The prominent springtime constellation Boötes contains a host of nice double stars. Like the colorful double star Xi Bootis in Bootes, Pi Bootis is a naked eye object under darker sky conditions with a magnitude of +5. While the pair is fairly bright, they are close in proximity, so you will need at least aContinueContinue reading “Pi Bootis: A Pair of White Stars in Bootes”
Category Archives: Double/Multiple Stars
Xi Bootis: A Yellow and Reddish-Violet Double in Bootes
The prominent springtime constellation Boötes contains a host of nice double stars. One, in particular, XI Bootis, is a rare sight because it’s a naked-eye object with a mass and luminosity less than our sun. The primary star is 90% of the mass and 83% of the radius of the Sun. Due to XI Bootis’ContinueContinue reading “Xi Bootis: A Yellow and Reddish-Violet Double in Bootes”
Mu Boötis: A Triple Treat of Stars
Mu Boötis is a spring treat for those who enjoy observing multiple star systems. The system’s proper name is Alkalurops, which means “club” in Greek and represents a shepherd’s staff. With the naked eye from a dark site, one can see the primary star, Alkalurops A. It has a yellow, white color. Nearby are theContinueContinue reading “Mu Boötis: A Triple Treat of Stars”
Polaris: Celebrated North Star and Triple Star System
Polaris, known as the North Star, is a triple-star system located 433 light-years from Earth. The primary star, Polaris A, is a yellow supergiant and a Cepheid variable, with two companions. Although it appears singular, Polaris is a complex system, offering astronomers a tool for measuring cosmic distances. This article shows how it appears in an 8-inch SCT telescope under suburban skies.
HR 4893: A Pretty Double Near the North Celestial Pole
Up near Polaris, the North Star, there are a number of good double stars. The ever popular Mizar in Ursa Major comes to mind. Another double star bright enough with good separation is Nu Draconis in Draco. In this same region is a double star system called HR4893 in the constellation Camelopardalis. It appears HRContinueContinue reading “HR 4893: A Pretty Double Near the North Celestial Pole”
Arcturus: The Great Light Switch of the Chicago World’s Fair
Whenever I see Arcturus, I imagine standing with 30,000 other people at the opening of the Chicago World’s Fair on May 27, 1933. At 9:15 that evening, observatories in four locations across the eastern U.S. aimed their scopes on Arcturus. The bright star’s light set off photocells at each location. In turn, these devices sentContinueContinue reading “Arcturus: The Great Light Switch of the Chicago World’s Fair”
Coma Star Cluster: An Egyptian Queen’s Long Hair
The Coma Star Cluster is nearby open cluster in the constellation Coma Berenices. It’s best viewed in the spring. Open any app or astronomy book with drawings of the constellations. While looking at Coma Berenices, you’ll see a cluster of around 40 stars and few cascading bright stars that make up the queen’s long-flowing hair.ContinueContinue reading “Coma Star Cluster: An Egyptian Queen’s Long Hair”
Messier 40: Also Known as Messier’s Greatest Mistake
Springtime galaxy hunting in Ursa Major is an awarding experience. Observers have their pick of Messier objects from the awe-inducing Whirlpool Galaxy (Messier 51) to the bright Cigar Galaxy (Messier 82). Then, scrolling through these notable Messier objects, one lands upon Messier 40. Aiming the scope at M40 uncovers a simple pair of stars—no nebula,ContinueContinue reading “Messier 40: Also Known as Messier’s Greatest Mistake”
The Garden Astronomer 