27th Jan - few more doubles.

[Guest Ely Ellis]

Well, after a very clear day, I decided to set the scope up to get a few more doubles. I wanted to concentrate on Auriga and try to get some of the ones Phil reported on previously.

After getting the littlen to bed at 20:00, out I went into the thick black cloud... doh!

So, having a cuppa, waiting around... another cuppa, gradualy there were some good breaks, so out I went to get aligned.

 

This week I took delivery of a polarscope for my mount, and after setting it up in daylight, I aligned the mount to Polaris. Next, after setting the time and date (wow, is it that long since I used it last!), I then carried out my 2 star align.

Now, the last couple of times, I have begun to think there was something wrong with the mount, as the alignment has been so far off and on one night, I must have re-done the alignment about 6 times before giving up.

This time, something went right, and first alignment star was not just in the finder, but also in the EP, second one was almost on the cross of the EP and some additional calibration stars set it up bang on (well near enough!).

 

Due to the scope being so close to the house, I have total block to the West from North to South, so all alignment was to the East.

 

Anyway, on with the show.

 

I started with visual and no intention of putting the camera on.

 

14 AUR (STF 653) - very easy to split, with both 25mm and still clear with the x2 barlow in place. Nice easy on to start with.

 

Psi AUR 5 (SHJ 75) - very wide pair at 35 arc sec, crystal clear in both 25mm and with x2 barlow

 

26 AUR (STF 753) - Another easy one but at 12 arc sec, quite close.

 

At this point, my knees were giving up. Being a refractor pointing almost vertical and with a shortend tripod (got it cheap), my head was only 6" from the ground. So, not wanting to give up so easily, I decided to stick the camera on and add these (and more) doubles to my list.

 

Omega AUR (STF 616) - Well not a great start with the camera, could not split this no matter what settings I used, but at 5 arc seconds, it was over my expected limit anyway. I did get an image, with possibly the secondary to the side creating an oval image.

 

14 AUR (STF 653) - Back to this one, easily imaged. Nice bright primary, dim secondary with good separation.

 

26 AUR (STF 753) - Another easy one that I had looked at visually earlier, again easy to spit.

 

I carried on with a few more, STF 872, 41 AUR (STF 845), 59 AUR (STF974), STF 681 & STF 764. Nothing outstanding, not much colour in anything tonight. Eventually around 22:30, the battery on the camera gave up and that was as sign to call it a night.

 

Images can be found here at my newly created website... http://www.cathprotech.talktalk.net/Astro/doubles_auriga.html

 

If you want a poke around my site , then please do, bear in mind that it is a work-in-progress, some links don't work, others go off to places unknown.

 

Thanks all

 

Martin

Edited January 28, 2013 by Ely Ellis

[philjay]

Great stuff Martin, theres alot of doubles in Auriga its well worth the visit. A tall tripod with a refractor is essential for comfortable observing you can then spend a bit of time on them. Nice reort, glad Im not the only one on here into doubles.

[Guest Ely Ellis]

Phil,

 

I think its just me, you and Pat.

 

We have our own little corner.

 

Just waiting for Pat to give us some input

 

Would love a large tripod, but got this mount cheap because the guy had cut the legs down so he could use his reflector. Was going to buy/fit and extension, but have plans to make a 'tall' pier in the garden... eventually!

 

 

 

Martin