OBSERVATION LOG

 I am writing an article about the 31 January 1783 and 1862 first sightings of the white dwarfs 40 Eridani BC (companions to Keid Omicron-2 Eridani) and Sirius B. We have another night (maybe two) of good viewing. My targets for tonight are Gamma Ceti, Uranus and Neptune, and Keid ABC. For the triple stars, I have other Barlows and even an Explore Scientific 5X focal extender.

We had some clearing and I got out on the 11th and 17th for a few minutes and again on the 24th with my "grab-and-go" Explore Scientific 102-mm achromatic refractor on an Explore Twilight 1 mount. With the forecast encouraging, I set up my Astronomics AT-115 apochromatic refractor on its Celestron AVX mount. It took me a couple of nights to get everything in place and get myself out of the house for the night. The oculars were a Meade 5000 UWA (ultra wide angle: 80 deg) 14mm (57X) and an AstroTech PF (Premium Flat because they cannot say Perfectly Flat field of view) 5.5 mm (146X). For the Pleiades, I used a Tele Vue 32mm Ploessl without and with a Tele Vue Bandmate Type II filter with narrow bandpass for doubly ionized O-III and excited hydrogen H-beta. 

Setting up the multi-star alignment, Keid was offered in the menu. That was my first view of that star. Last night, I viewed Keid 40 Eridani again and made three sketches at 57X, 146X, and 292X. I was not able to split the companions and saw them as a single star.

From 2102 PM to 0115 AM

• Keid 40 Eridani – see drawings
• Uranus – small white circle 14mm (57X) and 5.5 mm (146X)
• 52 Eridani 
• Gamma Arietis (Mesarthim) 
• Eta Cassiopeia 
• Messier 103 no joy
• Andromeda Galaxy
• Gamma Ceti
• Messier 41
• Messier 42
• IC 2118 "Witch's Hat" no joy
• Pleiades.

Tonight: Gamma Ceti (split AB primary), Uranus and Neptune (both in Aries), Keid A and BC split.

Added 30 December 2023 5:52

When I started the alignment the area around Deneb which was low in the west was very clear. "My god. It's full of stars." Starting with low power from 14 mm at 57X and 7 mm at 114X, I increased the magnification with the Explore Scientific 5X focal extender to 285 power and then to 570+. And I found the lesser member of the binary pair with Keid. Herschel first found them at 460X with his 48-inch f/10 reflector. (Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London, 1785, Vol. 75 (1785), pp. 40-126. Introduction on page 46 and stars reported page 87.)

PREVIOUSLY ON NECESSARY FACTS

Jupiter-Saturn Conjunction 2020 

Measuring Your Universe: Alan Hirshfeld's Astronomy Activity Manual 

Against Dark Skies 

Seeing in the Dark: Your Front Row Seat to the Universe