(SNES) Observation Report, 8/7/01

[Albireo54@aol.com]

Hi everybody,

Did you get outdoors tonight? It was still near 80 degrees here in Webster at 
9:30 PM when I went out to check the skies. Some thin hazy clouds in spots, 
but very stable air (virtually no star twinkling). I didn't have too much 
time available, but here are the main objects I observed with my 8" SCT. 

NGC 6800 - open cluster in Vulpecula. This cluster is easy to find, about 30' 
NW of Alpha Vul. It is fairly large, loose and not really bright; perhaps 2 
dozen stars mag 10 and fainter making up the cluster, with a rich Milky Way 
background of fainter stars. I 
detect the shape of a small cream pitcher whenever I look at this one!

Pi (52) Aquila - double star, 1.3 degrees NE of Gam Aql. This is a close 
pair, at 1.4" and magnitudes of 6.1 and 6.9. Not difficult, however at 222X. 
Both white.

Delta Cygni - double star. This famous double is getting a bit easier to 
split with time. When I first observed it in the mid 60's, its separation was 
about 2.2" and was a very good test for my 6" Newt. It has now widened past 
2.5", and was not difficult tonight at 340X. The problem for most observers 
is the mag. difference of the two stars: 2.9 and 6.3, meaning that the 
primary is 23 times brighter. Both stars are 
white. 

Gamma Delphinus - another famous and easy double star, which sits at the 
"nose" of the dolphin's head. The two stars are now 9.6" apart and shine at 
mags. 4.2 and 5.3. The primary is deep yellow, and the companion is a lighter 
yellow, tinged
with green. An easy split for any telescope, although larger apertures are 
better for seeing the color difference. 

The moon was beginning to wash things out by 11 PM, so I packed it in with 
hopes of clearer skies tomorrow night.

Doug Stewart
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