Struve 1970, Beta Serpentis

 
Stuart Clough 
Star: Struve 1970 (Beta Serpentis)
Date & Time: 5th May 2003, 21:45 - 23:15 UT
Seeing: 6 <1-10 Seeing Scale (10 best)>. 
Transparency: good
Location of site: Hipperholme, Halifax, W. Yorks UK 53 44N 1 49W
Site classification: Suburban
Conditions: 7C, clear sky, moderate SSWly breeze
Sky darkness: 4.5  <Limiting magnitude> 
Telescope: Orion Optics UK GX 250 10" Newtonian
Eyepieces: 20, 12.5, 9,  & 6mm: 
Magnification: x60, x96, x133, x200
The great difference in magnitude makes this wide, easily resolved double 
an interesting subject.

Sparsely scattered background stars add to the scene dominated by the 
bluish white primary. I struggled to detect any colour in the companion - 
unsuccessfully.
 
 


 


 
Luis Balanzino
Star: Struve 1970 (Beta Serpentis)
Date & Time: May 9-10, 2003, 21h to 0h UT 
Seeing: 6 <1-10 Seeing Scale (10 best)>. 
Transparency: 6 <1 worst - 10 best> 
Location of site: Göteborg, Sweden
57°43' N, 11°58' E 
Site classification: Urban area with
considerable light pollution 
Temperature: 10º C
Sky darkness: 4 <Limiting magnitude> 
Moon: In Leo, illuminated fraction 0,54
Telescope: Meade ETX-90 Maksutov 
(90mm f/13.8) on photo tripod
Eyepieces: 25mm and 12,5mm TAL Plossl,
15mm TAL Kellner, 2x TAL Barlow 
Magnification: 50x, 83x, 100x, 166x
   
Primary pure white, secondary very faint, well split at 50x although 
it takes a moment to be seen.
 
 



 


 
Eddy  O'connor
Star: Struve 1970 (Beta Serpentis)
Date & Time: May 30th 2003. 
10.30 - 11.30 p.m local; UT +10
Seeing: 6 <1-10 Seeing Scale (10 best)>. 
Transparency: 8 <1 worst - 10 best> 
Location of site: Terara, New South Wales,
Australia, Long.150º.38 ; Dec. S 34º.52
Site classification
Temperature: 14ºC
Sky darkness:  <Limiting magnitude> 
Conditions: High humidity. No Moon
Telescope: 8" Newt. F9
Eyepieces: 25mm K, 12.5 mm Ortho
Magnification
Harshaw Scale: 2 <1-5: 1 best>
   
Beta Ser: Sep. 3.66/9.96; Sep. 30.9".  I promised to hold this treat over for later but the last two eyegaugers convinced me I needed eye relief. 

Beta is a blazing Bluish white star and its shy wide companion does not betray any marked colour tonight (NB Sky Cat notes a third star of mag. 10.7 but in the next parish at separation 200.1".  I spotted one candidate in a busy field but was unsure. If anyone finds this one please round it up.) 
 
 



 


 
John M. Ryan
Star: Struve 1970 (Beta Serpentis)
Date & Time: 27:04:03 11:00 local time
Seeing: 7 <1-10 Seeing Scale (10 best)>
Transparency: Fair to poor, some very
light clouds
Location of site: Barreras, Salamanca, Spain
Site classification: Rural
Sky darkness: 7 <Limiting magnitude>
Transparency:  <1 worst - 10 best>
Conditions: Temp. 14ºC, Light wind
Telescope: Celestron 9.25" SCT
Eyepieces: none
Magnification: Stella Cam Ex video camera, 2.5X Telemate
 

 

The video camera is black and white so no color can be noted. This double has a wide separation but the two components have a great difference in magnitude. On the screen it looked like a big snowball followed by a white dot. The final result is an average of five measurements. Theta = 265.1º and rho = 31.06"

 
William L. Schart
Star: Struve 1970 (Beta Serpentis)
Date & Time: 6th, June, 2003
Seeing: 7 <1-10 Seeing Scale (10 best)>
Transparency: --- <1 worst - 10 best>
Location of site: Killeen, TX
Site classification
Sky darkness: 3.5 <Limiting magnitude>
Conditions: Clear sky
Telescope: Celestron C8
Eyepieces: 25mm and the 12.5mm CMG 
Magnification: 80x, 160x 
 

 

Continuing our theme of wide spaced pairs with high magnitude contrast. The primary was white, the faint secondary just south of west of the primary.
 
 
 
 
 

 

 
 
Mary Flanagan
Star: Struve 1970 (Beta Serpentis)
Date & Time: June 18/19 2003
10:30 PM-12:30 AM CDT
Seeing: 5 <1-10 Seeing Scale (10 best)>
Transparency:  7 <1-10 Scale (10 best)>
Location of site: Apple Valley MN, USA
93d 14m 25s W; 44d 45m 17s N
Site classification: Suburban
Sky darkness: 4.5 <Limiting magnitude>
Telescope: 12.5" f/5 Starmaster EL Dob
Eyepieces: TV Plossls: 32mm, 15mm, 11mm
Magnification: 106x
 

 

Very wide. Both looked white. 
 
 
 
 


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