24 march 2025

A clear night, finally, with predicted above average transparency and above-average seeing.  I opened the 20-inch full of hope to chase after movement pairs.  I did so, trying for Rigel, Sigma Orionis, and Procyon during the early evening.  I have elongation of Rigel, no success on Sigma or Procyon.  It eludes me by I can't see Procyon.  I did get a couple very tight movement pairs early in the night, but both transparency and seeing gradually became worse, I had pointing accuracy problems, and even stiction.  I sprayed the alt and az with lubricant, but it was so free now the scope nearly crashed as the OTA tipped forward, making the mirror pop from its cell with a worrying clang.  No damage done, luckily.  I felt good to be outside, but I would have wished for more success observing.  I alternated between 20-inch with apodising screen and the 7-inch off-axis mask.

I will confirm: refractors give much better star images and contrast than even the best reflectors (and my mirror is near perfect).  I could tell the difference all night long.

A  2123 AB: 508; 1016x: Some atmospheric dispersion causing red and blue haze at either end, but I clearly see two distinct photocenters hairline split inside of the haze, not quite N-S PA.  SOC grade 3 orbit, 80.94-year period, currently 0.337" and narrowing to the east by 2050, and likely undetectable.  

07h 17m 06.96s -12° 02' 01.6" P.A. 3.00 sep 0.337" mag 8.61,6.96 Sp F5V dist. 46.3 pc (151.03 l.y.)

BU  599 AB: 178; 280x: 65 Leo.  Very faint B glimpsed well outside of A's diffraction pattern, with seeing, best with 200-280x.  26% PRO, 164 AU WS, 2.2+0.8 Msol, and a positive PMV.  It is possibly binary, and an orbit can be tried.

11h 06m 54.20s +01° 57' 19.9" P.A. 107.00 sep 2.8 mag 5.65,9.72 Sp G9IIICN dist. 63.21 pc (206.19 l.y.)

HUT 1 Ca-Cb: 508; 1270x: Component of Zeta CnC.  Very difficult, very weak lopsidedness to the NW.  SOC grade 4 orbit, 17.3-year period.  The orbit is nearly circular and will turn to due south by 2031. 

08h 12m 13.27s +17° 38' 51.6" P.A. 344.00 sep 0.3 mag 6.20,7.10 Sp M1 dist. 25.08 pc (81.81 l.y.)

S   617 AB: 178; 140x: Light cream-yellow A and wide, 2 Dm blue B.  No parallax from the primary.

10h 53m 24.96s -02° 15' 18.8" P.A. 178.00 sep 35.2 mag 6.22,8.71 Sp G9IV dist. 79.3 pc (258.68 l.y.)

STF1500 AB: 178; 280x: Close white unequal pair.  12% PRO, 81 AU WS, 1.2+1.1 Msol, low positive PMV.  It might be binary.  SOC grade 4 orbit, 680-year period.

11h 00m 02.02s -03° 28' 16.5" P.A. 299.00 sep 1.3 mag 7.91,8.27 Sp F8V dist. 53.59 pc (174.81 l.y.)

STF1504 AB: 178; 200x: Close white equal pair, very nice.  42% PRO, 234 AU WS, 2.1+2.1 Msol, but a negative PMV.  An orbit could be tried but chances are low it's binary.

11h 03m 58.93s +03° 38' 19.3" P.A. 126.00 sep 1.2 mag 7.92,8.05 Sp F0 dist. 221.73 pc (723.28 l.y.)

STF1506 A-BC: 178; 140x: HH Leo. White A and wide, 3 Dm B. No Gaia data.

11h 04m 41.47s -04° 13' 15.9" P.A. 221.00 sep 11.8 mag 7.68,10.15 Sp G5 dist. 26.27 pc (85.69 l.y.)

8 march 2025

A short night with the 6-inch.  Better than average seeing, but with poor transparency.  I ran into some difficulties with the setting circles (low battery), so I only observed a couple double stars before just pointing the scope at the moon.  

STF1348 AB: 152; 180x: Lovely near equal pair, well split, best seen medium power.  28% PRO, 122 AU WS, 1.4+1.4 Msol, and a positive PMV.  It is probably binary, SOC grade 4 orbit 4734-year period, on the long side if confirmed as a binary.
09h 24m 28.48s +06° 21' 01.8" P.A. 314.00 sep 2.0 mag 7.45,7.57 Sp F7V dist. 71.17 pc (232.16 l.y.)

STF1356 AB: 152; 250x: Ome Leo.  Unequal stars, hairline split, B appears blue.  No Gaia data.  SOC grade 2 orbit, 118-year period, it is nearing apastron and won't make much change the next 20 years.
09h 28m 27.41s +09° 03' 24.4" P.A. 116.00 sep 0.9 mag 5.69,7.28 Sp F9IV dist. 33.17 pc (108.2 l.y.)

STF1536 AB: 152; 180x: Nice close split, light yellow stars, 2 Dm.  No Gaia parallax data.  SOC grade 2 orbit, 184-year period, it will widen slightly and turn from due east to ENE by 2040.

11h 23m 55.37s +10° 31' 46.9" P.A. 92.00 sep 2.3 mag 4.06,6.71 Sp F4IV dist. 23.67 pc (77.21 l.y.)

25 february 2025

A clear night, with some haze but only average seeing.  I used the 20-inch, but masked down to 7-inches for most of the night.  I hadn't used the scope for quite some time.

Despite the indifferent seeing, I tried Procyon when it transited -- and I think I saw SHB 1 AB!  I was at 7-inches, 285x with a neodymium filter, and using the central peephole in the eyepiece cap.  Nothing with the star at the center of the very narrow field, but when I placed it with A along the southern edge of the peephole, much of the diffraction was absorbed and there was a steady star, about the right separation and about the right magnitude, about exactly north PA: all of which confirms B.  To check for aberrations I placed A along the north and east and south edge of the peephole, and did not see any such brightening or star.  I moved A back to the west edge, and repeated the observation.  Now, given my history with this star, I would like to repeat the observation on another night.  And, it would be nice to see the star cleanly, without employing tricks like peepholes or occulting bars.  But, I'm excited by this and feel better about this observation than those in the past. 

A 524 AB: 178; 170x: Difficult, with seeing, light orange A, very significant delta magnitude.
07h 14m 10.85s -03° 54' 06.4" P.A. 153.00 sep 2.8 mag 6.14,10.17 Sp M1III dist. 396.83 pc (1294.46 l.y.)

ALC 3 AE:  80; 13x: Finder find, 3 Dm pair due north.  This is supposed to be "physical," and while their radial velosity is similar, the direction of motion is slightly divergent.  Also, they have -8% PRO, 13,567 AU WS, and the RVD 2.9 > EV 0.6, it is not binary.
07h 29m 06.72s +31° 47' 04.3" P.A. 355.00 sep 755.4 mag 4.16,7.82 Sp F0V dist. 18.05 pc (58.88 l.y.)

BGH 3 AB: 178; 125x: Super wide, 2 Dm.  10% PRO, 816 AU WS, 0.7+0.5 Msol, and RVD 1.1 < EV 1.7, it is possibly binary, and an orbit could be tried.
07h 39m 59.33s -03° 35' 51.0" P.A. 113.00 sep 57.9 mag 7.30,9.01 Sp K1V+K7V dist. 14.21 pc (46.35 l.y.)

BU 24 AB: 178; 280x: Excellent pair, very finely split with seeing. 6% PRO, 468 AU WS, 2.7+3.2 Msol, it is possibly binary and needs an orbit.
08h 54m 14.82s -08° 45' 39.9" P.A. 174.00 sep 1.2 mag 7.99,8.59 Sp F0+A2 dist. 259.07 pc (845.09 l.y.)

BU 102 AB: 178; 200x: Excellent pair, very faint B can just detected direct vision and with low power, the view improves with higher powers.  30% PRO, 555 AU WS, 2.3+1.2 Msol, and RVD 2.1 < EV 3.3.  It is likely binary and needs an orbit.

08h 16m 47.63s -09° 00' 51.5" P.A. 117.00 sep 3.2 mag 7.11,10.28 Sp A0V dist. 144.09 pc (470.02 l.y.)

BU 103 AB: 178; 200x: Well split with medium power, very unequal, >1 Dm.  -53% PRO, it is not binary.

08h 54m 54.66s -07° 49' 06.5" P.A. 72.00 sep 3.0 mag 7.69,9.78 Sp A5 dist. 2173.91 pc (7091.29 l.y.)

BU 197 AB: 178; 200x: 2 Dm, well split.  44% PRO, 1,784 AU WS, 4.8+3.2 Msol, but low PMV.  It is possible to be binary, an orbit could be tried.
07h 12m 49.38s -07° 08' 57.8" P.A. 148.00 sep 2.2 mag 7.82,9.34 Sp F2 dist. 699.3 pc (2281.12 l.y.)

BU 335 AB: 178; 280x: B is quite faint, 2 Dm, closely split with lower powers but best seen with high.  Surprising -25% PRO, it is not binary.
08h 48m 12.24s +02° 34' 48.4" P.A. 265.00 sep 2.6 mag 7.46,9.41 Sp F5 dist. 153.37 pc (500.29 l.y.)

BU 407 AB: 178; 140x: Faint B seen directly, well separated.  -87% PRO, it is not binary.
08h 51m 44.98s -06° 47' 03.5" P.A. 167.00 sep 5.8 mag 7.82,10.31 Sp A0 dist. 229.89 pc (749.9 l.y.)

ENG 28 AB: 80; 13x: Super wide, near equal.  0% PRO with low error, 8,190 AU WS (a bit far), 1.1+1.2 Msol, and RVD 0.1 < EV 0.7, low proper motion vector.  It is possible it is binary, through the parallax is problematic.
07h 08m 00.24s +15° 31' 42.9" P.A. 99.00 sep 171.9 mag 7.86,7.74 Sp G0V dist. 46.75 pc (152.5 l.y.)

ENG 37 AB: 178; 140x: A collection of bright white stars in the Beehive Cluster.   Unfortunately, none of them are binary.

AB: 5% PRO, 27,774 AU WS, 3.2+2.9 Msol, RVD 1.3 > EV 0.6, not binary

AC: 45% PRO, 24,672 AU WS, 3.2+1.6 Msol, RVD 3.4 > EV 0.6, not binary    

CD: 99% PRO, 18,569 AU WS, 2.9+1.7 Msol, RVD 1.8 > EV 0.7, not binary

BD: 15% PRO, 51,485 AU WS, 2.9+1.6 Msol, RVD 2.1 > EV 0.4, not binary

A 1719 CD: 508; 280x: With seeing and apodising mask, white, very closely split near equal star.  Component of ES 576.  -58% PRO, even with 3.8% error, it is not binary.
05h 24m 19.62s +42° 36' 13.7" P.A. 90.00 sep 0.9 mag 8.89,9.78 Sp A0

HJ 2424 AB: 178; 140x: Super wide, 2 Dm.  28% PRO, 8,798 AU WS, 3.0+1.0 Msol, it is possibly binary and needs an orbit.
08h 06m 02.54s +59° 14' 55.5" P.A. 150.00 sep 42.1 mag 6.70,10.81 Sp A0 dist. 233.1 pc (760.37 l.y.)

HO 524 AB: 178; 140x: Well separated, very faint B, 3 Dm.  43% PRO, 1,000 AU WS, 2.7+1.1 Msol, but a negative PMV.  An orbit could be tried, but might not be binary.

08h 15m 58.45s +18° 41' 38.2" P.A. 346.00 sep 4.4 mag 7.70,10.51 Sp K0 dist. 184.5 pc (601.84 l.y.)

LEP 30: 178; 140x: Wide, 1 Dm.  -7% PRO, 1,265 AU WS, 1.1+0.7 Msol, RVD 1.5 < EV 1.6 and ok PMV.  It has a small chance of being binary, an orbit could be tried.
08h 15m 33.20s +11° 25' 51.5" P.A. 238.00 sep 31.8 mag 7.71,9.75 Sp G5 dist. 38.57 pc (125.82 l.y.)

S 570 AB: 178; 140x: Super wide 2 Dm. -48% PRO, it is not binary.
08h 39m 06.10s +19° 40' 36.5" P.A. 84.00 sep 57.3 mag 7.47,9.64 Sp A8V

STF 644 AB: 178; 280x: Light orange stars, closely split, unequal.  13% PRO, 1,476 AU WS, 7.3+6.4 Msol, there is some possibility it is binary, an orbit can be tried.
05h 10m 18.81s +37° 18' 06.7" P.A. 221.00 sep 1.6 mag 6.96,6.78 Sp B2II+K3 dist. 485.44 pc (1583.51 l.y.)

STF1016 AB: 178; 140x: 2 Dm, white, wide.  No Gaia data for B.
07h 04m 38.29s -11° 31' 26.4" P.A. 150.00 sep 5.4 mag 7.36,9.53 Sp B0V dist. 1098.9 pc (3584.61 l.y.)

STF1177 AB: 178; 140x: Easy white unequal pair, well split.  25% PRO, 888 AU WS, 3.3+2.8 Msol, it is possibly binary and an orbit can be tried.

08h 05m 37.06s +27° 31' 46.9" P.A. 350.00 sep 3.5 mag 6.69,7.41 Sp B9V dist. 294.12 pc (959.42 l.y.)

STF1187 AB: 178; 140x: Attractive pair, unequal white stars closely split.  -98% PRO, it is not binary, in spite of the SOC grade 5 orbit.
08h 09m 30.45s +32° 13' 18.8" P.A. 21.00 sep 3.1 mag 7.19,7.98 Sp F2 dist. 64.68 pc (210.99 l.y.)

STF1189 AB: 178; 140x: 3 Dm, well split.  10% PRO, 4,625 AU WS, 3.7+2.0 Msol, it might be binary, an orbit can be tried.
08h 07m 56.30s -01° 20' 58.1" P.A. 334.00 sep 8.9 mag 7.82,10.08 Sp A1V dist. 1470.59 pc (4797.06 l.y.)

STF1202 AB: 178; 180x: White stars, 2 Dm, fairly closely split.  -66% PRO, it is not binary.
08h 13m 34.20s +10° 50' 49.7" P.A. 305.00 sep 2.7 mag 7.37,9.61 Sp F7V dist. 77.28 pc (252.09 l.y.)

STF1224 AB: 178; 140x: Easy white, wide, slightly unequal stars.  Seeing too poor to try for A1746 BC.  No Gaia data for B.  It is not likely to be binary given the wide separation.
08h 26m 39.82s +24° 32' 03.7" P.A. 53.00 sep 5.7 mag 6.92,7.53 Sp F0V+F7V dist. 79.74 pc (260.11 l.y.)

STF1245 AB: 178; 140x: Unequal, wide, light yellow.  -30% PRO, it is not binary, in spite of SOC grade 5 orbit.
08h 35m 51.05s +06° 37' 13.9" P.A. 25.00 sep 10.1 mag 5.98,7.16 Sp F8V+G5V dist. 25.13 pc (81.97 l.y.)

STF1254 : 178; 140x: White stars in the Beehive Cluster, none are binary.

AB: 08h 40m 22.11s +19° 40' 11.9" P.A. 55.00 sep 20.8 mag 6.44,10.37 Sp K0III dist. 218.34 pc (712.23 l.y.).  72% PRO, 3,801 AU WS, 3.2+1.2 Msol, but RVD 4.3 > EV 1.4, it is not binary.

AC: 08h 40m 22.11s +19° 40' 11.9" P.A. 343.00 sep 62.5 mag 6.52,7.61 Sp G9III dist. 218.34 pc (712.23 l.y.)  85% PRO, 11,705 AU WS, 3.2+2.2 Msol, but RVD 2.2 > EV 0.9, it is not binary.

AD: 08h 40m 22.11s +19° 40' 11.9" P.A. 44.00 sep 83.5 mag 6.52,9.20 Sp G9III dist. 218.34 pc (712.23 l.y.) 72% PRO, 15,255 AU WS, 3.2+1.5 Msol, but RVD 3.5 > EV 0.7, it is not binary.

STF1255 AB: 178; 140x: Wide, 1 Dm.  -20% PRO, it is not binary.
08h 39m 43.80s +05° 45' 51.4" P.A. 30.00 sep 26.1 mag 7.33,8.56 Sp G1V dist. 36.31 pc (118.44 l.y.)

STF1260 AB: 178; 140x: Well split, 1 Dm.  80% PRO, 729 AU WS, 1.9+1.7 Msol, and RVD 0.2 < EV 3.0, with a positive PMV.  It is very likely binary and needs an orbit.
08h 40m 41.40s -12° 10' 08.6" P.A. 301.00 sep 5.3 mag 7.86,8.07 Sp A2 dist. 139.28 pc (454.33 l.y.)

STF1261 AB: 178; 140x: Wide, 2 Dm.  -18% PRO, it is not binary.
08h 40m 43.77s -11° 55' 37.9" P.A. 303.00 sep 29.5 mag 7.71,9.60 Sp G5 dist. 77.7 pc (253.46 l.y.)

STF1268 AB: 178; 140x: Iota Cnc.  Beautiful pair, wide light orange and blue stars, 2 Dm.  NOT binary!  11% PRO, 3,199 AU WS, 4.2+2.2 Msol, but RVD 3.6 > EV 1.9.
08h 46m 41.82s +28° 45' 35.6" P.A. 308.00 sep 30.6 mag 4.13,5.99 Sp G8III+A2V dist. 85.54 pc (279.03 l.y.)

STF1270 AB: 178; 140x: White stars, half delta magnitude, wide.  71% PRO, 377 AU WS, 1.8+1.5 Msol, and RVD 0.8 < EV 4.0, positive PMV.  It is likely binary and needs an orbit.
08h 45m 20.79s -02° 36' 03.7" P.A. 265.00 sep 4.7 mag 6.89,7.54 Sp F2IV dist. 61.77 pc (201.49 l.y.)

STF1276 AB: 178; 140x: Near equal, wide. 29% PRO, 2,874 AU WS, 2.1+2.0 Msol, it is possibly binary, and orbit can be tried.
08h 47m 10.99s +11° 09' 34.2" P.A. 353.00 sep 12.7 mag 8.32,8.56 Sp A0 dist. 245.1 pc (799.52 l.y.)

STF1283 AB: 178; 140x: 2 Dm, wide.  81% PRO, 3,223 AU WS, 2.4+1.9 Msol, it is possibly binary and needs an orbit.
08h 49m 55.86s +14° 50' 00.2" P.A. 123.00 sep 16.5 mag 7.66,8.45 Sp F0 dist. 444.44 pc (1449.76 l.y.)

STF1290 AB: 178; 140x: Nice looking close split at low power, 1 Dm.  -18% PRO, it is not binary.
08h 52m 03.40s +04° 27' 58.0" P.A. 325.00 sep 2.8 mag 7.40,9.24 Sp A2 dist. 202.84 pc (661.66 l.y.)

STT 103 AB: 178; 140x: Very faint B, well split from bright A, 3 Dm. -43% PRO, it is not binary.
05h 18m 10.56s +33° 22' 17.8" P.A. 55.00 sep 4.1 mag 4.80,10.60 Sp K3.5III dist. 71.23 pc (232.35 l.y.)

STT 118 AB: 508; 280x: When viewed through the peephole in the eyepiece cap, I see an unequal snowman with an obvious notch, but it won't split.  No Gaia data.  SOC grade 4 orbit, 231.5-year nearly edge on, it is widening slowly, but not enough to show much change in the next 20 years.
05h 48m 22.36s +20° 52' 10.3" P.A. 320.00 sep 0.217 mag 6.32,7.57 Sp B9Vn dist. 167.5 pc (546.38 l.y.)

STT 176 AB: 178; 280x: Excellent pair, quite closely split, white and dull white, >1 Dm. -53% PRO, it is not binary.
07h 38m 30.46s +00° 30' 18.1" P.A. 220.00 sep 1.5 mag 7.21,9.24 Sp B9 dist. 485.44 pc (1583.51 l.y.)

STT 179 AB: 178; 140x: Kap Gem.  Well split, light-yellow A, very much fainter B.  33% PRO, 330 AU WS, 3.0+0.8 Msol, it is possibly binary and an orbit should be tried.
07h 44m 26.87s +24° 23' 53.3" P.A. 243.00 sep 7.0 mag 3.66,10.00 Sp G8IIIa dist. 43.35 pc (141.41 l.y.)

STT 186 AB: 178; 280x: Nice looking unequal pair, white stars, closely split.  49% PRO, 238 AU WS, 2.4+2.6 Msol, positive PMV, it is probably binary and needs an orbit.
08h 03m 18.52s +26° 16' 03.5" P.A. 75.00 sep 1.1 mag 7.71,7.93 Sp A4V dist. 188.32 pc (614.3 l.y.)

STT 191 AB: 178; 140x: Very wide, 1 Dm.  97% PRO, 12,597 AU WS, 3.4+2.4, and RVD 2.2 > EV 0.9, it is not binary.
08h 24m 49.18s +20° 09' 10.8" P.A. 192.00 sep 36.9 mag 7.41,8.62 Sp A5 dist. 259.74 pc (847.27 l.y.)

STT 195 AB: 178; 140x: Slightly unequal wide pair.  77% PRO, 882 AU WS, 1.6+1.4 Msol, and RVD 0.6 < EV 2.5, it is probably binary and needs an orbit.
08h 53m 57.80s +08° 25' 17.7" P.A. 138.00 sep 9.8 mag 7.73,8.33 Sp F8 dist. 1315.79 pc (4292.11 l.y.)

STTA 88 AB: 178; 140x: Super wide, 1 Dm.  21% PRO, 4,513 AU WS, 1.6+1.2 Msol, RVD 1.1 nearly equal to EV 1.0, and a positive PMV.  It's possibly binary, an orbit should be tried.
07h 48m 58.22s +00° 39' 42.9" P.A. 6.00 sep 57.1 mag 7.48,8.90 Sp F2 dist. 69.83 pc (227.79 l.y.)

STTA 89 AB: 178; 140x: Super wide, 1 Dm.  81% PRO, 12,124 AU WS, 2.5+2.1 Msol, and RVD 0.9 nearly equal to EV 0.8, with a positive PMV.  It's possible to be binary, an orbit should be tried.
07h 51m 00.20s +31° 36' 48.7" P.A. 84.00 sep 76.6 mag 6.83,7.69 Sp A6III dist. 202.43 pc (660.33 l.y.)

STTA 94 AB: 178; 140x: 2 Dm, super wide. -25% PRO, it is not binary.
08h 36m 10.95s +13° 46' 39.2" P.A. 133.00 sep 43.2 mag 7.39,8.11 Sp A0 dist. 296.74 pc (967.97 l.y.)

WRH 27 AB: 178; 140x: 3 Dm, wide.  0% PRO, and RVD 4.6 > EV 0.9, it is not binary.

08h 09m 42.35s +25° 33' 32.6" P.A. 98.00 sep 28.9 mag 7.61,10.69 Sp K5III dist. 653.59 pc (2132.01 l.y.)