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Constellation Close-Up: Auriga

James Appleton

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Topics

• Overview of Auriga

• Stars

• Double and multiple stars

• Faint star clusters

• Bright star clusters: M36, M37, M38

• Nebulosity

• Close

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Overview of Auriga

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Auriga – Stars to Magnitude 6.0

Galactic

equator

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Stars

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Auriga – Stars to Magnitude 8.0

Capella

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Capella SystemStars shown in correct relative sizes, but not separations

Capella A

13 times solar diam

90 times solar lum

Capella B

7 times solar diam

70 times solar lum

Orbital

period

104 days

100m km

H1

70% solar diam

1% solar lum

H2

70% solar diam

0.04% solar lum

Orbital

period

350 years

4.2 bn km

Distance 11,000 AU (0.2 ly)

Orbital period very long!

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Auriga – Stars to Magnitude 8.0

Beta

ThetaIota

ZetaEta

Epsilon

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Digital Camera “Happy Snap”

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Longer Exposure

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Capella & Kids - Colour Contrast

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Under American Skies…

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Double And Multiple Stars

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Double & Multiple Stars

Star Magnitudes Sep (“) Observing notes

Struve 698 6.6, 8.7 31

Struve 644 6.7, 7.0, 9.3 1.6, 73 Couldn’t separate close pair

Capella 0.1, 10.0 12 arcmin Couldn’t split fainter star (Capella H)

41 Aur 6.6, 7.0 7.7 Colour contrast: white, yellowish?

Struve 718 7.5, 7.5, 9.2 7.7, 119 A&B identical, very pretty triangle

Theta 2.6, 7.1, 10.6 3.6, 50 Needed high power to split close pair

Epsilon 3.0, 11.7, 12.0 43, 46

26 Aur 6.0, 8.0, 11.5 12.4, 33 Blue tinge to mag 8? Mag 11.5 difficult.

Omega 5.0, 8.0 5.4

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Auriga – Double & Multiple Stars

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Double & Multiple Stars

Star Magnitudes Sep (“) Observing notes

Struve 698 6.6, 8.7 31

Struve 644 6.7, 7.0, 9.3 1.6, 73 Couldn’t separate close pair

Capella 0.1, 10.0 12 arcmin Couldn’t split fainter star (Capella H)

41 Aur 6.6, 7.0 7.7 Colour contrast: white, yellowish?

Struve 718 7.5, 7.5, 9.2 7.7, 119 A&B identical, very pretty triangle

Theta 2.6, 7.1, 10.6 3.6, 50 Needed high power to split close pair

Epsilon 3.0, 11.7, 12.0 43, 46

26 Aur 6.0, 8.0, 11.5 12.4, 33 Blue tinge to mag 8? Mag 11.5 difficult.

Omega 5.0, 8.0 5.4

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Auriga – Double & Multiple Stars

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Double & Multiple Stars

Star Magnitudes Sep (“) Observing notes

Struve 698 6.6, 8.7 31

Struve 644 6.7, 7.0, 9.3 1.6, 73 Couldn’t separate close pair

Capella 0.1, 10.0 12 arcmin Couldn’t split fainter star (Capella H)

41 Aur 6.6, 7.0 7.7 Colour contrast: white, yellowish?

Struve 718 7.5, 7.5, 9.2 7.7, 119 A&B identical, very pretty triangle

Theta 2.6, 7.1, 10.6 3.6, 50 Needed high power to split close pair

Epsilon 3.0, 11.7, 12.0 43, 46

26 Aur 6.0, 8.0, 11.5 12.4, 33 Blue tinge to mag 8? Mag 11.5 difficult.

Omega 5.0, 8.0 5.4

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Auriga – Double & Multiple Stars

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Double & Multiple Stars

Star Magnitudes Sep (“) Observing notes

Struve 698 6.6, 8.7 31

Struve 644 6.7, 7.0, 9.3 1.6, 73 Couldn’t separate close pair

Capella 0.1, 10.0 12 arcmin Couldn’t split fainter star (Capella H)

41 Aur 6.6, 7.0 7.7 Colour contrast: white, yellowish?

Struve 718 7.5, 7.5, 9.2 7.7, 119 A&B identical, very pretty triangle

Theta 2.6, 7.1, 10.6 3.6, 50 Needed high power to split close pair

Epsilon 3.0, 11.7, 12.0 43, 46

26 Aur 6.0, 8.0, 11.5 12.4, 33 Blue tinge to mag 8? Mag 11.5 difficult.

Omega 5.0, 8.0 5.4

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Auriga – Double & Multiple Stars

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Double & Multiple Stars

Star Magnitudes Sep (“) Observing notes

Struve 698 6.6, 8.7 31

Struve 644 6.7, 7.0, 9.3 1.6, 73 Couldn’t separate close pair

Capella 0.1, 10.0 12 arcmin Couldn’t split fainter star (Capella H)

41 Aur 6.6, 7.0 7.7 Colour contrast: white, yellowish?

Struve 718 7.5, 7.5, 9.2 7.7, 119 A&B identical, very pretty triangle

Theta 2.6, 7.1, 10.6 3.6, 50 Needed high power to split close pair

Epsilon 3.0, 11.7, 12.0 43, 46

26 Aur 6.0, 8.0, 11.5 12.4, 33 Blue tinge to mag 8? Mag 11.5 difficult.

Omega 5.0, 8.0 5.4

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Auriga – Double & Multiple Stars

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Double & Multiple Stars

Star Magnitudes Sep (“) Observing notes

Struve 698 6.6, 8.7 31

Struve 644 6.7, 7.0, 9.3 1.6, 73 Couldn’t separate close pair

Capella 0.1, 10.0 12 arcmin Couldn’t split fainter star (Capella H)

41 Aur 6.6, 7.0 7.7 Colour contrast: white, yellowish?

Struve 718 7.5, 7.5, 9.2 7.7, 119 A&B identical, very pretty triangle

Theta 2.6, 7.1, 10.6 3.6, 50 Needed high power to split close pair

Epsilon 3.0, 11.7, 12.0 43, 46

26 Aur 6.0, 8.0, 11.5 12.4, 33 Blue tinge to mag 8? Mag 11.5 difficult.

Omega 5.0, 8.0 5.4

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Auriga – Double & Multiple Stars

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Double & Multiple Stars

Star Magnitudes Sep (“) Observing notes

Struve 698 6.6, 8.7 31

Struve 644 6.7, 7.0, 9.3 1.6, 73 Couldn’t separate close pair

Capella 0.1, 10.0 12 arcmin Couldn’t split fainter star (Capella H)

41 Aur 6.6, 7.0 7.7 Colour contrast: white, yellowish?

Struve 718 7.5, 7.5, 9.2 7.7, 119 A&B identical, very pretty triangle

Theta 2.6, 7.1, 10.6 3.6, 50 Needed high power to split close pair

Epsilon 3.0, 11.7, 12.0 43, 46

26 Aur 6.0, 8.0, 11.5 12.4, 33 Blue tinge to mag 8? Mag 11.5 difficult.

Omega 5.0, 8.0 5.4

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Auriga – Double & Multiple Stars

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Double & Multiple Stars

Star Magnitudes Sep (“) Observing notes

Struve 698 6.6, 8.7 31

Struve 644 6.7, 7.0, 9.3 1.6, 73 Couldn’t separate close pair

Capella 0.1, 10.0 12 arcmin Couldn’t split fainter star (Capella H)

41 Aur 6.6, 7.0 7.7 Colour contrast: white, yellowish?

Struve 718 7.5, 7.5, 9.2 7.7, 119 A&B identical, very pretty triangle

Theta 2.6, 7.1, 10.6 3.6, 50 Needed high power to split close pair

Epsilon 3.0, 11.7, 12.0 43, 46

26 Aur 6.0, 8.0, 11.5 12.4, 33 Blue tinge to mag 8? Mag 11.5 difficult.

Omega 5.0, 8.0 5.4

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Auriga – Double & Multiple Stars

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Double & Multiple Stars

Star Magnitudes Sep (“) Observing notes

Struve 698 6.6, 8.7 31

Struve 644 6.7, 7.0, 9.3 1.6, 73 Couldn’t separate close pair

Capella 0.1, 10.0 12 arcmin Couldn’t split fainter star (Capella H)

41 Aur 6.6, 7.0 7.7 Colour contrast: white, yellowish?

Struve 718 7.5, 7.5, 9.2 7.7, 119 A&B identical, very pretty triangle

Theta 2.6, 7.1, 10.6 3.6, 50 Needed high power to split close pair

Epsilon 3.0, 11.7, 12.0 43, 46

26 Aur 6.0, 8.0, 11.5 12.4, 33 Blue tinge to mag 8? Mag 11.5 difficult.

Omega 5.0, 8.0 5.4

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Auriga – Double & Multiple Stars

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Star Clusters

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NGC1778NGC1857

NGC1893NGC1907

NGC2281

Fainter Star Clusters

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NGC2281

Fainter Star Clusters

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NGC1857

Fainter Star Clusters

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NGC1778

Fainter Star Clusters

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NGC1907

Fainter Star Clusters

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NGC1893

Fainter Star Clusters

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M36M37

M38

Star Clusters M36, M37, M38

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Theta Aur

M37

M36

M38

Beta Tau

M36, M37, M38

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M36, M37, M38

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M36

Struve 737

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M37

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M38

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Nebulosity

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Under American Skies, II…

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Under Spanish Skies

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IC405 & AE Aur

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