I spent a quiet 4th out on the patio, under the stars. Though I couldn't see any big fireworks displays, I could hear a big one, sponsored by the local municipality. Just didn't feel like fighting the traffic or going by myself to see the action. Instead, I opted to stay put and watch a show of the celestial type.
The sky was clear and, because, I suppose, fireworks were on my mind, I decided to just enjoy the colors of stars through my big
Nikon 10x70 Astro Luxe. Now, for those of you new to star colors, let me say up front that we are talking subtle, here.
Star colors, when viewed through a telescope or binocular are gentle, rather than gaudy. Nonetheless, the colors are there and quite lovely, at least to my eye. Also, observing star color is something that can be done under even the most light polluted sky. If you can see a star, you can enjoy its color.
One of the things I like about a large objective on an
astronomy binocular is the way a large objective, especially a quality one, can intensify color. Last night, for instance,
Antares, was its usual gorgeous ruby self. How could you mistake this "rival of Mars" for any other star? This one is a must for any color watcher and every time I see it, I am transported back many, many years ago, to the night when I first looked at it with a binocular.
Yellow and orange stars, such as
Arcturus are not quite as obvious in their color, but still relatively good targets for color watchers. To my eye, Arcturus always shines a bright yellow, with overtones of orange. Others see it as more orange than yellow, but color is much a matter of the of the observer. Go see it for yourself and decide.
A bit tougher are white stars. Through my Nikon,
Vega is a brilliant white, though I can sometimes detect a very subtle bluish tint. Of course, any visit to Vega is not complete without a stop to check out the double double, Epsilon Lyrae. No, you won't split the double twice - you need a telescope for that - but you can split it once, very easily, with any binocular and it makes a lovely pair.
Speaking of double stars, seeing the colors is much of the fun. More later.