulations. 
You are very kind!
And yes! I am still learning about marriage. 
Your emojis are most hilarious and suitable. 

Clear skies from Aubrey.   

Hello, Darren. 

Now let me see. 
Yes I have split a few tight doubles before. 
Ones ranging from 1.1", 1" and 0.9". 
So you could say Omega Leonis is my 2nd double which is of 0.9". 
What it all depends on is the delta magnitude of such doubles. 
Recently my scope refused to do the business on STT 1 in Cassiopeia. 
The separation is 1.6". 
But the delta magnitude is a full 2. 
7.5 magnitude for the primary and 9.5 for the secondary. 
However I will return to that mischievous double in the autumn. 

And by the way - nothing personal - but sorry I regret to inform you that I don't personally believe in luck.

But I do wish you clear skies, Darren, for you and your 12" Dobsonian. 

Aubrey.   

Hi Aubrey,

That makes the most recent split all the more impressive - very well done!

Clear skies,

Darren.