Monday, January 28, 2008

Binocular doubles in Orion

I love to observe the sword in the constellation Orion with my binoculars. Of course, this is the home to the famous Orion nebula, but, for a binocular astronomer, it is also a great area for binocular double stars. I especially enjoy splitting the stars Theta 1 and Theta 2 with my Nikon 10x70 and, on a good night, Theta 1 hints at being more than a single star. This brilliant white pair of stars appear all the more spectacular for being framed by the mighty M42, the Orion nebula, which, even in my severely light polluted skies, still shows as a haze surrounding these stars. Take heart, urban astronomers - the sky above our cities will reveal great beauty if you know where to look.
 
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