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Old 04-06-2018, 11:57 AM
Tropo-Bob (Bob)
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Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Cairns
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BOOTES - The Grand Tour

Bootes is famed for its double stars, with Izar being a particular favourite.

I had a surprise researching this Constellation, because for the last 50 years, I thought the globular M3 was in Bootes. It is actually in Canes Venatici, just outside of Bootes's border.

Also, apologies for not knowing how to put those .. (dot, dot) things over one of the Os.


The Main Stars:

Alpha Bootis (Boo)
Arcturus - It has a large proper motion and is said to have moved a full degree in the last 2000 years. Its solar mass near equal to our Sun, but is older, heading to a giant status. It's a preview of our Sun as it evolves.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arcturus

Beta Boo (Nekkar)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beta_Bo%C3%B6tis

Gamma Boo (Seginus)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamma_Bo%C3%B6tis

Delta Boo- Double star (3.6 & 7.9), superwide (104"), but possibly a binary with a 120,000 year period.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delta_Bo%C3%B6tis

Epsilon Boo (Izar) - A much viewed binary star with a period of over 1,000 years.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epsilon_Bo%C3%B6tis



Other objects of interest:

Kappa Easy 4.5 & 6.7 (in the same field is the very wide double Iota Boo).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kappa_Bo%C3%B6tis

Pi (4.9 & 5.8) Long term binary
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pi_Bo%C3%B6tis

Xi Binary (150 years) 4.7 &7.0- 21Light years away, both are young solar-type stars.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xi_Bo%C3%B6tis

44 Binary (225 years) Closing and more difficult after 2020 says Collins guide. (5.3 & variable (5.8 to 6.4 in 6.5 hours)).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/44_Bo%C3%B6tis

Struve 1835 Colourful double (5 & 6.8) Position 14h 23; +8.27.


There is a Caldwell object in Boötes: Caldwell 45 (mag 10.4 galaxy).

Last edited by Tropo-Bob; 04-06-2018 at 04:23 PM.
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