A Double star challenge Epsilon Lyrae.

[SuburbanMak]

Nice mini-challenge @Sirius B thank you ! 

 

Tried this last night with a Hilkin 60mm, f13.3  using a TS Optics 32mm Plossl, 18, 10 & 6mm Baader Classic Orthos and a Baader Hyperion 2.25x Barlow (the one that twins with the Zoom).  Transparency was patchy, seeing quite steady. 

25x  Hint of elongation in wider pair (TSO 32mm)

44x  Notched wider pair.  (BCO 18mm)

80x  Split wider pair, notched 2nd pair  (BCO 10mm) 

100x Split both pairs (BCO 18mm, 2.25x Barlow) 

133x Split both pairs (BCO 6mm) 

So my minimum magnification for a 60mm f13.3 was 100x  - although by far the nicest view was at 80x.   Might try this again with this scope when transparency is better + will repeat the test with other scopes. 

 

 

[reezeh]

On 29/07/2020 at 22:30, SiriusB said:

FYI, Splitting the double double is possible in an 80mm, maybe even a 60mm?, so most telescope owners should be able to partake.

A 60mm refractor can do it if it is good quality. I remember splitting it with my Prinz Astral 500, 60mm years ago. 

I actually gave that scope away to a friend about 10 years ago and I do miss it.

[SuburbanMak]

On 09/06/2021 at 16:28, reezeh said:

A 60mm refractor can do it if it is good quality. I remember splitting it with my Prinz Astral 500, 60mm years ago. 

I actually gave that scope away to a friend about 10 years ago and I do miss it.

My next plan is to try it with a Prinz 330 - (circle K) which is a 700m fl, 60mm. I’ll pop the results on here. 

(Btw The 500s come up quite often in good nick on eBay, often in a nice blue…you should treat yourself. I got the Hilkin for £35 and the Prinz for £70.)

Edited July 12, 2021 by SuburbanMak

[Stu]

I keep meaning to try one of the 60mm refractors I bought off eBay I think, a while back. I got 3 for £15! Not in great nick, but I thought if I could split the double double in one it might well be the cheapest successful attempt! A scope for a fiver!

[reezeh]

1 hour ago, SuburbanMak said:

My next plan is to try it with a Prinz 300 - (circle K) which is a 700m fl, 60mm. I’ll pop the results on here. 

(Btw The 500s come up quite often in good nick on eBay, often in a nice blue…you should treat yourself. I got the Hilkin for £35 and the Prinz for £70.)

House is being taken over by telescopes. Mine was one of the funny blue colour ones, a circle T - Towa one. I might end up with it returning to me eventually. He doesn't use it. All I need do is get a 1.25 adapter for it and it'll be a lovely scope, with the eyepiece set I have.

[reezeh]

54 minutes ago, Stu said:

I keep meaning to try one of the 60mm refractors I bought off eBay I think, a while back. I got 3 for £15! Not in great nick, but I thought if I could split the double double in one it might well be the cheapest successful attempt! A scope for a fiver!

I sense a new challenge there. How cheap can you go ... 

 

Oh I think if the Astral 500 comes back to me, I qualify as free. It originally was my 16th birthday present, so either way I wouldn't have spent a jot!

Edited June 9, 2021 by reezeh
Added 2nd paragraph

[Capt Slog]

I managed this last night, it was very clear and so I was still out at 01:30, which is a first for me using a telescope.

 

150mm f750 Skywatcher.

10mm bog-standard eyepiece* with 2x barlow, got me a split on both  (I make that 150x)

Once I realised what I was looking for, I could also see some split on both using a 20mm plossl with the barlow, 75x, but not anywhere as definite.

 

*the sort of thing that comes with a 'scope, it just has 10mm written on it.

[Stu]

A quick look here with the Tak. x59 did it with careful observation, not all the time for the tighter pair but when the seeing steadied it was there.

[SuburbanMak]

Really nice split at 150x with a Mak 127 on Saturday night using a Baader Mark IV Zoom (set at 10mm).   

The southerly pair was splitting from 63x on up, the closer pair only clearly split from around 100x (15mm on the Zoom) - nicest view was up a bit higher than that in mag.    

Edited June 14, 2021 by SuburbanMak

[cotterless45]

Sledgehammer to crack a nut time (again!)

C6r (150mm Frac) with 25mm BST. Gave the split clean at x48 , that was with great seeing . That's with LeeB also viewing who gave a "woooh", 

Careful now , Nick.

[John]

Had another try with the stopped down ED120 refractor tonight. Stopped down to 52mm F/17.3. Same result as last time I tried this - at 225x split the wider pair but got a notched pair for the closer pair.

Managed to split Delta Cygni with the 52mm aperture as well. Secondary star appeared very dim indeed though.

 

[IB20]

Have just had a go at this, got one split with the Starbase 80mm at 62x 13mm TV delite and the tighter double showing as somewhere between elongated & resolved. Upping the mag to 80x with the BCO 10mm split both nicely. 

Edited June 16, 2021 by IB20

[Sunshine]

The idiot that is me either forgot this great challenge or simply forgot to report, I set a daily reminder on my phone in case I get a clear night.

[JAC51]

I remember a clean split, just, of both pairs some years ago under a very steady sky.

Tak FS60CB  with Tak 5mm LE eyepiece for x71.

The split was also seen, with the above, by a friend observing with me.

[Capt Slog]

On 15/06/2021 at 23:10, John said:

Had another try with the stopped down ED120 refractor tonight. Stopped down to 52mm F/17.3. Same result as last time I tried this - at 225x split the wider pair but got a notched pair for the closer pair.

Managed to split Delta Cygni with the 52mm aperture as well. Secondary star appeared very dim indeed though.

 

Ahh.  That's helpful to know.

 

If that's the criteria, I probably did a bit better than I first thought.  I might have another go, however,  I see from my log that I haven't got out to see anything since June 15th.  It#'s either been too cloudy or far too light to make it worthwhile.

 

 

[SuburbanMak]

Revisiting this after some time with 2 more classic refractors: 

3 inch Clarkson f15, (c.1900).    

Having got this beautiful old brass scope riding securely on an AZ GTi and Berlebach report I was keen to test it on the Double Double.  

Using an 18mm Classic Ortho I was able to show a notched Southerly pair and some elongation in the more Northerly pair.

10mm  BCO  (114x) was showing a very clear split in the southerly pair and well notched/intermittent split in the other.

6mm BCO (190x) - remarkably stable view showing a clear split of both pairs, for some reason the view always reminds me of a "cell division" illustration in my old Biology textbook. Really surprised and pleased at how good this view was - definitely dimmer but still stacked up reasonably well against my Mak 127 at similar magnification. Not bad for a 120 year old instrument,

60mm Prinz Astral 330 710mm fl (f11.8) 

This was my first eBay "classic" refractor acquired back in May and after a few quick sessions on its original wobbly tripod it got deployed on permanent solar duty all summer. 

I realised that I'd not really run it on a decent mount against a wide range of targets.  I now have this riding in some guidescope rings on a proper vixen dovetail and it's a super lightweight "pop out for a quick peek" rig on a Manfrotto 55.  It has Japanese "Circle-K" optics, specs identical to the Tasco 9TE-0 & this little scope star-tests perfectly,  tiny airy disc and beautiful, even concentric rings either side of focus. I've run it with ridiculous maginfication on the moon and just kept teasing out more detail, also is a very nostalgic experience the Tasco-esque black and white taking me back to the early eighties!  On wider doubles Almach, Albireo etc its stunning & am keen to push its limits! 

I've had two goes at splitting Epsilon Lyra with it and am not quite getting the second pair - yet...

10mm BCO (71x) shows a well notched/intermittently split Southerly pair and oval Northerly pair. 

6mm BCO (118x) clean split of the Southerly pair, elongation in the more Northern. 

I'm going to wait for a night of good seeing and run this on the more stable Berlebach/AZGTi combo so i can push magnification further - I am convinced this lens should perform to its diffraction limits given the right conditions.   

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 1, 2021 by SuburbanMak

[markse68]

Thought it would be fun to try the double double with my newly acquired Asiola. It’s not meant for this sort of thing- it’s a spotting scope but I got a convincing split of both pairs with the  highest power ep that fits- a 6mm ortho for a whopping 70x

Mark