Double star trivia
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jimcoble2000
Kent and I spend an inordinate amount of time examining double stars and we tend to do this routinely without much thought but every now and then it is worth a moment to consider just what you are doing and how amazing it is. We know that with 5 or more inches of aperture and decent optics, splitting a 1 arc second separation in a binary star is difficult but not anywhere near the limit. Magnitude differences aside it is not uncommon, but think............... When you are distinguishing that separation you are seeing a 2/10,000 th of a degree in difference between the two stars in the sky. Still routine?  |
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I calculate 1 / 3,600 of a degree. Still quite small! Jeff G
From: BackBayAstro@groups.io <BackBayAstro@groups.io> On Behalf Of jimcoble2000 via groups.io
Sent: Monday, March 13, 2023 4:31 PM To: Kent Blackwell <kentblackwell@...>; Roy Diffrient <mail@...>; David Wright <kd3wright@...>; Ian Stewart <swampcolliecoffee@...>; BBAA-Group <backbayastro@groups.io>; kurt.melow@... Subject: [BackBayAstro] Double star trivia
Kent and I spend an inordinate amount of time examining double stars and we tend to do this routinely without much thought but every now and then it is worth a moment to consider just what you are doing and how amazing it is.
We know that with 5 or more inches of aperture and decent optics, splitting a 1 arc second separation in a binary star is difficult but not anywhere near the limit. Magnitude differences aside it is not uncommon, but think...............
When you are distinguishing that separation you are seeing a 2/10,000 th of a degree in difference between the two stars in the sky.
Still routine?
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jimcoble2000
You are right. Did not change the e mail the second time I figured it out.
On Monday, March 13, 2023 at 05:04:49 PM EDT, Jeff Goldstein <jeffgold1@...> wrote:
I calculate 1 / 3,600 of a degree. Still quite small! Jeff G
From: BackBayAstro@groups.io <BackBayAstro@groups.io> On Behalf Of jimcoble2000 via groups.io
Sent: Monday, March 13, 2023 4:31 PM To: Kent Blackwell <kentblackwell@...>; Roy Diffrient <mail@...>; David Wright <kd3wright@...>; Ian Stewart <swampcolliecoffee@...>; BBAA-Group <backbayastro@groups.io>; kurt.melow@... Subject: [BackBayAstro] Double star trivia
Kent and I spend an inordinate amount of time examining double stars and we tend to do this routinely without much thought but every now and then it is worth a moment to consider just what you are doing and how amazing it is.
We know that with 5 or more inches of aperture and decent optics, splitting a 1 arc second separation in a binary star is difficult but not anywhere near the limit. Magnitude differences aside it is not uncommon, but think...............
When you are distinguishing that separation you are seeing a 2/10,000 th of a degree in difference between the two stars in the sky.
Still routine?
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jimcoble2000
duh. I am losing it. I re figured prior to posting and then posted the wrong figure anyways. Thanks Jeff, glad I am not getting paid now for this.
On Monday, March 13, 2023 at 05:04:49 PM EDT, Jeff Goldstein <jeffgold1@...> wrote:
I calculate 1 / 3,600 of a degree. Still quite small! Jeff G
From: BackBayAstro@groups.io <BackBayAstro@groups.io> On Behalf Of jimcoble2000 via groups.io
Sent: Monday, March 13, 2023 4:31 PM To: Kent Blackwell <kentblackwell@...>; Roy Diffrient <mail@...>; David Wright <kd3wright@...>; Ian Stewart <swampcolliecoffee@...>; BBAA-Group <backbayastro@groups.io>; kurt.melow@... Subject: [BackBayAstro] Double star trivia
Kent and I spend an inordinate amount of time examining double stars and we tend to do this routinely without much thought but every now and then it is worth a moment to consider just what you are doing and how amazing it is.
We know that with 5 or more inches of aperture and decent optics, splitting a 1 arc second separation in a binary star is difficult but not anywhere near the limit. Magnitude differences aside it is not uncommon, but think...............
When you are distinguishing that separation you are seeing a 2/10,000 th of a degree in difference between the two stars in the sky.
Still routine?
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