Double Crater, Double Star

[cloudsweeper]

4.30pm, sky clear, conditions still and cold.  AR 127L frac (plus observing chair).  Moon at 38deg, waxing gibbous, S of E.  Sinus Iridum and Montes Carpatus were near terminator; Plato further away, also Copernicus - good detail, just a little shadow around eastern edge.  What stood out interestingly was the small pair of overlapping craters, south of Copernicus - like a little "8", mostly in shadow - Fauth, and the smaller Fauth A underneath.  Very clear, going from x69 to x136.

After a break, out again at 6.45 to look for Orion doubles.  Started by revisiting Sigma Ori, a most interesting multiple system of at least seven stars, and unstable for that reason.  The main 3rd mag star is actually three close stars, the other three that are visible are probably uncertain/not physical partners (in the sense of being gravitationally bound).  Two are about equidistant from the primary (11" and 13"), the fainter one needing AV due to the closeness of the Moon.  Another at 6th mag lay 41" away.  Clouds then ruled out closer observation of the adjacent triple Sigma 761.

My first outing in over a month, sadly cut short, but what I did manage to see was very worthwhile!

Doug.

 

 

[Stardaze]

You seemed to fare better than I. I knew the jetstream was around tonight and found it very unsteady. Spent a little time here too and the trapezium at high mag to try and go against the grain but wasn’t great I’ll admit. 

[cloudsweeper]

8 hours ago, Stardaze said:

You seemed to fare better than I. I knew the jetstream was around tonight and found it very unsteady. Spent a little time here too and the trapezium at high mag to try and go against the grain but wasn’t great I’ll admit. 

I didn't get started with breaking new ground, but was glad at least to be out at all.  Also, I put the new Geoptik observing chair through its paces - absolutely marvellous, makes such a difference to the whole experience, and brings the long frac to life!

Doug.