h5003 

Richard Harshaw
Star: h5003 
Location of site: Northern Kansas City, Missouri (USA) 
94d 30m west longitude, 39d 15m north latitude 
980 ft above Mean Sea Level 
Date of observations (UT): UT: 02:15 of Sept. 16, 2000 
Site classification: suburban 
Sky conditions: 
seeing-- 4/10 up to 8/10, in short spans of time 
transparency-- 8 out of 10 
limiting visual magnitude-- 5.0 mag 
Telescope: Celestron C-8 
Eyepiece: 10mm  (207x) 
 
 		 Position:  1759-3015 
Magnitudes:  5.0, 7.0 
Sep/PA's:  5 = / 106 + 
Year of last measurement:  1952 
Distance (light years):  930 
Luminosity (in suns):  800 
Eyepiece and magnification:  10mm  (207x). 
Colors noted:  rO and B.  Some report both as R. 
A line of five or six 9m stars trails away to the SW from this pair. 
Star A is a spectroscopic binary and an infra-red source. 
First measure 4.8" @ 105. 
Rating:  3 
 
 
 
Eddy O'Connor
Star: h5003 
Date & Time: 8 -10 p.m local; UT +11. Monday, September 18th 2000 
Seeing: 5-6 <1-10 Seeing Scale (10 best)> 
Transparency: 9. No Moon. Temp 18º C. Windy. 
Location of Site: Terara, New South Wales, Australia, Long.150.38 degrees; 
South 34.52. 
Site Classification: Suburban 
Sky darkness: 4.5 <Limiting magnitude> 
Instrument: 8"  F9 Dobsonian 
Magnification: 72X (25mm Kellner)		 This mag. 5.2 star was easily located near Gamma Sag. The companion star is mag.6.9 . Hartung describes the pair as Orange and Yellow is a starry field and concludes there has been little change since measurements in 1836. In 12" he detected a 13 mag. star at a separation of 26" at PA 239º 
 
Comments: The Observer's Guide lists this star as a triple with the very faint third mag.13 star at 26.2" separation. I saw these starsas a deep, rich Gold  Primary and a contrasting Bluish companion, just separated at X72 and overhead from my latitude tonight. A Classic Gold and a worthwhile inclusion. 
 

 
 
 
Mary Flanagan
Star: h5003 
Date & Time: 26 Sep 2000 02:17; CDT 25 Sep 21:17 
Seeing: From 4 to 7 <1-10 Seeing Scale (10 best)> 
Transparency: around 8  (1-10)  
Location of site: Apple Valley MN, USA 
 93d 14m 25s W; 44d 45m 17s N 
Site classification: Suburban   
Sky darkness: ~4 <Limiting magnitude>  
Telescope: 8" f/6 Dobsonian 
Magnification: 80x (15mm TV Plossls) 
 
 		 How embarrassing. I bombed completely on one of my own picks.  If we do 
something like this again, I'll certainly take altitude into consideration 
_before_ I go for the pretty colors. At 80x and 8d above the horizon, I 
pretty much got a dancing, smeary peanut.  Very pretty bronze-orange peanut, however; reminded me of the color of last winter's lunar eclipse. 
 
Olympic commentary:  She falls off the balance beam in an ignominious heap. 
 

 
 

 
 
 
Patrick J. Anway 
Star: h5003
Date & Time: Sept. 24, 2000, 11pm EDT (03:00 UT)
Seeing: 6 <1-10 Seeing Scale (10 best)> 
Location of Site: Munising Michigan USA 
Site Classification: Rural 
Sky darkness: 6 <limiting magnitude> 
Sky condition: a few high clouds, no moon
Temperature: 34deg F (2deg C)
Telescope: Vixen 102mm f/9.8
Eyepieces: 6mm, 9mm, 18mm orthos
 

 

 Using the 6mm for 167X the primary was burnt-orange and the secondary gray-blue. I caught this around 9:30 EDT, in between the distant tree branches; so the view was short-lived.
 
With a mostly clear night on the 24th, dodging the clouds took less effort. However, the gain in "free" sky was offset by a loss of degrees. Without the sometimes "dreaded" and other times "beloved" cloud-cover, the temperature dropped toward the freezing point. Steam could be seen rising from the pond about fifty yards in front-of and below the observatory. The customary summertime evening "glow" that derives from algae and gives an eerie appearance to the scene, has left - only to be replaced by the steam "vapors".  The "underground springs", source of the pond, keep it from 
freezing (much to the delight of the wildlife), but the loss of star-lit algae-glow is yet another sign that the seasonal change is not far off.
 
With yet thin blood, I ventured out in heavy apparel to grab another half-dozen prey. The Milky Way extends across the blackness from south-east to north, unencumbered by Luna ......though there seems to be a slight bit of haze; probably the "steam" drifting my way.