News of the binary black hole, OJ287

[JeremyS]

The BBC website contains a feature today on the binary black hole OJ287. This fascinating object has been monitored by members of the BAA Variable Star Section for many years. The BAA's Gary Poyner had just put an article on the BAA website about it. It's about 14th magnitude and the article explains how you can obtain finding charts.

[andrew s]

Gary gave a fascinating talk on it at the Chester Astronomical Society last year. 

Well worth following up his article.

Regards Andrew 

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

I have spotted it a few years ago when it was about mag 13.8. Most distant object I have ever spotted at an estimated 3.5 billion light years away.

[bomberbaz]

1 hour ago, michael.h.f.wilkinson said:

I have spotted it a few years ago when it was about mag 13.8. Most distant object I have ever spotted at an estimated 3.5 billion light years away.

There is a quasar that is also 2.5 biilion light years away in virgo I think, however with the current situation of lockdown, the likely hood of me getting to see it are fast disappearing. I think it is the designation 3C 273 for the quasar. Mag 13

There are others and 1 is 4.5 billion light years away. Don't think my 10" dob would get it at 14 mag but always worth a try. 

[Littleguy80]

1 hour ago, bomberbaz said:

There are others and 1 is 4.5 billion light years away. Don't think my 10" dob would get it at 14 mag but always worth a try. 

Have a read of this. You may be surprised at what you can see with a 10” dob  

 

 

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

I  spotted OJ-287 at mag 13.8 with my 8" SCT, so a 10" scope should work 

[bomberbaz]

2 hours ago, Littleguy80 said:

Have a read of this. You may be surprised at what you can see with a 10” dob  

 

 

Thanks for that Neil, great report there and I am certainly going to give a bash as soon as opportunities allow.

I think 3c273 will be my first to have a go at. It's the relatively easy mag 13 in virgo I mentioned above. I have printed off a number of charts in increasing magnification to allow me to home in on it. They work on the same star hopping basis as yours.

Cheers, Steve