Some Zeta's You Just Don't Mess With!

[Sunshine]

My eyeball is angry with me, I feel like my right eyeball is larger than the other. Having had a great time this night working my way through doubles I decided to have a go at Zeta Bootis and Zeta Hercules. 

Zeta Her took a while and a whole lot of patience but for a second or two at a time I did manage to spot a blob slightly gyrating in the airy disc with clean sky between the two. Not so with Zeta Bootis.

 

This nasty little dot is impossible!! I do understand I'm using a mere four inches to tame this demon but I was hoping for at least a glimpse. Not so, after straining with the patience of a trained  sniper for the better part of an hour, using every eyepiece/powermate combo I had, my eye was left defeated, exiled, and left for dead!. What sort of aperture is needed to split this elusive beast? I could have easily gone online and read up on my chances but I believe that only serves to discourage me, I'm up for a good challenge. This night I was left tail between legs and weary of anything that starts with "Zeta". 

Edited May 8, 2022 by Sunshine

[Stu]

@Sunshine Zeta Herc is quite a challenge, took me years to see it properly but I now find it much easier to spot; I guess once you know what you are looking for/at it’s more straightforward.

Zeta Bootis has a separation of 0.1” (vs 1.5” for Herc) according to SkySafari so is not possible with amateur kit I’m afraid.