Lyra, more doubles than Double Double. May 2008

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BobSikes
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Lyra, more doubles than Double Double. May 2008

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Epsilon Lyra, the “double doubleâ€
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Rotorhead
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Unread post by Rotorhead »

I already had a list of double stars for Saturday as part of my Astro League Double Star Observer's Club list. Just so happens that Zeta, Beta, and Epsilon were on the list. The non-Lyra stars are reported on the other challenge thread.

Zeta Lyrae: A modest greenish/yellow primary with a wide (44") separation from a white secondary. Surrounded by pairs of field stars. This is reported as a 'probable' true double, but the actual separation is 2,000 AU, and the period is 47,000 years.... Possibly up to 7 stars in this 'double' with only these two observable by backyard scopes.

Beta Lyr: Almost identical split (46") and sizes as zeta, with a white primary and blue secondary in a slightly sparser field of background stars. This is also a true orbiting pair, but this secondary is NOT the one that causes the eclipsing events. That star is close enough to the primary that they share material from their atmospheres.

Epsilon Lyr: The Double double. Saved this for last. Using 140x, this one was split, although it took patience to see all four stars. To me, these are always a group of four white stars, although George saw other colors, and some other folks saw yellow in one of the group. These are reported as true binaries, and as an associated grouping, with an ultimate orbital period for the group of 'hundreds of thousands of years' while the pairs themselves have periods of 1,725 and 724 years. Note that, when the object is higher above the horizon and the night is good, much less power is required (140x vs 225x) with a smaller scope (6" vs 15") to split this object!

So, on to the rest of the Greek letter stars!!! Some other night....

BTW, here is one that I erroneously reported as being in Hercules. Oops... Struve 525 in Lyra: A widely separated yellow primary of medium size and a blue secondary about half the size of the primary. A nice background field.

By the way, Sissy Haas, the double star expert, says that there are 27 doubles in Lyra that are within range of a 4" scope.... I won't say how many are Greek letter stars. :P
Last edited by Rotorhead on Tue May 13, 2008 3:42 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Bob M
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BobSikes
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Unread post by BobSikes »

Nice report Bob!

I wonder what it would look like if we had a double star for the Sun at 20,000 AU? One bright star for sure. Moon bright?
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Rotorhead
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Unread post by Rotorhead »

Bob, note that it is 2,000 AU for Zeta's companion. I think that something like 60,000 AU constitutes a light-year (math is not my strong suite), so that would put Zeta's companion only 1/30 light-years away. It would probably be bright... Maybe the only star in the sky when it was out at night. And we think the moon is a pain. :)
Bob M
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5" Explore Scientific triplet APO on a Vixen Sphinx GEM
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Unread post by Bruce D »

I've seen depictions of the Sun as it would appear from Pluto and it wasn't overwhelming, certainly the brightest star in the sky but not a disk
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Galactus
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Unread post by Galactus »

Like "Lucifer" in 2010: The Year We Make Contact When Jupiter was activated into a star by the monolith...wow! A double star to the Sun in our neighborhood would be a real pain! I wonder how many double-star systems have the capacity to support life? Or, would the presence of a second star inhibit life?
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Mark G
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Unread post by Mark G »

gnhuftalen wrote:Like "Lucifer" in 2010: The Year We Make Contact When Jupiter was activated into a star by the monolith...wow! A double star to the Sun in our neighborhood would be a real pain! I wonder how many double-star systems have the capacity to support life? Or, would the presence of a second star inhibit life?
Thanks George you totally ruined that movie for me now :!: :twisted: :wink: :P :lol:


For Sale:
2010: The Year We Make Contact video for sale, cheap. :lol: :lol:
Last edited by Mark G on Wed May 14, 2008 7:30 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Unread post by Bruce D »

HAHAHA LMAOLMAOLMAO good one Mark.
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Galactus
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Unread post by Galactus »

Oh come on, Mark! :roll: It couldn't have been a spoiler as I know you've seen it as you've mentioned it several times... :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: So, even if it's the concept of Double-Star light pollution, lots of other stuff in 2010:The Year We Make Contact is now known to be incorrect. :shock:

In the movie, The Soviet Union and the U.S. are about to go to war! The Soviet Union! For all his seeing into the future for science (Communications satellites! Life on Europa! And lots of other cool stuff! :lol: ) Arthur C. Clarke was bad at his geopolitical predictions...The Soviet Union! in 2010! 21 years off! :lol: :lol:

But 2010:The Year We Make Contact has so much cool stuff: recumbent bicycles! Dolphins talk! Dana Elcar not climbing on radio telescopes! Air breaking! Roy Scheider! Bob Balaban! Elya Baskin doing his funny Russian! John Lithgow! Douglas Rains as HAL! And Keir Dullea as the Beaver... :lol: :lol:

But it is all worth it to see great actors Helen Mirren and Roy Scheider together...

So, keep your copy! This is a very cool movie, they get the science right, mostly, and it is a lot of fun. Oh, and on an ASSNE-related note (thought I was going totally Off-Topic, did you?): an actor named James McEachin plays Victor Milson! True! Check it out at the Internet Movie Database: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086837/

There is now a huge run on Movie stores demanding 2010:The Year We Make Contact! Don't sell your copy too cheaply! I have it on huge Laser disc and DVD! :lol: :wink:

Remember HAL saying: "Something wonderful is about to happen..."
Galactus, Devourer of Worlds
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Mark G
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Unread post by Mark G »

gnhuftalen wrote:Oh come on, Mark! :roll:

In the movie, The Soviet Union and the U.S. are about to go to war! The Soviet Union! For all his seeing into the future for science (Communications satellites! Life on Europa! And lots of other cool stuff! :lol: ) Arthur C. Clarke was bad at his geopolitical predictions...The Soviet Union! in 2010! 21 years off! :lol: :lol:
Mark with fingers in both his ears. :shock: LALALALALALALA ...I'm not listening!... LALALALALA :wink:

Yes 2010 is a movie everyone should see. 8)

George Perhaps you bring your laser disc of 2010, your laser disc player, and your flat screen TV, and your new 78 AH deep cell battery to MSSF? We sure have the battery power to run all the A/V equipment! My battery will run 3 110v pieces parts :!: :shock: :lol: :lol:

now back OT...

About double stars, I LOVE them! :wink:

Bob M,

TY for your posting your double star efforts of late. But, what ever you do, do NOT, I repeat DO NOT ever try using the 4" f/13 you have for any double star work :!: :roll: Everyone knows how poor a "long focus" refractor is at double stars & planets :!: :wink: :lol: :lol: :lol: Your using your 6" f/8 for the apurture? It is a fine instrument, a keeper IMHO :D Yes I know I know, you are waiting for your dove tail plate from me so you can mount it to your mount. :D BTW the DTP is "incoming" now. 8) I'm sure you have 4" tube rings already but if not I've some here.
Clear skies,

Mark

iOptron CEM25P w/ Tri-pier
CGEM DX
LXD750 w/ CDS #1697
LXD75 w/ #497 autostar Hypertuned
Antares 8" f/5 Newt
Antares 4" f/15 "Vixen Spec" long focus refractor
Orion 4" f/7 ED refractor
Astro-Tech 65mm Quad APO
and so much more
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