Brett's Carbon Star Hunt - April/May 2022

[KingNothing13]

Hi all - returning for a 2 month hunt this time around as mentioned previously. I've included 4 targets, one is a repeat from March 2021 - it is a great target though, so if you go looking for it, the effort will be worth it.

Enjoy! All text taken from SkySafari.

HD 113801: +8.50

HD 113801 is a 8th magnitude Star appearing in the constellation Virgo. It is 2118 light years from our solar system. It is a orange giant of spectral type K0IIICNIab. Its surface temperature is 4660 Kelvins - 19% cooler than the Sun's - and it is 22.3 times the Sun's diameter in size. This star's total energy output, or luminosity, is 211 times the Sun's, and it has a mass of 1.1 Solar masses.


HD 156074: +7.59

HD 156074 is a 7th magnitude Star appearing in the constellation Hercules. It is 1069 light years from our solar system. It is a orange giant of spectral type C-R2IIIa: C2 3 CH3.5. Its energy output is 84 times the Sun's luminosity.


U Lyr: +8.3 to +13

U Lyrae is a 9th magnitude Variable Double Star appearing in the constellation Lyra. It is a red star of spectral type C.

This star is part of a double or multiple star system, but its orbit is not known. Its magitude +13.0 secondary component appears 10.5 arcseconds away from the primary.

U Lyrae is a pulsating Mira-type variable star of type M. Its magnitude varies from +8.3 to +13.5, over a period of 451.7 days.


Y Cnv: +4.86 to +7.32 (Repeat from March 2021)

Y Canum Venaticorum, called "La Superba" by the 19th-century Italian astronomer Father Angelo Secchi, is one of the deeply red-toned "carbon stars." Y CVn is a semi-regular (SRb) variable star; its magnitude range is from 4.8 to 6.4, over a period that averages roughly 157 days. Other periods, including one of 2000 days, are suspected. "Y" is one of the reddest stars in the sky, and is classified variously as a C7 supergiant, or as a CN5 supergiant. Its beautiful poppy-red tone is easy to see in 50 mm binoculars.

[helicon]

A member recently won the VROD by referencing their observations of La Superba, that's one I have yet to see. Hopefully we'll get some clear weather over the next few weeks. Good list of targets Brett.

[helicon]

Now that we are hopefully back in the saddle again in terms of weather I hope to make some progress with carbon stars this spring!

[helicon]

OK, new moon tonight and it is supposed to be clear....hopefully will have a few carbon stars observed, let's keep it going...

[helicon]

Just set up the Twilight II. Should be ready to go from the second story balcony. (Bortle 5ish)

[helicon]

Brief night precluded anything last week other that Gamma Virginis, a white-white double star. With tonight's moon will (given clear skies) focus on a couple of possibilities. In particular the carbon star in Canes Venatici...