The Double Double

[matt]

Gonna be spending a little time tonight scanning the area around Lyra.

I often see our Northern Hemisphere cousins refering to the double double.

Can someone refer me to which star/s this is?

Thanks

[mickoking]

Epsilon Lyrae. Let us know how you go with it? Doesn't rise too high from my latitude.

[matt]

Cheers Mick

I've got quite a nice view of the northern sky, but have no idea whether it will get high enough here either.

Just wanted to know which star/s it was, in case I am lucky enough for it to rise high enough.

[mickoking]

Definatley worth a try.

[Lee]

Its very cool, appears a degree or so "down and to the right" of Vega, first split is binocular - haven't tried the second split......

[matt]

Yep. Sure is Lee.

It did rise high enough .... and it did look cool through the 9.25.

First split is definitely easier. The second must be much closer?

By the way, the ring looked magnificent, even pointing over the roof of a neighbour's house with all light's blazing for some sort of party!!!

[mickoking]

The Ring neb does handle light pollution quite well.

[ausastronomer (John Bambury)]

Matt,

Epsilon Lyra sometimes isn't a pretty split because it is so low and is affected by the atmosphere, although it is usually always "splittable" with reasonable aperture.

Nu Scorpii is another "double double" and is directly overhead. Taking the elevation factor out of the equation Nu Scorpii is a more difficult split than Epsilon Lyrae but is very doable in your C9.25 under good conditions. Under good seeing conditions when split, Nu Scorpii is a very pretty multiple star.

CS-John B