Double Stars in Volans

[Tinderboxsky]

As other have mentioned, the number of observation reports has dwindled over recent years. I guess I should put my hand up as one of the culprits. I log all of my observations but time and other commitments seem to get in the way of going the next step and posting an observation report.

I was outside last night using Ross Gould’s Double Star article in AS&T for inspiration and resolved to put down an observation report. So here goes.

For most observing sessions, I start by taking time to explore the area I am interested in using a pair of wide field (9 deg true field) binoculars. Once I am familiar with the star patterns, observation targets and other points of interest I move onto seeking out the targets for the session. For this session all targets were found by star hopping.

Astronomical twilight finished about 11pm, the sky was dark and the seeing and transparency was superb. Stars showed a sharp condensed airy disk at high power with a faint steady first diffraction ring. It was the best sky for perhaps 9 months.

Gamma Vol. @ 62X (Mag 3.9,5.4, @ 14.4”) - fine unequal pair, bright yellow with pale yellow companion.
Zeta @ 62X (Mag 4.1,9.3 @ 15.6”) - easy wide pair, bright yellow-orange with very faint pale white companion.
HJ3997 @ 100 (Mag 7,7.1 @ 1.9”) - very close, virtually equal bright pale yellow beacons. 100X gave clear split even though quite close at 1.9”. This proved to be my favourite target for the night.
I9 @228X (Mag 7.3,7,5 @ 0.8”) - not a clear point like star compared with nearby stars of similar brightness at this magnification. Appeared slightly elongated. Definitely needs slightly more aperture to resolve.
Epsilon @100X (Mag 4.4,7.3 @ 6”) - unequal, moderately close pair, white with hint of yellow primary and very faint beautiful point of light for companion. Jewel like appearance.
I192 @ 160X (Mag 7.3,9.6 @ 1.8”) - this proved more difficult to find and then resolve. I was initially looking for the star amongst a nearby string of similar magnitude stars. With the companion being only 1.8” away and the delta magnitude being just over 2, clear resolution was slightly more difficult but still straight forward. The primary appeared faint cream and the close companion a simple pale speck.
Kappa @62X (Mag 5.3,5.6,7.7 @ 63” & 37”) - two bright bluish-white beacons with a slightly fainter but still bright nearby star forming an arc that stood out as a beacon in the relatively sparse FOV.
HRG 19 @ 100X (7.3,10 @ 4.4”) - very unequal close pair, faint orange primary and pale white companion. The nearby optical pairings that Ross referred were worth a visit.

Scope: Vixen NA140SS on TRex mount and LVW 13, 8, 5 & 3.5 eyepieces.
Navigation: Toshimi Taki Atlas of Double Stars and Sky Safari Plus.

[bigjoe]

"HJ3997 @ 100 (Mag 7,7.1 @ 1.9”) - very close, virtually equal bright pale yellow beacons. 100X gave clear split even though quite close at 1.9”. This proved to be my favourite target for the night."

Not seen this one before Steve ..I now know.

Great report Steve ..and finally some more good reports...no were near enough though.

Wish we had a Double Star Sub section as does Cloudy Nights(may have to join)..Will it ever happen ?
PS:You have other scopes Steve, but prefer the big Vixen ..This is a very underrated scope for what it can do I hear.
bigjoe.

[Tinderboxsky]

Hi Joe,

Thanks for the comments.

Yes, in my opinion the new, all Japanese NA140SS (the previous SSf model was made in China) is a very under rated performer. It is a very close match with a friend’s high end 152mm APO triplet on deep space and it seems to deliver slightly better star colour definition. Of course it falls short of the 152mm APO on very bright stars, Jupiter at opposition and the Moon. However, clever strategies with filters on these objects delivers a result similar to a well corrected doublet. So, all of this for a seventh the price of the friend’s 152mm APO. Plus it is relatively compact and much lighter. For me it is much better value. It is my primary observing scope.
I have a Vixen ED103S that is set up on a goto mount for video imaging and with small modifications, daylight observing. My grab and go set up is a Ziess fluorite 85mm spotting scope that gets extensive terrestrial use and some astronomical use.

[bigjoe]

Skys clear will now look at HJ3997.

Lovely looking scope too ..the big Vixen , and worth every penny by all accounts..The Japanese do know how to build a refractor for sure.

Just going morrow put an order in for the TS 130MM PHOTOLINE..and case and flattener.
From Teleskop Service near Munich.

Hes got a few KK orthos that I dont have anymore, so a couple of those also...To go with the underrated Dual EDs...and a Delos.
Very good value for FPL 53 Glass.

So hopefully some good Doubles/Planetary/variables etc coming up...and a bit more imaging than before ..doubles too.
After all this is a Planetary year.
bigjoe.

[bigjoe]

Just had a look at HJ 3997 and its a beauty.
Found it via Skysafari and AVX goto mount with wifi adaptor...recommend this ! But not necessary...

2 small, pretty and equal bluish pair SEP 1.9".. Mags 6.32 , 7.07 ......A delight!

Showing an almost North South orientation in the 6 inch doublet at F5, with a 3.5 Delos, or the 3.2 TS Duel ED used also , at 214x and 234x respectively....... a top sight in BOTH EPs..and easily split.

Its in my permanents list now ; and close to Gamma Volantis, and Rigel clone ..Upsilon Carinae..too.

Cheers bigjoe.

[Tinderboxsky]

Exciting times Joe. I look forward to hearing your first light reports for the TS 130 Photoline.

[bigjoe]

Thanks Steve .
We need a few more involved to get this Doubles and variables thing going.
Including maybe some pics and sketches later on.

Am just about to put my order through...they have a very reasonably priced FPL53 Lanthanum doublet there.. great contrast I'd imagine too.. but wanted a bit more res for Globulars and some AP later.

Wolfi at TS is going to check the optics etc , for me.

bigjoe.

[The Mekon]

I will be checking these tonight. My observing log shows that I resolved both I9 and HJ3997 some 25 years ago. Time for another look!
Last night was the reward for setting up each night for the past week. For 4 nights running I have been foiled - it rained on the scope on one night after setting up in clear skies, but last night was the jackpot.
Never seen Sirius companion so well and at only 185X, easy six stars in the trapezium, a -8 fireball from south to east around 2145, Looking forward to repeat performance tonight.

[bigjoe]

Last night was good indeed ..I actually had a figure 8 to near split on Beta Muscae with a 6 inch doublet 3.5 Delos and 2.5x GSO Barlow...Sep just over 0.8"; briefly though... thats 536x ..though this barlow is really about 2.3x ...so about 493x really.

Will look again soon to confirm position angle..
With a new scope 130mm TS Photoline , Ive just ordered from Teleskop Service in Germany.

HJ3997 (new to me) , and Upsilon Carinae, Theta Indi, as well as others...So wasn't a bad night for once.
Looking for sucker holes can be too much at times.

PS:Good effort with Sirius so easy..people have tried numerous times and failed...though that CFF would be a GEM for that task.

bigjoe.

[Tropo-Bob]

I observed these last night, which was my first cloud free night for this year. I used my Tak FC 100D.

Gamma Vol. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamma_Volantis
Using a Delite 15mm (50x):- A widely separated, unequal pair, of about 2 mags different. Primary had light touch of orange, secondary looked more blue/white.

Epsilon Volantis https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epsilon_Volantis
Delite 7mm (105x)- Unequal stars. A delicate and pleasing pair of about 3 mags difference. Primary white, secondary orange. Separation was not immediately obvious at 50x.


Kappa Volantis (Triple) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kappa_Volantis
Panoptic 24mm (30x)- A very wide pair of bright, near equal white stars, with a third star of about 2 mags fainter extending the line in a bow shape. The separation to the third star, which had an orange tint is about ½ that of the bright pair.

Remarks:- When I compare the colours that I observed with the spectral classes, I seem to have estimated the colours of the primaries correctly, but not the colours of the secondaries (except Kappa, where the 3rd star has no information). It looks like something I need to work upon, or perhaps the secondaries were just too faint for me to estimate reliably.

[Tinderboxsky]

Interesting colour observations Bob. I must make more reference to spectral information.
I certainly find it hard to discern colour variants in the faint companions.

[Tropo-Bob]

Using the spectral information only occured to me when I attached info from the web. With the easy access to such information, it is probably an idea whose time has come.

[Bombardon]

Steve: A word of thanks. I have just found the atlas you refer too in an earlier post:Toshimi Taki Atlas of Double Stars. Having printed out a page I found it so much clearer and detailed than most that I own and for those like me with ageing eyes!
I have found the Carina area is spread over so many pages it can be very confusing under the stars.
I appreciate all your reports. Kind regards, Eugene

[Bombardon]

Inspired by you guys and with very little knowledge of this dim piece of sky, I managed to get enough sharp collimation on my 10" F5 on Sunday 18th Feb to have a try. I was very impressed with The Kappa triple with its fine line and Epsilon which I see as pale yellow and a faint blue companion. I would certainly confirm that Joe's praise of the rich colours of the Gamma pair was warranted. Eta was a big challenge in my skies last night which although 30" wide, the contrast of 5.3 and 11.8 remained unresolved in my Hyperion 13mm but yielded to a zoom Orion eyepiece which Joe recently parted with and which revealed this one at 10mm. I noted Yellowish and grey companion. Zeta of 4.7/9.8 @16.7" was equally difficult and I found it bright yellow and an almost 'brown' companion - if this colour is allowed! Cataracts can do wonderful things. Didn't reach h3997 yet but tried very hard on the 'Meathook,' NGC 2442 but could only see a very vague smudge in the zoom @ X21. Sky hugely steady at about 10.30 p.m but not the great transparency I get around this part of sky on the best of nights. Eugene

[bigjoe]

y
Nice report Eugene.

Going to revisit this area soon Eugene..along with Lupus..thats full of doubles and neglected...weather/seeing mostly appalling. In Sydney region.h3997 is a little gem. ..a jewel!

Going to check the scatter, or lack of, in some of my eyepieces...hoping for some good weather.
bigjoe