Gamma Ceti

 
Steve Bodin 
Star:  Gamma Ceti
Date & Time: 4 Nov 2003 10:30pm to midnight
Seeing: 5-6 -> 3-4  <1-10 Seeing Scale (10 best)>. 
Transparency: fair
Location of site: Silverdale WA, USA
47N 123W
Site classification: suburb-rural
Conditions: temp 28-30F, dry
Sky darkness: 4.0 due  moon <Limiting magnitude> 
Telescope: Celestron C8
Eyepieces: DX-8263SL video camera at 3x
Magnification: app. 1000x		 One of the most popular difficult doubles in the sky. On most lists of tough splits and usually listed as a test for good seeing and optics. I took 4 separate image sequences and by combining the best frames of all found that the secondary was in its appointed position. Not a very good image, but measureable. Primary looks like a warm white color and the secondary blue. Measurement; 2.65 sec at 298.2 deg PA.

 

 
Morgan Spangle 
Star:  Gamma Ceti
Date & Time: 10 November 2003
Seeing: 8 <1-10 Seeing Scale (10 best)>. 
Transparency: 4-6 <1-10 Scale (10 best)>
Location of site: Larchmont, NY
40.55.26N,  73. 44.43W
Site classification: Suburban
Conditions: 
Sky darkness:  <Limiting magnitude> 
Telescope: Borg 76ED (500mmfl)
Eyepieces: Tak 25, 18, 7, 2.8 orthos,
mounted in Hutech turret
Magnification: 179X		 This one IS at the limit under these conditions. Just made out the secondary on the edge of the airy disk of the primary, in the 2.8mm at 179X - had to turn off the drive to, so that I could confirm the P.A. of 298, Under better conditions, this would still be tough.

 
Eddy O'connor 
Star: Gamma Ceti
Date & Time: November, 19th  2003
10.30-12 mid-night local; UT +10
Seeing: 7 <1-10 Seeing Scale (10 best)>. 
Transparency: 8 <1-10 Scale (10 best)>
Location of site: Terara, New South Wales
Australia, Long.150.38 ; Lat  -34.52. 
Site classification: suburb-rural
Conditions: Temp 16° No Moon
Sky darkness: <Limiting magnitude> 
Telescope: 8" F9 Newtonian. Eyepieces
Eyepieces: 16mm and 12mm Ortho
Magnification: 
Harshaw Scale: 2 <1-5, 1 best>		 Mag. 3.4/6.5; Sep. 2.5". This doublew is just split tonight at high power as conditions 
deteriorate. Fainter stars lie East and West in the field making with this double a neat line of stars. 
 
 

 
 
 
William L. Schart
Star: Gamma Ceti
Date & Time: Saturday December 20, 2003
Seeing: 7 <1-10 Seeing Scale (10 best)>. 
Transparency: --- <1-10 Scale (10 best)>
Location of site: Texas, USA
Site classification: suburban
Conditions: ~50°F, or 10-12°C, mostly calm, occasional gust of wind. 
Sky darkness:  4 <Limiting magnitude> 
Telescope: C8
Eyepieces: 25mm, 17mm, 10mm, 6.5x 
Magnification: 80x, 120x, 200x, 300x 		 I had a bit more success with this one, even though it has a higher DI. At high power, I was able to detect a slightly separate dot at about the approximate PA.
 
 
 
 
 
 

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