I decided I would take on a fun challenge: Sirius B, the Pup. It's not at its most favorable position until 2025, but 2023 or 2025 doesn't make much difference to the Pup. An extra half a second of arc or so.
This year I wasn't the first, but I wouldn't be living up to my name if I didn't make at least one observation this season.
Tonight the seeing was good enough. First things first of course, so I took out my binoculars on the conjunction of Jupiter and Venus...a beautiful sight...
Then the telescope. First a quick look at the Moon, then M42, Sigma Orionis and M47. The 102mm
Old sketch, but still an ever so nice sight in a telescope.
Why take a richfield telescope on a date with double stars? Doesn't really go anywhere, were it not for the fact that it is my newest telescope. And you want to test it out a bit...
Alnitak:
Image generated in Aberrator
For separating Alnitak A and B I needed a magnification way beyond the normal use in a richfield telescope. At 250X the
Following the "low magnification-on-the-pup-school" I first put 125X into the telescope. ( low magnification minimizes seeing-spickles) There I suspected it already. Then to 45X and when the mini dot I had in my sights stayed in place continuously for more than half a minute, I knew for sure. There it is again!
Again a somewhat older sketch. Rigel and Sirius compared. Sirius B is the little square dot at 8 o'clock.
Thanks for reading!