Kurt, Thanks for all the good work you share. I like doubles :>) Jim --- On Thu, 3/26/09, Canopus56 <canopus56@yahoo.com> wrote: From: Canopus56 <canopus56@yahoo.com> Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Colorful Doubles - Mon to Cnc To: "Utah Astronomy List Serv" <utah-astronomy@mailman.xmission.com> Date: Thursday, March 26, 2009, 12:21 PM The following list was originally proposed in early March 2009. Objects on this final list has been completely reviewed. The following is an observing list with respect to my continuing color-contrast-doubles urban-astronomy interest. Because of the deteriorating weather situation (at my local op) and the advancing first quarter moon, I've posted it before completing a review of the entire target list, so others interested in looking at a few targets can do so. For the Mon through Cnc frame, stars with good-to-showcase color contrast (plus bet Mon) are: eps Mon (yellow-tint blue) bet Mon (double white) 15 Mon (white-tint yellow) STF1019(white-blue) Herschel 3945 145G CMa Winter Alberio (yellow-blue) STF1183 (white green-blue-shade) zet Mon (yellow-grey) SAO98013 Center of M44 triple asterism SAO98020-SAO98021 Center of M44 quad iot Cnc Spring Alberio (yellow-blue) The entries start with SAO numbers because that is what I use in my GOTO hand-controller. I understand that both Meade and Celestron hand-controllers have the SAO list. Where an SAO number is not returned by a handcontroller, lookup and use the direct RA-Dec coordinates. This observing list was developed by reviewing color contrast double lists such as Mullaney, Haas and Belmont and then preparing a short list of candidate targets. The candidate list was then reviewed using a 4 1/4 inch short GOTO reflector from an urban light polluted site to determine the practicality of seeing the objects from an urban setting. This list was also expanded to include three prominent carbon stars in this observing frame. Because the portion of the night sky west from Orion is dominated by anti-spinward Orion-Cygnus Arm white OB stars, I wanted to fill-in with some more color. Clear Skies - Kurt MON TO CNC COLOR CONTRAST DOUBLES FOR URBAN SKIES (EAST ORI TO MON) ID SAO113810 Constellation Mon AltNames - Name - HD44769, HIP30419 CommentsSec eps Mon, 8 Mon, 4.4v, 6.5v, 12.1sep, 29pa, 2004,Haas:showcase yellow-lilac,A5IV,- RA 062346 Dec +043534 CommentsMisc - Observation note Showcase pair with contrast per Haas representation. A small gap with white primary and light blue fainter secondary. Very pleasing. Fairly close gap at 40x; wide pair at 100x. Nice pair. ID SAO95659 Constellation Mon Name - HD45725, HIP30564 AltNames bet Mon; 11 Mon; Herschel's Wonder Star CommentsSec 4.7v,5.2v,7.3sep,132pa,2000,Mullaney:blue-blue-blue,0.148kpc,B2 RA 062849 Dec -070158 CommentsMisc - Observation note At 40x appears as single star. At 100x, appears as an easy, split, two nearly equal white stars with a tiny, but distinct gap. A nice warmup for a start of this run with no color contrast. ID NGC2244 Constellation Mon AltNames Rosetta Neb Open Cluster CommentsSec - RA 063224 Dec +045200 CommentsMisc - Observation note Showcase cluster listed for completeness ID SAO114258 Constellation Mon Name - HD47839, HIP31978 AltNames 15 Mon; STF950 CommentsSec 4.6v,9.9vAa-C,16.6sep,14pa,2002,Haas:triple-lemon-white-with-silver,-,- RA 064059 Dec +095344 CommentsMisc At base of Christmas Tree Cluster FG 9.0v,10v,39.5sep,263pa,2002,-,-,- Observation note Two faint stars to the north of 15 Mon at the base of the Christmas Tree Cluster. 15 Mon is white. All three detectable at 25x. At 100x, lemon color of beta barely detectable. In 4.25 inch, thrid faint C star is barely detectable. Faint double to the east of 15 Mon and the triangular corner asterism at the east base of the Christmas Tree is STF952. Struve designations not consistent with Washington Double Star. Is a complex multiple system with two other embedded systems. That it is a complex system is its main attraction. STF951, also in cluster is a similar complex multiple star system. ID NGC2264 Constellation Mon AltNames Christmas Tree Cluster CommentsSec - RA 064106 Dec +095300 CommentsMisc - Observation note Showcase cluster listed for completeness ID SAO152363 Constellation Mon Name - HD53755, HIP34234 AltNames STF1019 CommentsSec 6.5v,9.6vAC,38.5sep,295pa,2004,Haas:whte-blue-triple,-,- RA 070550 Dec -103940 CommentsMisc Triple with AB 6.5v-10.1v,6.4sep Observation note Faint white primary with nice blue fainter secondary. Tertiary not visible. Nice contrast on the primary. ID SAO173349 Constellation Cma Name - HD56577, HIP35210 AltNames 145G Cma, Herschel 3945, Winter Alberio CommentsSec 4.2v, 6.8v,26.6sep,-,-,Showcase yellow-blue pair,-,- RA 0716.6 Dec -2319 CommentsMisc Winter Albireo Observation note Showcase case - exactly as the name implies. ID SAO115756 Constellation CMi AltNames alf CMi, 10 CMi, Procyon CommentsSec 0.4v,11.7v,148.4sep,p17a,1984,Smyth:yellow-white-several-small-stars,-,F5IV RA 073918 Dec +051330 CommentsMisc - Observation note Mullaney and Haas do not list Procyon as double - just a pretty star field per Mullaney. As Mullaney notes, this is a pretty field-of-view that we often do not take the time to appreciate, since it is an alignment star. But the Washington Double Star catalogue shows this as a complex mulitple star system. The more refined CCDM shows Procyon as a triple. CCDM07393+0514. ID SAO135505 Constellation Mon Name - HD67159, HIP39675 AltNames STF1183 CommentsSec 6.2v,7.8v,30.6sep,328pa,2004,Haas:lemon-white-with-green-white,-,B9.5IV RA 080627 Dec -091442 CommentsMisc - Observation note Showcase - nice bright white green-blue tint wide gap pair. Good color contrast. ID SAO135551 Constellation Mon Name - HD67594, HIP39863 AltNames zet Mon; STF1190 CommentsSec 4.4v,10.1vAB,33sep,105pa,1998,Smyth:yellow-gray-blue,-;G2I RA 080836 Dec -025902 CommentsMisc Triple AC 4.4,9.7v,64.7sep,247pa,2002 Observation note Secondary too faint to give good color contrast, but is pleasant system, easy to find. ID SAO97645 Constellation Cnc Name - HD68256, HIP40167 AltNames zet1 Cnc; 16 Cnc; STF1196AB CommentsSec 5.6v,6.6v,0.98sep,52pa,2000,Mullaney:triple-yellow-yellow-yellow,-,F7V RA 081213 Dec +173852 CommentsMisc West of M44 Observation note: Could only split 5.9" AB-C - at 100x. A nice white yellow pair. Excellent but not showcase. ID SAO97646 Constellation Cnc Name - HD68255, HIP40167 AltNames zet2 Cnc; 16 Cnc; STF1196AB CommentsSec 5.6v,6.6v,0.98sep,52pa,2000,Mullaney:triple-yellow-yellow-yellow,-,F8V RA 081213 Dec +173852 CommentsMisc West of M44 Observation note - Could only split 5.9" AB-C - at 100x. A nice white yellow pair. Excellent but not showcase. ID SAO98013 Constellation Cnc Name - HD73618, HIP42497 AltNames - CommentsSec 6.9v,11.9v1.4sep,292pa,2000,Belmont:yellow-orange-white-triple,-,Am RA 083956 Dec +193311 CommentsMisc In center of M44 Observation note - Obvious small triangle asterism off in one corner of central M44 field. Looks orange-blue-blue or yellow-lilac-lilac. This triple and STF1254 are good multiples to know about when presenting M44 at star parties. ID SAO98020 Constellation Cnc Name - HD73709, HIP42549 AltNames - CommentsSec 6.5v,9v,20.5sep,24pa,2000,Belmont:orange-white-quad,-,F2III RA 084021 Dec +194111 CommentsMisc In center of M44 Observation note - Could only make out three stars in quad - 6.0, 6.5 and faint 7.2. Some white-yellow contrast on 6.0-6.5, Mostly pretty due to setting in center of M44. ID SAO98021 Constellation Cnc Name - HD73710, HIP42549 AltNames STF1254 CommentsSec 6.0v,7.2v,10sep,25pa,2004,Haas:yellow-yellow-olive,-,F8V RA 084022 Dec +194012 CommentsMisc In center of M44 Observation note - Could only make out three stars in quad - 6.0, 6.5 and faint 7.2. Some white-yellow contrast on 6.0-6.5, Mostly pretty due to setting in center of M44. ID M44 Constellation Cnc AltNames - CommentsSec - RA 084024 Dec +194000 CommentsMisc - Observation note ID SAO80416 Constellation Cnc Name - HD74739, HIP43103 AltNames iot Cnc; 48 Cnc; Spring Albireo; STF1536AB CommentsSec 4.2v,6.6v,30.5sep,307pa,2000,Belmont:yellow-blue,0.1kpc,G8Iab RA 084642 Dec +284536 CommentsMisc - Observation note - Showcase obvious yellow-blue Alberio look-alike. ID SAO61125 Constellation Cnc Name - HD75959, HIP43721 AltNames 57 Cnc; Struve (STF)1291 CommentsSec 6.1v,6.6v,1.4sep,316pa,2000,Mullaney:yellow-yellow,0.112kpc,G7III RA 085415 Dec +303446 CommentsMisc N.e. of iot Cnc Observation note - No color contrast but good nearly equal white-white pair for split test of small refractor. ID SAO98230 Constellation Cnc Name - HD76221, HIP42549 AltNames X Cnc; AAVSO0849+17 CommentsSec 6.2v,Mullaney:Stellar ruby RA 085523 Dec +171353 CommentsMisc Red carbon variable Observation note - Showcase nice deep orange color. ================== Some supplemental suburban-rural sky doubles with color contrast - too faint for urban skies ID SAO152427 Constellation CMa Name - HD54361 AltNames W CMa CommentsSec 6.7v, carbon star RA 070803 Dec -115522 CommentsMisc - Observation note - Nice deep dark orange color. Recommend as suburban-rural target; not urban target. ID SAO80425 Constellation Cnc Name - HD74857 AltNames gam Cnc; 43 Cnc; STF1967; Asellus Borealis CommentsSec 4.7v,8.1v,106.3sep,66pa,2000,-,0.050kpc,A1IV RA 084715 Dec +213235 CommentsMisc - Near M44. Recommend for suburban-rural skies. Not urban target. Observation note - (From suburban skies) Bright white A star with superwide faint sea blue companion. Companion may not be observable from urban setting. ID SAO61177 Constellation Cnc Name - HD76813, HIP44154 AltNames sig01 Cnc CommentsSec 5.7v,10.2vAC,77sep,24pa,2003,Haas:triple-yellow-gray-gray,-,A8 RA 085933 Dec +322507 CommentsMisc - Recommend for suburban-rural sites. Not urban target. Observation note - (From suburban site). White-faint blue primary. Probably not visible from urban site. ================= This post is a continuation of my posts that concerning on my current observing focus: "after-work urban-astronomy". Urban astronomy focuses on using easily set up GOTO scopes across for seasons to view astronomical objects from urban light-polluted skies. As opposed to deep sky object emphasis, urban astronomy concerns bright objects visible with small apetures e.g. - open clusters, double stars, planetary and solar system objects. Having family, friend and work obligations like the rest of you, I will try to limit referenced targets to those observable prior to local midnight. _______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list Utah-Astronomy@mailman.xmission.com http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy Visit the Photo Gallery: http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php Visit the Wiki: http://www.utahastronomy.com