Going low tech on Albireo

[Kaptain Klevtsov]

Caught this image last night even though there were loads of clouds about.

(Click to biggerise)

I had the Tal set up with a Toucam to use K3CCD Tools to do a drift align following a pier modification. The drift align technique allows for stars getting blocked out by clouds as you just wait for a hole to see which way the star has drifted, so a good way to use a holy sky.

Once I'd got the alignment sorted (I think) I wondered how the webcam would fare on a coloured double, so I did the goto on Albireo and shot some AVIs.

Based on the Tal being f/8.5, this ought to be doable with a f/5 Newt. quite easily, and a short tube refractor or even an ED would get a brighter image, so Toucams can do more than lunar and planetary stuff.

Kaptain Klevtsov

[jonifive]

That has really captured the colour difference. Amazing what these toucams can capture.

JV

[Jamie]

Pretty much nailed it KK.

Nice one... 8)

[legion48]

Nice one KK. Does this mean you've caught the double bug?

[blinky]

lovely colour in there KK

[SteelRat]

Bang on mate - excellent colour 8)

[lunator]

KK

Welcome to the wonderful world of double star photo-ing

Excellent pic

Cheers

Ian

[Kaptain Klevtsov]

Nice one KK. Does this mean you've caught the double bug?

If its as easy as that, maybe. Could do maybe a dozen in an hour if they're bright enough to show up on the Toucam. Whats the "normal" seperation between double stars?

Kaptain Klevtsov

[blinky]

Not sure KK but I am pretty sure that Albiero is one of the easiest to split, I tried to split the double double and failed miserably!

[Kaptain Klevtsov]

Thats what I'd guessed. Anything a lot closer and I'd need to add a Barlow. The Toucam probably wouldn't work then, so no colours. I could go SC3 but that wouldn't do colour. A colour LX webcam is on the cards for this then I suppose.

I'll read a bit in Burnham's Celestial Handbook tonight and get a handle on some "average" doubles.

Kaptain Klevtsov

[barkis]

Nicely done KK. Tremendous outcome with the old Toucam. As a yardstick at magnitudes 3.2 and 5.4 with a seperation of 34.6 arc seconds.

It will give you something to work with as far as selecting future targets. Colours are very nice in doubles, but not essential.

Ron.

[lunator]

KK

There isn't really a "normal"separation for doubles.

They go from Spectroscopic <0.1" to wide common proper motion (CPM) paires that can be 100+" apart.

There are plenty of bright doubles that are 10" apart so should be easy targets.

My camera can only do 2 seconds max exposure and with an 8" scope this can get to Mag 8

If you pick a few of the well known double they will act as a good starting point

Cheers

Ian

[Kaptain Klevtsov]

On a side note, as these two are well known, and I don't know for sure the focal length of the Klevtsov, would there be an easy way of working it out from a grabbed frame from one of the AVIs?

Kaptain Klevtsov

[lunator]

KK

I don't know. I'm sure you could but this is probably a question to ask the imaging guys.

I can get you accurate separation data.

Cheers

Ian

[FLO]

Very nice KK 8)

Like the way it shows the difference in size/colour.