by Magda Streicher
Site: Polokwane SA – Long: 29°28’ East – Lat: 23o54’ South – Altitude 1311 meters.
Telescope: 16 inch Schmidt-Cassegrain – Focal Length 4064mm (f10)
Eyepiece: 2” – Ultra Wide 40mm – 102x – 31.7arc min. FOV
Eyepiece: 2” – Ultra Wide 14mm – 290x – 17.4arc min. FOV
Eyepiece: 2” – Ultra Wide 8.8mm – 462x – 10.9arc min. FOV
Eyepiece: 2” – Ultra Wide 5.5mm – 812x – 10.9arc min. FOV
Use the Astrometric Eyepiece on the 16-inch Meade
Length of scale 315 arc seconds
6.3 arc seconds represented by each of the segments of the scale as measure with a drifting telescope.
I 1477 – Phoenix
RA: 00h00m.3 – DEC: -44o17’
Magnitude of stars: 6.8 and 7.3 – Separation: 0.5 – Position Angle: 292
Tel: 16” S/C – FL 4064mm (f10) – 290x – 462x – Date: 24 Sep 2003
Good example of a rich yellow stars but not able to split the pair.
Tel: 16” S/C – FL 4064mm (f10) – 290x – 462x – 812x – Date: 05 October 2016
My first impression was that of just one single very yellow colored star with the correct magnitude of 6.3-8. Working my way up from 290x to 462x it stayed one single star. At 812x, I glimpse a bulge (80% sure) at position angle of 354. I check and see that the last documented observation was back in 1959. My last observation was in 2003, but perhaps not so equipped at the time when I could not see the bulge.
h 5437 – Phoenix
RA: 00h00m.6 – DEC: -53o06’
Magnitude of stars: 6.8 and 10.3 – Separation: 1.9 – Position Angle: 312
Tel: 16” S/C – FL 4064mm (f10) – 290x – 462x – Date: 24 Sep 2003
Off-white to a slightly light yellow primary but unable to split the pair.
Tel: 16” S/C – FL 4064mm (f10) – 290x – 462x – 812x – Date: 05 October 2016
The primary still the same magnitude and color. The pair was split at 462x but not clearly because of the glare of the primary. Measure with the metric was difficult but it could be very close to 2”. Use crosshair eyepiece it seems that the position angle is the same as measure against field stars. (Not for the record, but there seems to be a bulge at position angle of 160, perhaps a third companion.
CapO 264 – Phoenix
RA: 00h04m.0 – DEC: -48o08’
Magnitude of stars: 7.8 and 9.6 – Separation: 3.2 – Position Angle: 64
Tel: 16” S/C – FL 4064mm (f10) – 290x – 462x – Date: 24 Sep 2003
Again another off-white primary with a light orange companion. Beautiful pair in contrast to color.
Tel: 16” S/C – FL 4064mm (f10) – 290x – 462x – Date: 05 October 2016
A beautiful pair in yellow jackets, the primary slightly lighter than the companion which was easily split with 290x. The magnitude of the two stars and separation seems correct as indicated. Measure with crosshairs I came to the conclusion that the position angle 64 slightly change closer to 58, as measure against background stars.
HdO 180 – Phoenix
RA: 00h06m18s – DEC: -49o05’
Magnitude of stars: 5.8 and 11.5 – Separation: 5.4 – Position Angle: 176
Tel: 16” S/C – FL 4064mm (f10) – 127x – 290x – 462x – Date: Sep 2003
The glare of this cream primary overpowers its companion rendering it invisible.
Tel: 16” S/C – FL 4064mm (f10) – 290x – 462x – Date: 05 October 2016
The primary is still a very cream yellow and at 5.8 magnitude it is overwhelming the companion. But I was able to see the companion in its glare as a round swelling towards position angle 200 with the use of crosshairs. It could be that my justment is slightly off against the glare of the primary but I think it can be worth-while to check again, I doubt the separation of 5.4” strongly. It looks halfway closer to the primary as the indicated separation, my estimate would be closer to 3”. Then I pick up a pair of stars in the field of view which is not indicated as double or show up in Guide 8 as double.
The star GSC 8025 547 which is 6.5 arc minutes south of HdO 180. The star spotted as measure with the metric eyepiece is about 2” in separation and a position angle of 80, about 11magnitude.
WG 2 – Phoenix
RA: 00h15m.2 – DEC: -40o06’
Magnitude of stars: 7.4 and 8.9 – Separation: 13.8 -Position Angle: 3
Tel: 16” S/C – FL 4064mm (f10) 127x – 290x – Date: 24 Sep 2003
Subtle light yellow primary with a slightly amber colored companion. The galaxy NGC 55 which is very bright and elongated is just 50arc min. north, but in the constellation Sculptor.
Tel: 16” S/C – FL 4064mm (f10) – 290x – 462x – Date: 05 October 2016
A beautiful double star with the yellow primary and amber companion, no change. The companion point in the direction of NGC 55 which in a wide field of view 60’ a nice sight.
h 3364 – Phoenix
RA: 00h24m.7 – DEC: -53o59’
Magnitude of stars: 7.4 and 10.5 -Separation: 39.8 – Position Angle: 239
Tel: 16” S/C – FL 4064mm (f10) 127x – 290x – 24 Date: Sep 2003
Creamy-yellow primary, and even with a magnitude of 10.5 and separation 39.8 I was unable to see the companion.
Tel: 16” S/C – FL 4064mm (f10) – 290x – 462x – Date: 05 October 2016
The primary and companion position angle as well as separation is correct as the indicated data. But the magnitude of the companion cannot be 10.5!!. I estimate it at least a magnitude and a half fainter. My guess would be between 11.5 to 12 magnitude in brightness. I even pick this difference in the indicated magnitude up back in 2003.
I 45 – Phoenix
RA: 00h33m30s – DEC: -55o20’
Magnitude of stars: 7.9 and 8.3 and 11.0 – Separation: 0.5 and 7.0 – Position Angle: 231 and 247
Tel: 16” S/C – FL 4064mm (f10) 127x – 290x – 462x – Date: Sep 2003
White primary and a very faint light orange C companion. Could not confirm the B companion.
Tel: 16” S/C – FL 4064mm (f10) – 290x – 462x – 812x – Date: 05 October 2016
Super white primary with the one companion seen at position angle 247 (C companion) as indicated. My drawing is done with crosshairs. The B companion show as an oval impression hanging on to the primary in a more or less position angle of 220 and if this is the B companion it is further away as the indicated position angle of 0.5, I should think more in line to 1”
But what worries me here is that the secondary with a magnitude of 8.3 is more in the position angle of the indicated C companion as measure against star field??.
LDS 21 – Phoenix
RA: 00h36m36s – DEC: -49o08’
Magnitude of stars: 6.8 and 8.6 – Separation: 0.5 – – Position Angle: 273
Tel: 16” S/C – FL 4064mm (f10) – 290x – 462x – 812x – Date: 24 Sep 2003
Creamy-yellow primary with a somewhat dirty yellow star close which is not the companion. An 11 magnitude star forms a triangle with this double. Could not split LDS 21 with a closer companion.
Tel: 16” S/C – FL 4064mm (f10) – 290x – 462x – 812x – Date: 05 October 2016
Is the companion just 0.5” away from the primary with a notable double star 329” away? Does the primary had another closer companion? No change to the two stars seen.
MelO 1 – Phoenix
RA: 00h42m00s – DEC: -55o47’
Magnitude of stars: 7.8 and 8.3 – Separation: 6.3 – Position Angle: 162
Tel: 16” S/C – FL 4064mm (f10) – 290x – 462x – Date: 24 Sep 2003
Again another ordinary yellow primary with a light amber companion.
Tel: 16” S/C – FL 4064mm (f10) – 290x – 462x – 812x – Date: 05 October 2016
Two lovely yellow stars, companion slightly lighter. As measure with metric eyepiece it could be slightly closer than the indicated 6.3”. Position angle and magnitudes of the stars correct.