RHO HERCULES

Hi everyone, after what seems a long time the sky cleared last
night and I took advantage of it to look at a few doubles in
Hercules. Alpha Hercules what a beautiful double no matter how
many times I look at it I am still amazed by it, the colour contrast
the separation and the difference in magnitude just seem right for
a double star. Rho Hercules is a double I dont think I looked at
before, a blueish white primary and orangish secondary seperated by
a pleasing 4" mags. 4.5 5.4 means its bright as well. Checking
on Simbad it seems the primary is a close double sep. 0.30" and there
is a C star of mag. 13.3 sep 118". I am hopeful the weather improve
and we will get some more viewing soon.

Pat.

Nice to see someone is out doing some observing. Thank you Pat for your short report. I have enjoyed splitting Alpha Herculis many times over the years. Red and green seem to be the components' colours, and I did split also Rho Herculis on one occasion in the 2000's. I ticked off a good few Herculian doubles in Robert Burnham's Celestial Handbook over the years -9 in all.

Aubrey.

Hi Aubrey, thanks for the reply tonight here is fairly clear
so I am heading out to have another look at Hercules,
I will use the Tal 100mm. Will post later.

Pat.

Hi Aubrey, last night turned out very dissapointing
by the time I had set up the clouds had increased so
I spent 40 minutes hopping from one clear patch of sky
to another, I did get a few minutes to split Izar and a
brief view of Mizar before I give up. Maybe tonight will
be better.

Pat.

Yes, Pat, our Irish skies are very frustrating at present. I haven't done any observing for 6 weeks. I hope to so some lunar observing in 3 weeks time. The stars only come out at about 11pm these nights. Come August, I want to some viewing in Hercules and Ophuichus.

Aubrey.