More doubles in Aries + 1 carbon star 11 & 12 January 2022

Hello, one and all. 

I have just had 2 extraordinary early evenings (3 e’s ) observing some doubles in Aries. 

Tuesday 11th & Wednesday 12th January 2022 were both almost perfect seeing conditions with little or no wind. I enjoyed all these doubles with my William Optics 158mm f/7 apochromatic refractor and a mirror diagonal fitted at all times. As soon as our Sun had set I began observing these amazing systems. 

All figures are from www.stelledoppie.it  

1. I distinctly remember having a torrid time with the true binary 10 Arietis in late December 2021 when I needed 280x to see both stars with some sort of black gap. But the seeing conditions were truly awful. The 2 stars were pure mush at this magnification. (I never really got a clean view).  However I had almost perfect seeing this time. Here is the summary of 10 Ari. Magnitudes: A = 5.8. B = 7.9. Sep = 1.594”. PA = 349.8˚. On this Tuesday evening I was splitting it at 225x. A big improvement I’m sure you agree. But better still was to be had on Wednesday 12th. Imagine my consternation when I discovered there was a lovely black gap at a mere 167X.  Indeed even at 140x I could see there were 2 stars desperately trying to separate – although to no avail. However I have to say it was one of those miracle nights (12th January 2022) when I was cleanly separating 10 Arietis at 167x. About 10 years ago I needed 280x to split it. Could it be my favourite double of 2022? And we still have another 11 months to go!?

2. I also returned to the true binary Epsilon Arietis on Tuesday 11th. I had bad seeing in late December. But now this double was nearly splitting at 167x! Magnitudes: A = 5.2. B = 5.6. Sep = 1.308”. PA = 210.2˚. However I still required 225x to get the separation, but it was far cleaner. 

I now share more doubles with you all also in Aries.  

3. STF 350 is a true binary which was effortlessly easy to split at low magnifications. A = 8.8. B = 10.5. Sep = 16.4”. PA = 119˚. 40x was enough to split it and notice that its primary is a G class yellow star. B was white.

4. HJL 1021 is a true binary which has a seriously wide separation. Magnitudes: A = 6.5. B = 8.8. Sep = 122.3”. PA = 239˚. Easily split at 11x with my small apo. At 40x in the main scope I could see that A is orange (K2). B was blue-white. Nice! HJL stands for Jean Louis Halbwachs. 

5. H 5 117 is a beautiful wide true binary. Magnitudes: A = 8.6. B = 10.6. Sep = 33.2”. PA = 321˚. To help any who wish to check out this double, I’m including the primary’s alternative designation: SAO 75775. H stands for the famous William Herschel. He discovered the planet Uranus which so happens to be in Aries too. The spectral classes of these 2 stars are G5 and K6. What a stunning double this is! I was so attracted to them I increased my magnifications up to 225x. The primary is a good reasonably strong yellow star. But the secondary is a very ruddy orange star – utterly stunning – even though it’s so dim. I haven’t come across any K6 stars before. K7 almond brown stars I have. But there isn’t much difference between these. Users of binoculars might give H 5 117 a go.  

6. STF 366 is an optical double. Magnitudes: A = 6.9. B = 10.4. Sep = 44”. PA = 34˚. Easily split at 40x and 112x. I’m sorry to say that after I came in I discovered that there is a C star. But I am going to have to return to STF 366 the next time and try to see it as a triple star!

7. Finally HJ 2178 is right beside Zeta Arietis and it is an uncertain double. Magnitudes: A = 9.8. B = 10.6. Sep = 17.9”. PA = 214˚. The B star was refusing to appear until 167x. I also used 225x. I found this truly very faint double a pure delight to behold at these medium magnifications.      

I tried to split Zeta Arietis. But the secondary just would not “pop” out. My sky conditions greatly deteriorated after 8pm on 11th January. 

But I hope to return to Zeta Ari and STF 366 on the next clear night – perhaps with pristine skies. 

I have one new carbon star: TYC 1761-2130-1 is a simple C class star in Aries. Magnitude: 10.9. The star doesn’t seem to vary in magnitude. The Right Ascension is: 02 hours 11 minutes 53.49 seconds. The Declination is: +27 degrees 15 minutes 34.5 seconds. I observed it from 112x to 225x. Its orange colour was never strong – quite weak in fact. There is also another orange star very close by called TYC 1761 1402. So I found the pair quite like an optical double orange star. Anyway it’s my 110th carbon star and my 2nd in Aries. 

That’s it from me. 

Comments, images and even sketches are very welcome 

Clear skies from Aubrey.    
    

Excellent Aubrey. So your number of carbon stars now equals the number of Messier objects :bow

Do you find that strong moonlight influences the visibility of doubles? On Tuesday and Wednesday the three-quarter Moon was 15 and 22 degrees respectively from 10 Ari. I have this idea that a brighter background sky might make the separation more difficult to tease out, but judging by your successful observation the pristine conditions more than made up for this.

Clear skies,
Finbarr.

! I never thought of that, Finbarr!
110 carbon stars and 110 Messier objects. 
Of course I have not observed all Messier objects - mind. 

I'm 100% naive on your second comment, my friend. 
I did realise that a gibbous Moon was very close by to some of these doubles. 
It seems a real mystery alright. 

Let me see what comments I get over on www.cloudynights.com  
And I will get back to you, Finbarr. 

Aubrey. 
 

That's a great way to kick off 2022 Aubrey. What a joy it must have been to observe the stars under those wonderful seeing conditions. With your description of how low you could go with 10 Arietis we get a great sense of what you experienced over the past couple of evenings.  

Also, very well done on reaching 110 carbon stars - fair play!

Clear skies,

Darren. 

Thank you, Darren. 

About 10 minutes earlier on Wednesday night I found Vega in my small 70mm apo before it became visible with my unaided eyes. 

Immediately straight up from it I saw Epsilon Lyrae. And much to my amazement the double - double was trying to split at 40x!!
I then pushed up my magnifications up to 225x.  
I discovered there was no shimmer or the slightest hint of bad seeing at that power. 

It gave me the idea that my sky conditions were going to be very excellent. 
And the rest, as they say, is history. 

I wonder when our Irish skies will be as clear again. 

Very best regards from Aubrey. 

Wow... The seeing conditions were really great during your session. You have me itching to get back out with my scope again Aubrey