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jusher02
super member
Reged: 02/05/07
Posts: 134
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I'd be interested if anyone else has experienced this sort of observation. I recently acquired my "dream" refractor - a Televue NP127is - and have been using it with a binoviewer (Denkmeier with Power x Switch) and a range of eyepieces, including a pair of 3-6mm Nagler Zooms. With those you can push the scope to pretty high magnification without visible breakdown of the image.
A couple of nights ago I pointed the scope at Sirius and after a couple of minutes of playing with pretty high magnifications, noticed a tiny star perhaps 5-7" distant from the center of the airy disk of Sirius, and at the 8 o'clock position. The funny thing is I could only see it through the right eyepiece. I swapped eyepieces to see if that changed anything, but it didn't. I looked with my right eye into the left eyepiece to see if I could see it, but nope. Yet, in the right eyepiece - there it was still. Upping the magnification increased the separation, and rotating my eye the relative position of the two stars - Sirius and this other one - didn't change.
When I got inside I looked up where Sirius B should have been, and it was exactly where I saw that tiny, dim star.
Tonight the sky was clear again and I tried again - same result. I'm actually pretty certain that what I've seen is Sirius B. But I was wondering if anyone has experienced the same sort of thing - ie being able to see the detail in only one of the eyepieces.
It certainly seemed to help to look at Sirius through the binoviewer, as the light from the primary star is at half the level compared with cyclops mode. And I *think* that the right side of my binoviewer is ever so slightly darker than the left. Both of these could certainly help.
Any similar experiences out there?
Jonathan
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RLTYS
Post Laureate
Reged: 12/18/04
Posts: 4267
Loc: New York (Long Island)
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jusher02
An interesting observation. When (time) and from where was this observation made?
Clear Skies.
Rich (RLTYS)
--------------------
10" F4.8 Refl.
4" F5 Refr. (Genesis)
3" F4 Celestron FirstScope
50mm F12 Refr. (Tasco #6TE-5)
12x63 and 10x50 Binoculars.
"I want to do more then just look."
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cvedeler
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 12/20/05
Posts: 2203
Loc: Scottsdale, AZ
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It would be extraordinary to see Sirius B this time of year as it is low in the sky after sunset. I tried dozens of times back in February and March (with Sirius near the meridian) without success with my AP160. I'm waiting until next year to try again.
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Chris Vedeler
Astro-Physics 160EDF
Astro-Physics 900GTO
Q453HR / QHY8 CCD camera
Canon 450XSi
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www.aznightsky.com
Scottsdale, AZ
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Clive Gibbons
Mostly Harmless
Reged: 05/26/05
Posts: 16724
Loc: Oort Cloud
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Bino-viewers contain quite a collection of prisms and optical interfaces... all which have the potential for generating a faint ghost image of anything bright.
If you could see the suspected companion thru one side of the BV, but not the other, I'd suspect you were seeing a ghost artifact.
Try the observation without the BV.
If the Pup disappears, that'll further narrow the possibilities.
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A few telescopes of dubious value.
Understanding wife and two curious cats.
"Semper ubi sub ubi"
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jusher02
super member
Reged: 02/05/07
Posts: 134
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I'll try that tonight (if the skies are clear) - thanks for the suggestion. I haven't noticed any similar reflection on that side of the binoviewer for any other bright stars - but then again, none are as bright as Sirius!
In terms of my location, I'm in Wellington, New Zealand. Sirius was at about 50 degrees or so altitude I'd estimate - maybe a little more - when I was observing early yesterday evening.
Jonathan
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Bonco
Post Laureate
Reged: 04/17/06
Posts: 3036
Loc: Florida
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Ahhhso! Many of northeners forget about the other half of the world. LOL
Bonco
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RV6
Meade 2045
6 inch f/4 RFT R. Fagin Optics
TV Genesis
2.4 inch Lafayette Equitorial
3 inch Polarex Equitorial
10 inch Zhumell
PST 40mm Solar scope
4 inch F/15 Antares
2.4 inch Unitron Equitorial
Tasco 10K 80mm/1200mm (Carton)
Towa 339 Restored (Carton)
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jusher02
super member
Reged: 02/05/07
Posts: 134
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Mystery solved - sadly it was indeed a reflection. Purely by chance it appears in pretty much the exact location and has the approximate brightness you'd expect for Sirius B. I figured this out when I rotated the binoviewer and the angle of the "star" changed relative to the primary.
So my hunt for the Pup will continue - albeit most definitely NOT with the binoviewer!
Jonathan
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