Download Big Bear Valley Astronomical Society

Big Bear Valley
Astronomical Society
October 13, 2016 Agenda, and Minutes
 Welcome:
 New members or 1st time visitors? None at this meeting
 Attendees: Dick, Randy, Lydia, Wes, John V., Claude, Teresa, Matt, John D., Deanna, Byron, Tom,
Matt, Bill Y.
 Announcements :
 Deanna Poulsen was selected as the “Parent of the Year” by University of San Diego
 Treasurer/Membership Report: MEMBERSHIP IS DUE! $15 for Individual, $25 for Family, includes
membership in the Astronomical League and the quarterly Reflector Magazine. For mail-in download the
application at bearvalleyastronomers.org.
 52 paid members, and $673 in the coffer, and $192 in the Scholarship Fund.
 Comments, reports, discussions, reviews:
 Virtual Lecture, Sarah Marcotte from JPL, about NASA’s Mars 2020 probe.
- Interesting presentation…Bill will upload to YouTube.
 Friday Night in the Village Sept 9th
- Good attendance. Bill will seek approval to continue at the same location for the winter
since “Friday Nights” is over for the season.
 BBSO Tours 9/8 & 9/22? And 10/13.
- A general conscience is that the tours were successful, with some concern about the
minimum age for visitors.
 High Chaparral Star Party Oct 1 @ HC.
- Randy and Jane Jackson were the only folks there. Good viewing.
 Solar Sidewalk Astronomers SUN-day at DC on Sept. 11th
- A few folks showed up to view the Sun… and the “bike vs telescope” event
 Calif. Naturalist Program Star Party at Pali Resort in Running Springs Sept 10th
- Attended by Teresa and Bill Y., several hundred clothed folks () from the Forest
Service, and other Naturalists got good looks at the night sky. Very well attended and
received.
 Contact with BB Library
- We ordered a 3 year subscription to Sky and Telescope for the Library.
- We also voted to spend $8.00/year to give the Library a subscription to REFLECTOR
 Great Astronomy Yard Sale Oct 1
- 1st ever event… well attended… lots of scopes sold and swapped.
- We’ll try to do this again next year, but go for the last qtr Moon weekend.
 Dick’s Dome Warming
- Good viewing from a very nice installation. Saw Neptune and Uranus’ moons
 Byron’s donated telescopes (3 & 4” Newts on GE mounts)
- Be on the lookout for other bargains that we can demonstrate/donate.
 Activities

October 27th Virtual Lecture - Dr Mark Giampapa from the National Solar
Observatory speaking on “Perspectives on the Stellar Hosts of Exoplanet Systems”.
 http://www.nso.edu/staff/giampapa
 Chief observer report.
 What’s up this month?
- The big deal will be the grazing occultation of Aldebaran by the Moon with the
centerline of the path in Apple Valley. Several members will meet Randy on evening of
Oct 18 (location tbd) for the 10:23pm event… it’s a 10 minute event so don’t blink. If
you will participate, you may want to bring your own telescope, but there will be several
telescopes.
- http://occultations.org/aldebaran/2016october/
 Orionid meteor shower peak, October 21.
 See SkyMap attachment.
 Scheduling:
 Next Star Party, Oct 29? Where to go?
- Star party at Matt’s house in Baldwin Lake… setup at dusk.
 Next beginner talk? Randy will recap the occultation
 Oct 18 - occultation of Aldebaran by the Moon in Apple Valley.
 Nov 17th- *Paul Butler* for our Virtual Lecture – codiscoverer of Proxima B planet!!
- https://carnegiescience.edu/scientist/paul-butler
 Nov Meeting – Need someone to run it…
- Teresa will prepare the agenda before they leave on the trip.
 Teresa on Winter Constellations…
 See attachment…great presentation on the lore of the constellations. See attachment.
 General Discussion…
 Mirror removal/transportation/re-installation project.
 Explored future events at BB Library for kids… solar and nighttime demos.
- Byron will discuss with Library and report back to club.
 BB High School, earth sciences events between Oct 24 and the holidays.
- We agreed to do these events… Wes will get potential dates from BBHS.
 Claude proposed a naked-eye project… by the next club meeting. Observe and record your
comparison of delta Cephei to its neighboring stars Zeta and Epsilon… record if delta Cephei is
brighter than its neighbors, same as its neighbors, or weaker than it’s neighbors. Naked eye…
doesn’t require binoculars or telescope. Details for this experiment are attached to this Minutes
doc. Bring your findings to the next club meeting.
- http://earthsky.org/brightest-stars/delta-cephei-the-kings-famous-variable-star
 Calendar Summary
 10-18-2016:
 10-21-2016:
 10-27-2016:
 10-29-2016:
 11-10-2016:
 11-17-2016:
Occultation event in Apple Valley
Orionid meteor shower peak
Virtual lecture, Dr. Mark Giampapa
Star party, Matt’s house in Baldwin Lake
Next Club meeting
Virtual lecture, Paul Butler
-30- Bill Young, club Secretary
ORION
Orion lies in the opposite part of the sky to Ophiuchus but, like him, is centered on the equator and
visible in all parts of the world. The hunter's head protrudes between Taurus the Bull and Gemini the
Twins, while his feet rest at the end of the River Eridanus, above Lupus the Hare.
There are many variations in the myth of Orion but the most consistent classical myth claims that he
was born at the request of Hyrieus, who asked for a son in return for his hospitality to the gods.
Jupiter, Neptune and Mercury obliged by passing urine on a bull's hide which was then buried for nine
months. (The original name for the child was Urion which afterwards became Orion.) The child grew
up to be a giant warrior; mighty and brave but also handsome. He fell in love with Bacchus's daughter
but was blinded by her father while in a drunken stupor and only regained his sight after traveling to
the furthest east and exposing his eyes to the light of the rising Sun.
Orion later became the lover of Artemis, goddess of hunting, but offended her with his boast that he
could hunt and destroy any creature on the Earth. Artemis conspired with a scorpion to prove the
boast false - hence, unafraid of any mighty beast Orion was defeated and killed by a lowly scorpion
with its deadly sting. Afterwards Artemis, beset by grief, begged Jupiter to place her belated lover in
the sky opposite to Scorpio - so that he might escape in the west whenever his murderer rose in the
east.
The brightest star is Betelgeuze, the name a degenerated form of the Arabic title Ibt al Jauzah, 'the
Armpit of the Central One', from its position near the right shoulder. This is a 1st magnitude, variable,
and reddish star.
The other most notable star in Orion is Rigel, whose name derives from the Arabic phrase, Rijl Jauzah
al Yusra, 'the Left Leg of the Tyrant', later shortened to Rijl, 'the foot'. This is a bluish, 1st magnitude
star and although listed as less brilliant than Betelgeuze, it often shines brighter due to the former's
variability.
Bellatrix, 'The Female Warrior', is a 2nd magnitude, pale yellow star on the left shoulder. It has a
supposedly beneficial influence for women, though it is said to make them loquacious - or as the 16th
century astronomer Thomas Hood wrote: women born under this constellation shall have mighty
tongues.
Saiph is the bright star marking the right knee of Orion. The name derives from Saif al Jabbar, 'the
Sword of the Giant', because of its proximity to the sword that hangs from Orions's waist. This star,
and Hatsya (from Na'ir al Saif, "the Bright One in the Sword") are located at the tip of the sword.
Mintaka, Alnilam and Alnitak are the three 2nd magnitude stars situated on the 'belt' or 'girdle' of
Orion. Mintaka, from Al Mintakah, 'The Belt', is the most western and therefore the first to rise.
Alnilam’s name comes from Al Nathan, 'The String of Pearls' from the bullions set in Orion's Belt.
TAURUS
Taurus is one of the oldest constellations, particularly noted in ancient astronomy because it marked
the vernal equinox between 4000- 1700BC. In Greek myth the creature immortalizes the form taken
by Jupiter in his seduction of Europa. Encouraged by the tameness of the bull she mounted it as it
mingled with a herd on the sea-shore, whereupon it swam into the sea and bore her away to Crete.
Some authorities claim that this is why only the foreparts of the bull are depicted in the constellation
figure, the hind quarters supposedly hidden by waves; other authors claim that the lack of hind limbs
indicates that at one time the constellation was much larger and occupied the space now taken by
Aries.
Taurus is well documented in Babylonian astrology, the Mesopotamians being the first to call this part
of the sky Gud.Anna., 'Bull of Heaven'. According to their myth, the creature was created on the
orders of Ishtar (Venus) to destroy the legendary hero Gilgamesh who had insultingly spurned her
advances and remarked that she all too quickly tired of her objects of desire. Gilgaimesh triumphed
over the Bull, which was then placed in the heavens, but for his sacrilege the gods declared that the
life of his best friend, Enkidu, should be taken as a forfeit.
The chief star, Aldebaran is the 1st magnitude star referred to by Ptolemy as 'the Torch' on account
of its bright, rose-colored luminance. It is positioned on the southern or left eye of the Bull and is
known by early authors as 'the Bright Eye of the Bull', 'Bull's Eye', Occulus Taurii; or by some Cor
Taurii - the Heart of Taurus, referring not to its position but its prominence. The name is derived from
the Arabic Al Dabaran, the Follower, ie., of the Pleiades.
El Nath is a double star, brilliant white and pale grey, situated on the tip of the northern horn. The
name derives from Al Natih, the Butting One.
The Pleiades is a nebulous cluster of stars, all contained within one degree of longitude, located on
the shoulder of the Bull. In myth they eternalize the seven daughters of Atlas and Pleione, daughter of
Oceanus - Maia, Taygete, Electra, Alcyone, Asterope, Kelaino and Merope. Alcyone, a 3rd magnitude
greenish-yellow star is the brightest, and generally taken as a reference point for the group.
According to one version of the myth, the Seven Sisters committed suicide through grief at their
father's everlasting task of having to support the world on his shoulders, his punishment for fighting
with the Titans against the gods of Mount Olympus. Another claims they were the attendants of
Artemis who were pursued by the giant hunter Orion. They were rescued by the gods who changed
them into doves and after death placed them in the heavens a little away from the gaze of Orion.
The Pleiades are among the first stars positively identified in astronomical literature, with references
as early as the 3rd millennium BC when Alcyone would have marked the vernal equinox - thus, the
title 'the Great Year of the Pleiades' is used to describe the cycle of precession which takes about
25,850 years to complete.
The other remarkable cluster in Taurus is the Hyades, referred to as one of the most beautiful objects
in the sky and frequently mentioned by classical authors on account of its beauty and reputation for
bringing rain. In Greek mythology they were the half-sisters of the Pleiades, the seven daughters of
Atlas and Aethra, who were entrusted with the care of the infant Bacchus. The tears they shed at the
death of their brother Hyas moved the gods to place them among the stars in recognition of their
sympathy and sorrow.
The name Hyades is derived from a Greek term meaning 'rain' because of the wet season that
accompanied their rising and setting in May and November respectively.
El Nath is a double star, brilliant white and pale grey, situated on the tip of the northern horn. The
name derives from Al Natih, the Butting One.
AURIGA
Auriga is depicted by a charioteer who holds a goat in his left arm and some suckling kids in his lap.
The chariot is not shown but is represented by the reins held in his right hand.
This strange mythological mix is very ancient and believed to be of Mesopotamian origin. Latin authors
claim it represents the lame son of Vulcan and Minerva who invented the chariot as a means of
transportation. The goat in his arms was described by Aratus as "the holy Goat which, as legend tells,
gave the breast to Zeus". This is Amalthea, (also linked to the myth of Capricorn), which not only
nurtured Zeus but protected him through the aegis (literally 'goat-skin') that constituted his cloak and
shield. Manilius treats the figures as separate constellations, describing the Charioteer as a skilled,
enthusiastic, and reckless driver, racing across the heavens with his spirited team of horses.
The main star of the group is in the body of the goat: the 1st magnitude white star Capella 'the Little
She-Goat' which is the 6th brightest star in the sky. In classical times it was noted for its association
with floods and storms.
On the body of the Charioteer, Menkalinan 'The Rein-holder', is the most prominent star. This is a
2nd magnitude binary star, bright yellow in color, positioned on the right shoulder of Auriga.
GEMINI
The two bright stars, Castor and Pollux, mark the heads of the two brothers, one mortal and one the
son of a god. Their mother was Queen Leda, the father of mortal Castor was her husband King
Tyndarus and the father of Pollux was Zeus. They were also brothers to Helen of Troy. As most
identical twins are, they were inseperable in both looks and actions. Castor was a famed horseman
and Pollux a reknowned boxer. They were famous for being argonauts with Jason on the Argo and
and after saving the mighty ship from a wild storm became the protectors of mariners. The ghostly
flame of St. Elmo's fire that sometimes appears on ships is also connected to them. One day Castor
was killed in a fight. Distraught, Pollux pleaded with Zeus to let Castor reside with him on Mount
Olympus. Zeus took pity on his son and placed the brothers in the sky next to each other. The
Romans also connected this constellation with Romulus and Remus, the twins who founded Rome.
Astronomically Castor is an interesting star as it known to be a multiple system of six stars Not all are
visible in a telescope though but the two main components are easily split.
Alhena is the name for gamma (g) Geminorum, meaning a Brand or Mark.
Wasat, meaning the Middle, is the proper name for delta (d) Geminorum. It is named so as it lies half
way along the east side of the constellation.
Mebsuta, epsilon (e) Geminorum, means the Outstretched [paw] and is a relic from ancient Arabian
times when part of Gemini was contained in a larger constellation representing a lion, stretching from
Gemini to Virgo. Mekbuda, zeta (z) Geminorum, was the Contracted [paw].
CANIS MAJOR
On his shoulder shines Sirius, the brightest star in the sky. Most of the mythology of Canis Major is
connected to Sirius as the constellation itself did not take on its current form until Roman times.
Sirius is a hot white star that will shine brightly for a long time to come. It is also a known binary
system, with a tiny white dwarf star, coloquially known as 'the Pup', circling the brighter primary every
50 years. Most of the time it is lost in the glare of the primary but it can swing out far enough to be
seen in amateur telescopes. This will next be possible in the years 2020 to 2025.
Sirius means "Scorching", named so by the ancient Greeks as it rose and set with the Sun during the
northern hemisphere Summer 3000 years ago. It was thought that the combined heat of the two
stars caused the hot weather of late Summer. It was also commonly known as the Dog star, a
tradition that reaches far back before Babylonian times. This is also where the expression "the dog
days of Summer" comes from.
Sirius was important to the ancient Egyptians. They watched for the heliacal rising of Sirius to
indicate the start of the annual flooding of the Nile River (a heliacal rising is when a star is first seen in
the eastern sky before dawn after it has "passed behind" the Sun). Some references connect Sirius
with the god Osiris, as the name is similar in sound. Others connect Sirius with Anubis the Jackalheaded god. It is interesting to note that the Chinese connected Sirius with a canine figure as well,
but the Australian Aborigines saw it as an eagle.
Mirzam the Announcer (beta (b) Canis majoris) marks the front paw of the Dog. It was so called as it
heralded the imminent rising of Sirius.
Wezen the Weight (delta (d) Canis majoris) marks the base of the tail. It was called this as
apparently from the northern hemisphere it seems reluctant to rise above the horizon. This would be
an optical illusion as a result of the star's far southerly declination.
MONOCEROS
Monoceros the Unicorn started to appear on charts in the early 17th century but there are conflicting
statements on who introduced it and when. Its definition is attributed to the 17th-century Dutch
cartographer Petrus Plancius. It apparently appeared on some early Persian star charts as well. It is a
faint constellation, none of the main stars that make the pattern of unicorn are brighter than 4th
magnitude, despite lying half in the star clouds of the Milky Way and being adjacent to Orion and
Canis Major.
Monoceros is a relatively faint constellation, containing only a few fourth magnitude stars, but it is
nevertheless home to several notable stars: the famous variables S Monocerotis, R Monocerotis,
and V838 Monocerotis, Plaskett’s Star, which is one of the most massive binary stars known, and the
triple star Beta Monocerotis.
Monoceros also contains several interesting deep sky objects: the open cluster Messier 50 (NGC
2323), the Rosette Nebula, the Christmas Tree Cluster, the Cone Nebula, and Hubble’s Variable
Nebula, among others.
10/15/2016
Plant Your Eyes In Delta Cephei's Fertile Triangle - Sky & Telescope
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Plant Your Eyes In Delta Cephei’s Fertile
Triangle
By: Bob King | October 12, 2016
8
The famous var iable star Delta Cephei unlocks a box of deep-sky tr easur es in a little-visited
cor ner of Cepheus, the King.
I like to plan my deep-sky
observing forays by selecting a
familiar bright star situated
near a diverse mix of clusters,
double stars, nebulae, and
galaxies. Using an atlas and the
star as my waypoint, I happily
plunge into the unknown.
While I enjoy the challenge of
seeing the next-to-impossible,
my favorite deep-sky
perambulations are those that
include both bright and faint
objects.
There are two reasons for this.
After tackling a faint and
difficult nebula, moving on to a
bright star cluster feels like a
well-earned vacation. Sweet
relief! Secondly, bright and faint
celestial targets complement
and define each other much as
pain and joy do in a life. We
learn the limits of our eyes and
instruments while getting a
taste of everything the universe
has to offer.
Cepheus, the King, and the triangle of naked-eye stars headed up
by Delta (δ) Cephei are well placed in the northern sky now through
mid-winter. This map shows the sky facing north around 9:30 p.m.
local time in mid-October.
Stellarium
For all these reasons, a triangle
of cosmic real estate in Cepheus measuring just 3.5° × 2° makes for a wonderful place to roll out the
star map and leave Earth behind for an evening.
http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/plant-your-eyes-in-delta-cepheis-fertile-triangle/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_campaign=sky-mya-nl-1610…
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Plant Your Eyes In Delta Cephei's Fertile Triangle - Sky & Telescope
We'll start with Delta (δ) Cephei, the prototype star of the Cepheid variables, arguably the most
important class of variable stars in the sky. Since Henrietta Leavitt's discovery of Cepheids as
"standard candles" and Edwin Hubble's application of what came to be called the period-luminosity
relationship to Cepheids in the Andromeda Galaxy in 1923, the scale of the known universe
dramatically expanded overnight. At the time, it must have felt like getting kicked out of the nest.
Delta's light varies
between magnitude +3.5
and +4.4 every 5.36
days as the star expands
and contracts, alternately
fading and brightening
with a precise rhythm. By
happy coincidence, we
can easily track Delta's
variations using the other
two stars in the triangle,
Zeta (ζ) Cephei
(magnitude +3.6) and
Epsilon (ε) Cephei (+4.2).
Delta has a classic roller
coaster-shaped light
curve, rising rapidly to
maximum in a day and a
half followed by a slower
4-day fall to minimum.
Not only does Delta make
a wonderful naked-eye
variable star, but even a
Delta Cephei is a bright, easy double star with a nice color contrast. On
small telescope will show
the morning of Monday, October 10th, the Delta primary shone at
it as a bright, attractive
magnitude +4.2.
Map: Bob King, Source: Stellarium
double star with a golden
primary and pale bluewhite, 6th-magnitude companion lying 41″ to the south-southwest. At first glance, it resembles
Albireo in Cygnus.
The little triangle outlined by Delta, Zeta, and Epsilon Cephei and vicinity are home to more than a
dozen deep-sky objects for small and larger telescopes. South is up and stars are shown to
magnitude +9.5. Click for a larger version.
Map: Bob King, Source: Stellarium
From Delta we glide about ⅔° south to another unique double star, Kruger 60, a tight pair of red
dwarfs and one of the closest stars to Earth at a distance of just 13.1 light years. Kruger 60A shines
at magnitude +9.8; its +11.4-magnitude companion, Kruger 60B, huddles about 1.7″ to the
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Plant Your Eyes In Delta Cephei's Fertile Triangle - Sky & Telescope
northwest. The duo was closest in 2014 and is slowly widening toward a maximum separation of
~4.8″ in 2036. The period is 44.5 years. I had no problem splitting the two in a 6-inch telescope back
in the early 1990s, but they were tough work this season. Seize a night of good seeing and use high
power!
Use this detailed finder chart with stars to magnitude +10.5 to navigate to the binary star Kruger 60.
The star forms a small right triangle with two similarly bright stars and shows a distinctive orangered hue. Click to enlarge and print for use at the telescope.
Map: Bob King, Source: Stellarium
Typical of red dwarfs, both A and B have very low luminosities with masses only a fraction of solar.
The pair also has a large proper motion of nearly 1″ per year (0.86″), fast enough to see them drift
against the background stars in just a few years time. Photos or sketches made now and two years
down the road would make a worthy observing project. Finally, the secondary star is subject to
random but brilliant stellar flares that can more than double its brightness temporarily. Keep an eye
out for these rare events.
The core of the Delta triangle includes two NGC open clusters and two Minkowski planetary nebulae.
Gregg L. Ruppel
One-half degree due west of the binary, you'll run into the large and moderately rich open cluster
NGC 7281. Although not particularly compact, the cluster features a nice mix of bright and faint
stars highlighted by three 10th-magnitude stars in a neat line that recalls Orion's Belt. Another
http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/plant-your-eyes-in-delta-cepheis-fertile-triangle/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_campaign=sky-mya-nl-1610…
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Plant Your Eyes In Delta Cephei's Fertile Triangle - Sky & Telescope
smaller open cluster, NGC 7261, lies not quite 1° to its west. About a third as large and moderately
compact, its shape reminds me of a squat arrowhead. Both are low-power objects that should be
visible in 6-inch and larger telescopes.
Additional Observing Targets
Minkowski 2-52: A challenging 14th-magnitude planetary nebula with a diameter of 12″.
Nothing was visible in my 15-inch at 142× until I screwed on a Lumicon UHC filter and studied
the location with all the averted vision I could muster. Then I saw it — a small disk with a
slightly brighter center flickering in and out of view.
Minkowski 2-51: Continuing west, you'll
quickly run into this much easier and
larger planetary that measures 47″ × 38″
and shines at magnitude +13.6. Visible
without a filter at 142×, I discerned a soft,
round disk dotted by two very faint stars
of magnitude +14.5 and 1+5.5. Since my
source, the Strasbourg-ESO Catalog of
Galactic Planetary Nebulae (Parts One and
Two), lists the central star at magnitude
+20.4, I have to assume both are
foreground suns. An O III or UHC filter
makes M2-51 an easy catch.
NGC 7235 and 7234: Next, we move on to
a contrasting pair of star clusters near
Epsilon Cephei. I highly recommend NGC
7235, a 5′ wide, 8th-magnitude,
moderately compact group shaped like a
Listed at magnitude +13.6, I found the planetary
nebula Mink 2-51 easy to spot with an O III filter
at magnifications of 67× and 142×.
DSS
backwards letter "S." Be sure to look for
the 10th-magnitude red star along its eastern border. NGC 7234 lies just 15′ south of 7235.
Due to errors in recording the cluster's position when it was first discovered by William
Herschel, some publications refer to it as "non-existent," but I saw a faint, nebulous patch
some 3′ across at the position shown in Ur anometr ia 2000.0. I could even resolve nearly a
dozen +13.5- to +14.5-magnitude stars. Were these random alignments or ...?
Sharpless 2-132: A beastly, large emission nebula faintly visible without a filter but oh-somuch finer with a low-power, wide-field eyepiece coupled with an O III filter. The brightest
section, about ½° long and extended east-west, is centered on a field so rich in stars, it
shimmers like a glitter-coated veil. I was able to follow one particular "byway" of the nebula an
additional degree to the west. A real find if you own a rich-field telescope 8-inches or larger.
Dark nebula Barnard 369 and open cluster Berkeley 94 bracket Sh2-132. The dusky nebula is
about 5′ across and quite vague, requiring averted vision. I saw it best at low power. Berkeley
94 lies just south of an orange-tinted +6.5-magnitude star. It's an amazing little object just 2′
across with two bright stars and a smattering of 8-10 more that together resemble the narrow
snout of a fox. This tiny cluster packs a lot of pizzazz!
http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/plant-your-eyes-in-delta-cepheis-fertile-triangle/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_campaign=sky-mya-nl-1610…
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The extensive bright nebula Sharpless 2-132 makes a nice sight in a rich-field scope equipped with a
nebula filter. North is up.
Sharplesscatalog.com
If you turn around and head back 2° to the west, you might or might not see the difficult dark
nebulae, B370, just over the border in Lacerta. It wasn't easy in the 15-inch at low
magnification. Let's just say I suspected seeing a hint of darkening at the correct location.
NGC 7352: Two stars of magnitude +8.5 and +9.1 separated by 2′ were obvious, but the rest of
the cluster was difficult to tease apart from the rich background field, so I felt a bit lost here as
to which stars belonged to the cluster and which did not.
We end on a bright note, returning to Delta Cephei. A bit more than ½° to its north, look for
Berkeley 95, a 3′-wide, faint, diffuse glow that splinters into several dozen dim suns ranging
from magnitude +13 on down. It's much richer than you'd first suspect, especially for larger
scopes. Use medium to high magnifications.
After dropping in on 14 deep-sky denizens, you might think we've exhausted this particular nook in
Cepheus. Wrong! I've barely scraped the sky in our circumscribed star hop. Numerous additional
open clusters, planetaries, and bright and dark nebulae pepper the region beyond the fertile
triangle. The King gladly shares his treasure with all who seek it.
CATEGORIES
Explore the Night with Bob King, Observing
TAGS
Cepheus, Delta Cephei, variable star
RELATED POSTS
About Bob King
Amateur astronomer since childhood and long-time member of the American Association of Variable Star
Observers (AAVSO), Bob King also teaches community education astronomy and writes the blog Astro
Bob. The universe invites us on an adventure every single night. All we need do is look up. Check out my
forthcoming book "Night Sky with the Naked Eye" (on Amazon and BN) about all the great things you can
see at night without any special equipment.
View all posts by Bob King →
2 thoughts on “Plant Your Eyes In Delta Cephei’s Fertile Triangle”
http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/plant-your-eyes-in-delta-cepheis-fertile-triangle/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_campaign=sky-mya-nl-1610…
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Sky Calendar - October 2016
Get Sky Calendar on Twitter
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New Moon at 0:11 UT. Start of lunation 1160.
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First Quarter Moon at 4:33 UT.
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26 Venus 3.10 N of Antares (36 0 from Sun, evening sky)
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More sky events and links at http://Skymaps.com/skycalendar/
All times in Universal Time (UT). (USA Eastern Summer Time = UT - 4 hours.)
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INSTRUCTIONS: THE 51('{ to\
• TERMS Of USE: FREE FOR NON·COMMERCIAl EDUCATIONAL USE. ASTRONOMY EOUCATIONGROUPS
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27 Mercury at superior conjunction with the Sun at 16h UT.
The elusive planet passes into the evening sky.
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16 Full Moon at 4:23 UT. Perigee in 19.4 hours.
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About the Celestial Objects
Listed on this page are several of the brighter, more interesting celestial objects
visible in the evening sky this month (refer to the monthly sky map). The objects are
grouped into three categories. Those that can be easily seen with the naked eye (that
is, without optical aid), those easily seen with binoculars, and those requiring a
telescope to be appreciated. Note, all of the objects (except single stars) will
appear more impressive when viewed through a telescope or very large
binoculars. They are grouped in this way to highlight objects that can be seen using
the optical equipment that may be available to the star gazer.
Tips for Observing the Night Sky
When observing the night sky, and in particular deep-sky objects such as star clusters,
nebulae, and galaxies, it's always best to observe from a dark location. Avoid direct
light from street lights and other sources. If possible observe from a dark location
away from the light pollution that surrounds many of today's large cities.
You will see more stars after your eyes adapt to the darkness-usually about 10 to
20 minutes after you go outside. Also, if you need to use a torch to view the sky
map, cover the light bulb with red cellophane. This will preserve your dark vision.
Finally, even though the Moon is one of the most stunning objects to view
through a telescope, its light is so bright that it brightens the sky and makes many of
the fainter objects very difficult to see. So try to observe the evening sky on
moonless nights around either New Moon or Last Quarter.
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Easily Seen with Binoculars
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Astronomical Glossary
Conjunction - An alignment of two celestial bodies such that they present the least
angular separation as viewed from Earth.
Constellation - A defined area of the sky containing a star pattern.
Diffuse Nebula - A cloud of gas illuminated by nearby stars.
Double Star - Two stars that appear close to each other in the sky; either linked by
gravity so that they orbit each other (binary star) or lying at different distances from
Earth (optical double). Apparent separation of stars is given in seconds of arc (").
Ecliptic - The path of the Sun's center on the celestial sphere as seen from Earth.
Elongation - The angular separation of two celestial bodies. For Mercury and Venus
the greatest elongation occurs when they are at their most angular distance from the
Sun as viewed from Earth.
Galaxy - A mass of up to several billion stars held together by gravity.
GLobular Star Cluster - A ball-shaped group of several thousand old stars.
Light Year (ly) - The distance a beam of light travels at 300,000 kmjsec in one year.
Magnitude - The brightness of a celestial object as it appears in the sky.
Open Star Cluster - A group of tens or hundreds of relatively young stars.
Opposition - When a celestial body is opposite the Sun in the sky.
Planetary Nebula - The remnants of a shell of gas blown off by a star.
Universal Time (UT) - A time system used by astronomers. Also known as Greenwich
Mean Time. USA Eastern Standard Time (for example, New York) is 5 hours behind UT.
Variable Star - A star that changes brightness over a period of time.
Easily Seen with the Naked Eye
Altair
Capella
Arcturus
fJ Cephei
Deneb
a Herculis
Vega
Algol
Fomalhaut
Pleiades
Polaris
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M2
'Y\ Aquilae
J.t Cephei
X Cygni
M39
v Draconis
M13
M92
E Lyrae
R Lyrae
M12
Ml0
IC 4665
6633
M15
Double Cluster
MB
M25
M22
Mizar & Alcor
Cr 399
And
Aqr
Aql
Cep
Cyg
Cyg
Dra
Her
Her
Lyr
Lyr
Oph
Oph
Oph
Oph
Peg
Per
Sgr
Sgr
Sgr
UMa
Vul
Brightest star in Aquila. Name means "the flying eagle". Oist=16.7 ly.
o The 6th brightest star. Appears yellowish in color. Spectroscopic binary. Dist=42 ly.
o Orange, giant K star. Name means "bear watcher". Oist=36.7 ly.
• Cepheid prototype. Mag varies between 3.5 & 4.4 over 5.366 days. Mag 6 companion.
Brightest star in Cygnus. One of the greatest known supergiants. Dist=1,400±200 ly.
.. Semi-regular variable. Magnitude varies between 3.1 & 3.9 over 90 days. Mag 5.4 companion.
o The 5th brightest star in the sky. A blue-white star. Dist=25.0 ly.
Famous eclipsing binary star. Magnitude varies between 2.1 & 3.4 over 2.867 days.
Brightest star in Piscis Austrinus. In Arabic the "fish's mouth". Oist=25 ly.
The Seven Sisters. Spectacular cluster. Many more stars visible in binoculars. Dist=380 ly.
o The North Pole Star. A telescope reveals an unrelated mag 8 companion star. Dist=433 ly.
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The Andromeda Galaxy. Most distant object visible to naked eye. Dist=2.93 million ly.
Resembles a fuzzy star in binoculars.
Bright Cepheid variable. Mag varies between 3.6 & 4.5 over 7.166 days. Dist=1 ,200 ly.
Herschel's Garnet Star. One of the reddest stars. Mag 3.4 to 5.1 over 730 days .
Long period pulsating red giant. Magnitude varies between 3.3 & 14.2 over 407 days.
May be visible to the naked eye under good conditions. Dist=900 ly.
Wide pair of white stars. One of the finest binocular pairs in the sky. Dist=100 ly.
Best globular in northern skies. Discovered by Halley in 1714. Dist=23,000 ly.
Fainter and smaller than M13. Use a telescope to resolve its stars.
Famous Double Double. Binoculars show a double star. High power reveals each a double.
Semi-regular variable. Magnitude varies between 3.9 & 5.0 over 46.0 days.
Close to the brighter Ml0. Dist=18,000 ly.
3 degrees from the fainter M12. Both may be glimpsed in binoculars. Dis(;14,000 ly.
Large, scattered open cluster. Visible with binoculars.
Scattered open cluster. Visible with binoculars.
Only globular known to contain a planetary nebula (Mag 14, d=l "). Dist=30,000 ly.
Double Cluster in Perseus. NGC 869 & 884. Excellent in binoculars. Dist=7,300 ly.
Lagoon Nebula. Bright nebula bisected by a dark lane. Dist=5,200 ly.
Bright cluster located about 6 deg N of "teapot's" lid. Distel,900 ly.
A spectacular globular star cluster. Telescope will show stars. Dist=10,000 ly.
Good eyesight or binoculars reveals 2 stars. Not a binary. Mizar has a mag 4 companion .
Coathanger asterism or "Brocchi's Cluster". Not a true star cluster. Oist=218 to 1,140 ly.
Telescopic Objects
y Andromedae
7009
7293
y Arietis
M51
'Y\ Cassiopeiae
Albireo
61 Cygni
y Delphini
~ Lyrae
M57
M23
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Aql
Aur
Boo
Cep
Cyg
Her
Lyr
Per
PsA
Tau
UMi
Ml1
M16
M33
M81
M27
And
Aqr
Aqr
Ari
CVn
Cas
Cyg
Cyg
Del
Lyr
Lyr
Sgr
Sgr
Sgr
Sgr
Sct
Ser
Tri
UMa
Vul
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Attractive double star. Bright orange star with mag 5 blue companion. Sep=9.8".
Saturn Nebula. Requires 8-inch telescope to see Saturn-like appendages.
Helix Nebula. Spans nearly 1/4 deg. Requires dark sky. Dist=300 ly.
Impressive looking double blue-white star. Visible in a small telescope. Sep~7 .8".
Whirlpool Galaxy. First recognised to have spiral structure. Dist=25 million ly.
Yellow star mag 3.4 & orange star mag 7.5. Dist=19 ly. Orbit=480 years. Sep~12" .
Beautiful double star. Contrasting colours of orange and blue-green. Sep.34.4".
Attractive double star. Mags 5.2 & 6.1 orange dwarfs. Dist=11.4ly. Sep=28.4".
Appear yellow & white. Mags 4.3 & 5.2. Dist=100 ly. Struve 2725 double in same field.
Eclipsing binary. Mag varies between 3.3 & 4.3 over 12.940 days. Fainter mag 7.2 blue star.
Ring Nebula. Magnificent object. Smoke-ring shape. Dist=4,100 ly.
Elongated star cluster. Telescope required to show stars. Dist=2,100 ly.
Trifid Nebula. Atelescope shows 3 dust lanes trisecting nebula. Oist=5,200 ly.
A fine and impressive cluster. Oist=4,200 ly.
Omega Nebula. Contains the star cluster NGC 6618. Dist=4,900 ly.
Wild Duck Cluster. Resembles a globular through binoculars. V-shaped. Dist=5,600 ly.
Eagle Nebula. Requires a telescope of large aperture. Dist=8, 150 ly.
Fine face-on spiral galaxy. Requires a large aperture telescope. Oist=2.3 million ly.
Beautiful spiral galaxy visible with binoculars. Easy to see in a telescope.
Dumbbell Nebula. Large, twin-lobed shape. Most spectacular planetary. Oist-975 ly.
The Evening Sky Map (ISSN 1839-7735) Copyright C> 2000-2016 Kym fhalass oudis. All Rights ReselVed.