ALBIREO – BETA CYGNI

DOUBLE STAR IN CYGNUS - (ra: 19:30.43/ dec 27:57)

July 2012, Arca de Noe - Rama Caída Mendoza, Argentina

DATA

TYPE: Doulbe Star

VISUAL MAGNITUDE: 3.08

SIZE: 5 solar masses / 50 solar radius

DISTANCE: 385 light years

IMAGE INFORMATION

SCOPE: TMB SS 92 working at f6 (roughly)

CAMERA: QSI 583 WS

GUIDING: LodeStar in Orion Short Tube 80/400

FILTERS: Baader LRGB Set

SKY CONDITIONS: Rural Skies - Albireo over San Rafael pollution dome

EXPOSURES: LRGB (10,5,5,5) for a total 25 minutes /  L 120 seconds subs; RGB 60 secs subs

PROCESSING: Images Plus / Photoshop CS2 - no darks applied.

OBJECT DESCRIPTION AND IMAGE SESSION

One of the great small-telescope showpieces of the sky. Albireo, the third-magnitude (3.0) Beta star of Cygnus, is a magnificent visual gem. Its components (magnitudes 3.3 and 5.5) have contrasting golden and blue colours. Waxing romantic, astronomers have called the pair topaz and sapphire. With a separation of 34 seconds of arc, the pair is easily seen at low telescopic power. Albireo is actually triple system but through medium size telescopes two components are visible separated by 34 arc seconds providing one of the best contrasting double stars in the sky.