Barnard's Star

Last night I observed the fastest-moving star in the sky - Barnard's Star, which I hadn't actually seen before. Visible in binoculars at mag 9.5 it's 6 light years away and the 4th closest to Earth after the Alpha Centauri triple system. It's only twice the diameter of Jupiter and moves at a rapid 10 arcseconds per year. The image below shows it ¾ of a degree from the mag 4.8 star 66 Oph, marked A. I also managed to spot the recurrent nova V3890 Sgr, despite strong nearby moonlight. It has outbursted again for the 3rd time since 1962, although now fading to mag 10.5. Last night's skies were the best for several months I would say.

Finbarr.

Did you notice any colour, Finbarr?
I'm just wondering.
Maybe you could put your telescope on it.

Your image has excellent focus.

Kind regards from Aubrey.

I didn't Aubrey, just a pinpoint of light through the binoculars. I do detect a tinge of reddening in the full-size image, but with a 10-day moon bordering Sagittarius the entire region was pretty saturated. I must get the scope onto it in a dark sky.

Best wishes,
Finbarr.

Nice image Finbarr.

This is a nice area, with some very interesting objects. The globular cluster NGC 6426 can be found below Beta Ophiuchi (Cabalrai), and the lovely double 61 is just below that.

67, 68 and 70 Ophiuchi are all fairly easy double or multiple stars.

NGC 6535 is also in this area. It is described as a globular cluster in some places, but looks like a tight cluster to me.

Lovely Finbarr, I have to say it's a fascinating star that I've never seen! When I was at school in the 1970s it was believed to have two planets, based on the "wobble" in its proper motion. This turned out to be our wobble caused by Jupiter and Saturn   But now we find it has an exoplanet anyway.

Great report!

Thanks Stevie and Paul,

I did note 67 Oph and several fainter doubles while I was starhopping through the region. And not forgetting the lovely Summer Beehive cluster, in the same fov as Cebalrai. I think it's my favourite binocular cluster in summer skies actually.

That's interesting Paul, I didn't know the alleged wobble in Barnard's had a more localised explanation! No doubt it does have one or more exoplanets though, as does every other star in the cosmos presumably.

Finbarr.