Can anyone identify.......

"Martin Anderson" wrote in message
...
....an array of stars that looks like an upside down question mark? I
think
it's near Altair? I know its a bright star, Mag 1-2 and its diagonally up
right from Mars. I cannot find it on my starchart. It looks like this
through an 8" scope with a 20mm EP:

*
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*
*
* *
*
*
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*
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If i read my dials correctly it was located at Dec 84
and RA 18hrs.

I'm sorry i can't be more specific. I couldn't find it with the naked eye
(literally) so i am quite puzzled.

Any help appreciated.


Martin,

I don't think there's much chance of anyone identifying these stars.

Firstly, you were using a telescope and a 20mm eyepiece. This means you were
looking at quite a small area of sky and the brightness of the stars was
increased. What you described as mag 1-2 may have been as faint as mag 5 or
6.

Secondly, Altair and Mars are separated by a great distance. If the group
were near Altair then the couldn't have been anywhere diagonally up from
Mars.

Lastly, the coordinates you gave were for an area in ursa Minor, nowhere
near either Mars or Altair.

I'm sorry I couldn't help you. Maybe you could look in the same place and
find it again. Then you could work it out and have the satisfaction of
learning another part of the sky. Since the introduction of the "go-to"
scopes, many people don't learn the sky. It's a pity really.

Good luck

Darren

A bit further on from Altair is the coathanger group of stars. Could this be
what you saw?

Alistair

On Fri, 5 Sep 2003 11:41:42 +0100, "Alistair Thomson"
wrote:

A bit further on from Altair is the coathanger group of stars. Could this be
what you saw?

This was my initial thought Alistair.

http://www.licha.de/AstroWeb/gallery...d=59&iSOId=197

--
Pete
Homepage at http://www.pbl33.co.uk
CCD/digicam astronomy

On Fri, 5 Sep 2003 01:32:30 +0100, "Martin Anderson"
wrote:

....an array of stars that looks like an upside down question mark? I think
it's near Altair? I know its a bright star, Mag 1-2 and its diagonally up
right from Mars. I cannot find it on my starchart. It looks like this
through an 8" scope with a 20mm EP:

*
* *
*
*
* *
*
*
* *
*
*

If i read my dials correctly it was located at Dec 84
and RA 18hrs.

I'm sorry i can't be more specific. I couldn't find it with the naked eye
(literally) so i am quite puzzled.

Its possible that you could be looking at Delphinus, or Equuleus
but my money goes on Delphinus, which in a way can look like a
question mark.

---
Please remove "your testicles" to reply

"Graham W" wrote in message
...
Martin Anderson wrote:
....an array of stars that looks like an upside down question mark? I
think it's near Altair? I know its a bright star, Mag 1-2 and its
diagonally up right from Mars. I cannot find it on my starchart. It
looks like this through an 8" scope with a 20mm EP:

*
* *
*
*
* *
*
*
* *
*
*

If i read my dials correctly it was located at Dec 84
and RA 18hrs.

Is it the area around 103 Herculis (Omricon Herculis)?
My eye convinced itself that the pattern matched but
the Dec figure is miles off.

This asterism is about halfway from Albireo and M13.

HTH
--
Graham W http://www.gcw.org.uk/ XP1800+ Page added, Graphics Tutorial
WIMBORNE http://www.wessex-astro-society.freeserve.co.uk/ Wessex
Dorset UK Astro Society's Web pages, Info, Meeting Dates, Sites & Maps


Thanks for all the suggestions. Time to go back to basics. I shall use my
compass, a 360 protractor and approximate the remaining angle. Should be
able to find it on a star chart. Of course it would be easier to use a 30mm
eyepiece, but i haven't got one (yet). grin

Just have to wait for a clear evening.....

clear skies

Martin A