for most people with small telescopes trying to split the double star sirius in canis major is a task and a half. all sorts of methods have bee use to cut down the glare of sirius A so the little white dwark B component can be seen. I have acomplished this once under better than good seeing at very high powers and an 80mm aperture mask....
and the people just aim the HST and bam, there it is.... I feel cheated (not really)
http://www.universetoday.com/am/uploads/dog_star-1.jpg
heres some good info from universe today on the above pic and sirius B in general
http://www.universetoday.com/am/publ....html?13122005