Easy Hopping! (Doubles etc.)

[cloudsweeper]

7.50pm Thurs. - still, clear – ED80 Triplet on AZ4 in use, great widefield grab ‘n’ go.

Σ2613 Aql – triple, visual double - 7^th and 8^th mags, 3.6” separation. I started with Altair, and target was in the same 4.10deg FOV, part of a triangle of stars. Going from x20 to x80, I got the split – still very close, good match, secondary above.

At 8.10, Saturn was sitting just over a rooftop. Looked good at x80 then x160, with moon Titan clear, below and east of the planet.

Back to x20, and I took in one of my favourites, the beautiful Perseus Double Cluster in the 4.10deg field. (Just gauged the position going down the Navi-Ruchbah line.)

Turning east, I got onto Mirach (And), and just moved upwards to see the small fuzzy patch of Andromeda Galaxy M31.

Then across to Caph (Cas) where Σ10 Cas was in the same 4.10deg FOV. It is an 8^th mag pair, 18” apart, seen at the bottom of a triangle of stars. Looking more closely, I could see the split at x20 – very close indeed, well matched, sec at 8 o’clock. At x48 it was clearer, and the sec appeared rather fainter.

I finished at 8.40, very satisfied at the haul of doubles, clusters, a galaxy, planet, and moon.

Doug.

[RobertI]

Great report, nice varied session by the look of it. 

[Mr Spock]

Nice report and some good targets 👍