Just discovered Carbon Stars

[mike.brightmore]

With the exceptionally clear skies this week I've been able to observe further down towards the Southern horizon so have been panning around Scutum, Sagittarius and Ophiuchus. A few degrees directly below the Wild Duck cluster (M11) in Scutum I noticed a strikingly red little star. It was at the tip of an almost perfect little equilateral triangle of stars and stood out amongst its white and bluish neighbours. In fact it looked like a red pixel in an astro image. I observed it in the binoculars and telescope and it was a very pleasing object in both. Intrigued by it I found it in Stellarium and identified it as S Scuti (SAO 142674, HIP 92442). When I searched this on the net I learned that this was indeed a Carbon Star (one that had used up all its hydrogen and is fusing helium so creating a high concentration of carbon in its atmosphere. This apparently scatters most wavelengths except red light). On the North Central Kansas Astronomical Society website ... http://www.nckas.org/carbonstars/ I found a list of other Carbon Stars giving their HIP and SAO catalogue references. The search facility on Stellarium recognises HIP references and most GoTos use SAO references. Using the HIP catalogue references I located a few of these on Stellarium and then went searching for more of these little red gems. V Ophiuchi was too low to reveal itself properly but VX Andromedae (directly above M31) was a treat, as was T Lyrae (immediately below Vega). Of the ones listed there are only one or two in each constellation so not an unduly long list of targets. Most are around magnitude 6 to 8 so ideal for binos or small scopes and quite easy to find and recognise. I then went to Herschel's Garnet Star in Cepheus as I hadn't previously realised this a carbon star (though in fact it might not be). I have also previously enjoyed observing Hind's Crimson Star in Lepus and La Superba in Canes Venatici without realising why they were so reddish. I look forward to finding more of these and thought I'd share this with anyone who hasn't come across Carbon Stars and fancies a bit of a change from Messiers.

[mdstuart]

Yes they are almost unreal in colour. They remind me of the colour of the suns prominences in binoculars during a toal eclipse.

I know the one you saw..They are plotted in the pocket sky atlas...There is a nice one just near Vega on the other side from the double double..

Mark

[Tinker1947]

Some time back i noticed a really Red Star while looking for M52 moving up from Cassiopeia, so i would think its M52 end and i think i might have taken a image, so looking for that will have to be later today as its bedtime, but if you have a spare viewing time its in a good position and well worth finding.....

[cantab]

Back when I was just starting out and looking for Uranus in the binoculars I went via TX Psc, in the Circlet. It was indeed very striking.

[Tinker1947]

This is the red star between Cassiopeia and M52, its not very red in the image but that just needs some processing i think will try to come up with a HIP number from this image a little later today....

If its the one i think it is, half up from Cassiopeia to M52

[Merlin66]

They all look even better in a Spectroscope!

A very interesting target group and provide a excellent comparison with "standard stars"

[cotterless45]

How excellent to post these Carbon stars. Have made a full list with the SAO numbers. The GOTO's going to earn it's breakfast!

Nick.