Nice Aries Doubles By Moonlight

[cloudsweeper]

Having had a great Moon session in the late afternoon, I was out again with the Dob after a meal intending to see some lesser-visited Aries doubles.

I concentrated on the region near Hamal and Sheratan.  (Already viewed Lambda Arietis and Mesarthim however.)

30 Arietis - (2) + (2), two close/very close pairs - 38" separation - an easy hop from Hamal - at x35, saw two close, bright, matched stars in a sparse field of fainter ones.

33 Arietis - just beyond the 2+deg for the above - (2) + 1 with 28" of separation - again appeared as a close pair at x35, but the companion was much fainter.  Using x64, the split was better, and the secondary was clearer with improved contrast.

14 Arietis - also known as H VI 69 (H standing for Herschel) - a triple - 93" and 105" - again, an easy hop from Hamal - at x35, I only saw one faint companion, but at x64 the other one showed up, about 120deg away from the first making a squat isosceles triangle with the primary at the apex.

1 Arietis - 2.9", a tighter pair this time - in the same 2+deg FOV as Sheratan - at x35, obviously not split - at x127, just split, very close, quite matched - at x141, a lovely appearance, and focus was critical with the seeing.

So a very successful second session.  I briefly took another glimpse at the Moon, but it was too bright to linger on.

Doug.