posted first doubles list for 2021

Prepared my double star "bulletin," the first official one 2021. It is a short list of suggested targets. I shared this on the RASC Toronto Centre forum. I post here for all.

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Happy New Orbit!

The Moon’s bright again. Don’t despair; do doubles.

Here’s a short selection of double and multi-star systems from my life list for your observing campaign. I found them interesting.

• θ1 (theta) Ori aka Trapezium or Σ748 (Struve), SAO 132314, HIP 26220: Can’t believe I never shared this, a seasonal fav. If you use high mag in good seeing, try to dig out 2 more stars.
• BU 536 (Burnham) or HD 23479, SAO 76169, PPM 92858: Right in the middle of the pot or dipper of the Pleiades. The B star is a 1500 year binary but way too tight for regular telescope; the C and D partners are doable.
• 17 CMa or H 5 65 (Herschel class V), SAO 172569, HIP 33248: A quad.
• ψ 5 (psi) Aur or 56 Aur, SHJ 75, SAO 41330, HIP 32480: A pair.
• σ2 - σ1 (sigma) Tau aka 92 and 91, STFA 11, SAO 94054, HIP 21683: Your naked eye challenge target, tighter than Mizar and Alcor, if you can’t split 'em, just do a little step up with binoculars.

Have a go. See if you can split them and detect colour. I hope you’ll share your discoveries.

Be seeing you.
Blake Nancarrow
astronomy at computer-ease dot com