Mirach is a double star :)

[Milliways]

Was using my new EPs that i bought off Stefan, i used the 6.3mm and pointed at Mirach, i never knew it was a double star until i saw its little blue companion! its even more beautiful than Alberio

[Sam]

Thanks for that, I'm going to have a look at that one!

[lunator]

Hi Milliways

I think you might mean gamma And, also called Almaak.

It is a beautiful double and is easily the match for Albireo.

Mirach is Beta And. and only has faint optical companions.

Cheers

Ian

[Vega]

This little beauty needs a bit more power to split than Albireo doesn't it :-D. I think of Almach as the next best thing to keep us going when Albireo sinks to the West in Autumn.

Matt

[albedo0.39]

Top tip Milliways.. will now look out for that when I fire the 'scope up

[gliderpilot]

Make sure you get the tinylitte galaxy next to mirach, NGC400. It's in o'meara deep sky treasures. It's a tiny puff of an eliptical galaxy literally next to dazzling mirach.

Mark

[Mark at Beaufort]

Yes I agree a few interesting objects to view. Start with Mirach and try and observe NGC404 (Mirach's Ghost). Then go over to Almach a much better double. Classed as a showcase pair. When in the area try jumping to NGC891 a tough edge on galaxy.

Mark

[acey]

From my observing notes (with 8-inch, transparency 5.8-6.0):

NGC404 Bright and easily visible beside Beta And. Round, possibly mottled, bright core region (possibly stellar centre) within fairly bright halo.

NGC891 Surpringly faint edge-on galaxy, though easily found north of 5th mag star. At x37.5 seen with averted vision. Best view at x60. Foreground star close to centre. Galaxy as a whole is a mere sliver of light - much less impressive than NGC4565.

404's status as "Mirach's ghost" is not because it's hard to see, but because it's so close to the star that on many maps its symbol was omitted, and so it was simply overlooked.