Within the constellation of Orion, the celestial hunter, lies Struve 700, also known as V1804 Orionis. This double star system, near the constellation’s iconic belt, is a pretty pair of white-blue stars.
Discovered on January 9, 1783 by William Herschel, V1804 Orionis comprises two stars, designated as A and B, locked in a gravitational dance. The brighter of the pair, Struve 700A, shines with an apparent magnitude of 7.6, while its companion, Struve 700B, glimmers at a slightly fainter magnitude of 7.9. The two stars are separated by a distance of 4.8 arcseconds, making for a tight pair for backyard scopes. The pair lies 760 light years away.1
My Observations
Date | September 16, 2023 |
Time | 6:00 a.m. |
Location | Seattle, WA |
Magnification | 169x |
Scope | Meade 8″ SCT |
Eyepiece | 12mm |
Seeing | Above Average |
Transparency | Above Average |
![Sketch of the double star, Struve 700, also known as V1804 Orionis and SAO 112704, that lies in the winter constellation Orion. The drawing shows this close pair of stars as they appear in an 8-inch SCT scope with 12mm eyepiece.](https://gardenastronomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/struve-700-double-star.jpg?w=600)
This is the first time I’ve observed in the early morning since starting this site. Autumn is just around the corner, and I can feel it in the cool morning air. The world is peaceful and quiet as if it’s finally getting some rest. Orion appears from behind the eastern trees, reminding me of late August nights when I would stay up all night, watching the stars until the first sign of Orion appeared. It’s as if the hunter is calling the winter to come. I know that soon the rains of the Pacific Northwest will return, and these early morning moments will disappear. But for now, I will savor every moment. Going through my list of doubles, I focus on Struve 700. A lovely bluish pair of stars that perfectly matches the light blue sky catches my eye. I’m thankful for moments like this in life. I’ll make sure to revisit this pair when winter comes to the land.
Key Stats
Constellation | Orion |
Best Viewing | Winter |
Visual Magnitude | +7.6 | +7.9 |
Absolute Visual Magnitude | +.84 |
Distance from Earth | 760 ly |
Separation | 4.8″ |
Position Angle | 4° |
Milky Way Location | Orion Spur |
My Viewing Grade | B+ |
Designations | SAO 112704, HD 35192, STF 700, HIP 25174 |
Sources and Notes
Banner adapted from an illustration created by Pablo Budassi. The illustration is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. Full details here.
1 (N.d.). Retrieved from http://www.handprint.com/ASTRO/Herschel_All.html
Sketch by Wayne McGraw
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