Big Frac Makes Light Work Of 1.3" Double

[cloudsweeper]

Early Monday evening.  Bresser AR 127L, now living in Astroshed, so ready for action.  Spent a bit of time with Jupiter and Saturn - same 2.16deg FOV.  Also Mars.

But I really wanted to crack a 1.3" double, so went for 52Aql - not too high for such a long telescope.  Got Tarazed in the EP - looked distinctly red, nice.  Target was in the same FOV (as above, with x33).  I went straight on to x240, and immediately saw the two stars, "side by side", closely matched (6th mag), and very close together, but very clearly split.  A beautiful sight, and so very sharp.  I reckon this 'scope should be able to manage 1.2", or perhaps even 1.1", under the right conditions.

I recently had less luck using the 8SE, finding the image softer, but the long focus frac really did the job.  And to think I had it up for sale just a few days ago, until sense (and helpful comments from Paul @wookie1965 ) made me change my mind.  Must use it a lot more - the crispness of the stars really is a pleasure.  And with that in mind, I finished by aiming at - and easily hitting - the lovely Double Cluster, and sitting on a stool taking in the view.  Started at x33, then up to x69 with the 17.5mm Morpheus.  Stars were pretty well sharp right to edge of the 1.11deg FOV.

Doug.

 

Edited December 7, 2020 by cloudsweeper

[John]

Great stuff Doug - I love fracs for double stars !

 

 

[rl]

Good job...

I regularly used to split zeta bootis as a figure-of-eight with a 5" f/10 John Owen achromat when the separation was about 0.9"given decent conditions. It's worth making a drawing with companion stars in the field...in the future you can actually see the orbital rotation over a couple of years if you have a reference point. 

[John]

23 minutes ago, rl said:

.... It's worth making a drawing with companion stars in the field...in the future you can actually see the orbital rotation over a couple of years if you have a reference point. 

I did that with Zeta Herculis. Enlarged image scale so no other stars in the field but the change in PA over the 4 year period is obvious:

 

Edited December 7, 2020 by John

[mark81]

Nice one Doug, 

I was surprised to see it up for sale so soon - glad your keeping it - and hearing the tight crisp doubles you can split, I would hold onto that one too!

Mark

[wookie1965]

Easily do a 1.2° I've done it with my Meade 127mm nearly identical scope and I think a 1.0° may be possible with the right conditions just waiting for the best night give it a go. 

Nice report Doug thanks for sharing. 

Paul 

[Mark at Beaufort]

Nice report Doug. I was surprised you were selling your 127L because it must be a great double star splitter. Glad you decided to keep it.