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Ursa Minor RA 15h 9m 41s D 68 19



 
 
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  #1  
Old April 23rd 08, 12:38 AM posted to uk.sci.astronomy
*Paul
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Posts: 1
Default Ursa Minor RA 15h 9m 41s D 68 19

Hi,

We have recently been 'bought' a star and presented with a elaborate
certificate from the International Star Registry. The star was bought in
honor of our son who last year was born premature and unfortunately didn't
make it. I hope the star exists as I would really like to see it. Before I
go out and buy a telescope, I was hoping that someone in here would be kind
enough to verify that the star is actually real using the 'coordinates'
given above (if this is even possible).

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

P&J



  #2  
Old April 23rd 08, 01:44 AM posted to uk.sci.astronomy
OG
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Posts: 780
Default Ursa Minor RA 15h 9m 41s D 68 19


"*Paul" wrote in message
...
Hi,

We have recently been 'bought' a star and presented with a elaborate
certificate from the International Star Registry. The star was bought in
honor of our son who last year was born premature and unfortunately didn't
make it. I hope the star exists as I would really like to see it. Before
I go out and buy a telescope, I was hoping that someone in here would be
kind enough to verify that the star is actually real using the
'coordinates' given above (if this is even possible).


Hi Paul
I've no doubt that the star is real - and that it represents a very kind and
thoughtful gift.

To find out which star has been selected in honour of your son we would also
need to know the 'epoch' of the coordinates - because of the movement of the
Earth in its orbit, the position of stars in the sky changes very slightly
from year to year, so catalogues should be given with an epoch date.



  #3  
Old April 23rd 08, 10:38 AM posted to uk.sci.astronomy
Mark Ayliffe
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Posts: 33
Default Ursa Minor RA 15h 9m 41s D 68 19

On or about 2008-04-23,
OG illuminated us with:



"*Paul" wrote in message
...
Hi,

We have recently been 'bought' a star and presented with a elaborate
certificate from the International Star Registry. The star was bought in
honor of our son who last year was born premature and unfortunately didn't
make it. I hope the star exists as I would really like to see it. Before
I go out and buy a telescope, I was hoping that someone in here would be
kind enough to verify that the star is actually real using the
'coordinates' given above (if this is even possible).


Hi Paul
I've no doubt that the star is real - and that it represents a very kind and
thoughtful gift.

To find out which star has been selected in honour of your son we would also
need to know the 'epoch' of the coordinates - because of the movement of the
Earth in its orbit, the position of stars in the sky changes very slightly
from year to year, so catalogues should be given with an epoch date.


Though typing those coordinates into Google Earth in sky mode[1] shows at
least one possible candidate. Depending on which one it is, it may be
beyond the resolution power of most amateur kit and/or you'll need
somewhere very remote to see it.

[1] View menu. Switch to sky. Click location search. Type the location
as shown.
--
Mark
Real email address | I'm not afraid of death; I just don't want to be there
is mark at | when it happens. -Woody Allen
ayliffe dot org |
  #4  
Old April 23rd 08, 05:38 PM posted to uk.sci.astronomy
jochta[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 6
Default Ursa Minor RA 15h 9m 41s D 68 19

*Paul wrote:
Hi,

We have recently been 'bought' a star and presented with a elaborate
certificate from the International Star Registry. The star was bought in
honor of our son who last year was born premature and unfortunately didn't
make it. I hope the star exists as I would really like to see it. Before I
go out and buy a telescope, I was hoping that someone in here would be kind
enough to verify that the star is actually real using the 'coordinates'
given above (if this is even possible).

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

P&J




The nearest candidate (assuming J2000.0 epoch) is a faint (magnitude
13.44) star GSC 4411-0358. Pretty difficult to see (and find) in amateur
telescopes.

You can see an image of it using the Digitized Sky Survey, it'll appear
in the exact centre of this image...

http://archive.stsci.edu/cgi-bin/dss...fov=NON E&v3=

If that link doesn't work copy and paste GSC 4411-0358 into the Object
name box on http://archive.stsci.edu/cgi-bin/dss_form click GET
COORDINATES, change File format to GIF and click RETRIEVE IMAGE.

Just be aware that "...only the IAU, by international decree, can
officially name or number a celestial object; be it a star or whatever.
The naming of celestial objects by organisations other than the IAU is
therefore not recognised by any other astronomical or scientific body
anywhere.".
  #5  
Old April 24th 08, 10:12 AM posted to uk.sci.astronomy
Mark Ayliffe
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 33
Default Ursa Minor RA 15h 9m 41s D 68 19

On or about 2008-04-23,
jochta illuminated us with:


*Paul wrote:
Hi,

We have recently been 'bought' a star and presented with a elaborate
certificate from the International Star Registry. The star was bought in
honor of our son who last year was born premature and unfortunately didn't
make it. I hope the star exists as I would really like to see it. Before I
go out and buy a telescope, I was hoping that someone in here would be kind
enough to verify that the star is actually real using the 'coordinates'
given above (if this is even possible).

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

P&J




The nearest candidate (assuming J2000.0 epoch) is a faint (magnitude
13.44) star GSC 4411-0358. Pretty difficult to see (and find) in amateur
telescopes.

You can see an image of it using the Digitized Sky Survey, it'll appear
in the exact centre of this image...

http://archive.stsci.edu/cgi-bin/dss...fov=NON E&v3=

If that link doesn't work copy and paste GSC 4411-0358 into the Object
name box on http://archive.stsci.edu/cgi-bin/dss_form click GET
COORDINATES, change File format to GIF and click RETRIEVE IMAGE.

Just be aware that "...only the IAU, by international decree, can
officially name or number a celestial object; be it a star or whatever.
The naming of celestial objects by organisations other than the IAU is
therefore not recognised by any other astronomical or scientific body
anywhere.".


Ah, so it was the star I found in Google Earth, but of course GE
couldn't tell me much about it. However locating it there & then
zooming out will give you some idea of how difficult it will be to find.

--
Mark
Real email address | All those who believe in psychokinesis
is mark at | raise my hand.
ayliffe dot org |
 




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