Gamma Cassiopeiae

[almach]

Managed to get a couple of hours outside tonight and bagged some doubles and cold feet

I was looking around in Cassiopeia and found what looked like a double. This turned out to be Gamma Cas which i now know is famous as a variable star. To me it looked like a very bright star with a companion close in and to the left as I looked at it which may have been reddish. Does this sound at all right or was I a) Looking at a different star altogether or Imagining things?

I did definitely see Sigma Orionis and Struve 761 (thanks for the great photo legion48 - reminded me how nice these are), Delta Orionis, Polaris, Mizar and M42. All nice and easy to find you may notice, I may start getting a bit more adventurous as I remember how to do this .

[lunator]

I was looking around in Cassiopeia and found what looked like a double. This turned out to be Gamma Cas which i now know is famous as a variable star. To me it looked like a very bright star with a companion close in and to the left as I looked at it which may have been reddish. Does this sound at all right or was I a) Looking at a different star altogether or Imagining things?

Hi Almach

Gamma Cas has 2 companions.

BU 1028 AB m: 2.20/10.90 2002: 2.2"/259° Sp:B0IVe

BU 499 AC m: 2.20/12.90 1999: 53.2"/346°

I have never split the AB pair as the seeing in London is not usually good enough to split such a tight pair with this difference in magnitude. You may have had better conditions.

What eyepiece were you using?

Cheers

Ian

[Dave Smith]

Also have a look at eta Cass. That is a lovely and easy double.

Dave

[almach]

Ian -I was using a 25mm eyepiece with a x2 Barlow on my 6"Dob. If the companion is at 259° then am I right in remembering that would indeed be to the left?

Dave - Funnily enough it was Eta Cas that I was looking for. I remebered that one of the main stars in Cas was a nice double but couldn't remember which one. I stumbled across Gamma first and never got to Eta. When I came in to thaw out, I found an old star chart of Cas with a ring round Eta and one round Iota. It's in a nice place in the sky for my viewing position so I'll have a look at them all next time I get out.

Andy

[almach]

OK, I got out again tonight and returned to Gamma Cas. No double to be seen no matter how hard I tried. After a while I gave up and looked at Alpha Cas and onto Eta cas. Umm, that looks familiar....nice bright star with red comapnion to the left :oops: oops!! I guess I am more out of practice than I thought.

Still havn't managed to collimate my scope and I'm sure it needs doing. I can't split Algeiba anymore which I used to be able to do. I've read several Internet resources and watched the video at Andy's shotglass, but I just can't equate these to what I see in my own scope. The primary mirror looks filthy as well. Any advise greatfully recieved.

[lunator]

Hi Almach

Eta Cas is lovely sight. It was the 1st double I split

Is there a local AS you could contect for help for collimation?

Cheers

Ian

[almach]

Hi Almach

Eta Cas is lovely sight. It was the 1st double I split

Is there a local AS you could contect for help for collimation?

Ian

Ian,

Thanks for the suggestion, but I managed to collimate my scope I got outside during the day which was easier than trying in artificial light. I then played with it to see what would happen and once things started moving, I could see what I was meant to do. It all looks like it lines up fine now, but I need a clear night to test it!! I still need to clean the mirror, but I've had enough stress this week.

Eta Cas is very very nice, I couldn't agree more.

Cheers

Andy