Binary "discovery"

[ThunderChild]

Discovered something last night ...
went out after dark and had to align the finderscope. Picked out a bright star in the direction I was pointing (just happened to be the further of the two pointers).
What do you know - turns out that star is alpha centari - which also happens to be my first binary!

Can I lay claim to this or has it already been discovered? :lol:

[RB]

You mean you re-discovered it.
Dr John Robertson and family, Dr Smith and Don were on their way to visit it when they got Lost In Space a few decades ago.

[OneOfOne]

Hey, you could always say to someone..."and do you see that little dot next to Alpha Centauri, that is the Jupiter 2, and it is almost there now!" I bet some would believe you!

I remember when I was a little younger during one of the Apollo missions at a time where there was a close alignment with Jupiter. Everyone was ringing the TV stations saying they could see the Apollo coming home! I remember looking into the sky (I can still "see it" even now), but didn't believe it for a second...I was about 11 or 12 at the time...damn it, now you won't believe it when I say I am 21.

[ving]

welcome to the darkside
welcome to the darkside

you will now start saying everything twice :P
you will now start saying everything twice :P

[ThunderChild]

Thanks ving!
I was actually pleasantly suprised. Binaries weren't particularly high on my list, but I think I'll quite enjoy them.

Any nice ones to look out for at this time of the year?

[ving]

next on your list should be rigel then sigma orionis.... if you havent seen these yet you will be pleasently suprised. rigel has 2 stars, one really bright one and one considerably dimmer. its quite pretty really :) sigma orionis has 4 stars! :D very pretty too!

[rmcpb]

Have a dig around in Crux. Of the four main stars I think three are binaries off hand.

[ving]

true, alpha being a multiple.... give that a try too :)

[Starcrazzy]

i could be wrong, but isn't alpha centuri a tripple star syatem??i have heard this is the casee but have never managed to resolve the third star??

[ving]

yup, it consista of aplha cent A and B and proxima. :)

[Starcrazzy]

Yea, and its called proxima cause during its orbit of A and Bit gets closest to earth hence the name PROXIMA...(did a google) pretty cool hey

[ving]

google is my friend :)