I was exhausted yesterday after cutting down a tree and pulling weeds, so I rolled out the 5" refractor for a quick observing session.
I have a challenge. The star 35 Coma Berenices is a pretty double star, with a widely separated gold primary and a blue secondary. But wait, the 4th magnitude primary has a 7th magnitude companion only 1.2" apart, making it a triple star.
See my notes below. Can you see the close pair, and if so, what telescope? I've seen it before at very high power with my TMB 100/800 (4"). I wonder if it can be done with as small as an 80mm refractor?
List: 25/04/30 Takahashi TSA-120
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Jupiter
(Planet in Taurus)
Observed: Apr 30, 2025 at 8:38:56?PM
Comment: Using the 5mm Pentax at 180x and an 80A blue filter I was barely able to see the GRS as is heading towards the western limb.
Location: Virginia Beach SQM-L 17.4 75¡ã H 72%
Equipment: 120mm F/7.5 Takahashi, 7mm Pentax
Seeing: 8
Transparency: 8
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HD 100070
(Double Star in Crater)
Observed: Apr 30, 2025 at 8:55:12?PM
Comment: Struve 9072
9.8"
I could only see the 10th magnitude secondary with averted vision
Location: Virginia Beach SQM-L 17.4 75¡ã H 72%
Equipment: 120mm F/7.5 Takahashi, 7mm Pentax
Seeing: 8
Transparency: 8
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HD 100245
(Double Star in Leo)
Observed: Apr 30, 2025 at 8:58:14?PM
Comment: Struve 1548
11"
An easily split pair of 8.6 and 9.8 magnitude stars
Location: Virginia Beach SQM-L 17.4 75¡ã H 72%
Equipment: 120mm F/7.5 Takahashi, 7mm Pentax
Seeing: 8
Transparency: 8
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HR 4484
(Double Star in Virgo)
Observed: Apr 30, 2025 at 9:03:41?PM
Comment: Struve 1560
4.8"
Very challenging to see the secondary. The primary is 6.2 magnitude and the secondary is 9.4.
Location: Virginia Beach SQM-L 17.4 75¡ã H 72%
Equipment: 120mm F/7.5 Takahashi, 7mm Pentax
Seeing: 8
Transparency: 8
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HD 103047
(Double Star in Virgo)
Observed: Apr 30, 2025 at 9:07:01?PM
Comment: Struve 1575
30"
A wide pair of blue stars
Location: Virginia Beach SQM-L 17.4 75¡ã H 72%
Equipment: 120mm F/7.5 Takahashi, 7mm Pentax
Seeing: 8
Transparency: 8
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88 Leonis
(Double Star in Leo)
Observed: Apr 30, 2025 at 9:15:09?PM
Comment: Struve 1547
15"
Blue-white 6th magnitude primary and a 9th magnitude blue secondary
Location: Virginia Beach SQM-L 17.4 75¡ã H 72%
Equipment: 120mm F/7.5 Takahashi, 7mm Pentax
Seeing: 8
Transparency: 8
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90 Leonis
(Double Star in Leo)
Observed: Apr 30, 2025 at 9:16:47?PM
Comment: Struve 1552
3.4" & 20"
Very nice triple star. A & B, 3.4" separation. The primary is blue-white, and the secondary is deep blue
Location: Virginia Beach SQM-L 17.4 75¡ã H 72%
Equipment: 120mm F/7.5 Takahashi, 7mm Pentax
Seeing: 8
Transparency: 8
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93 Leonis
(Variable Double Star in Leo)
Observed: Apr 30, 2025 at 9:22:10?PM
Comment: No Struve number
77"
Widely separated pair. The 4.5 magnitude primary is yellow and the 9th magnitude secondary is blue.
Location: Virginia Beach SQM-L 17.4 75¡ã H 72%
Equipment: 120mm F/7.5 Takahashi, 7mm Pentax
Seeing: 9
Transparency: 8
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2 Comae Berenices
(Double Star in Coma Berenices)
Observed: Apr 30, 2025 at 9:25:15?PM
Comment: Struve 1596
3.4"
Close pair of stars. The primary is pale yellow and the secondary is light blue
Location: Virginia Beach SQM-L 17.4 75¡ã H 72%
Equipment: 120mm F/7.5 Takahashi, 7mm Pentax
Seeing: 9
Transparency: 8
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35 Comae Berenices
(Double Star in Coma Berenices)
Observed: Apr 30, 2025 at 9:30:04?PM
Comment: A beautiful gold primary and a blue secondary. SkySafari shows a 1.2" companion, but I could not see it. I saw it with this same telescope in 2021 using a Vixen HR 2.0mm at 450x. Taking my own advice, I tried the 2.0mm and sure enough I saw the tiny blue companion. Checking my notes again I've split this tight pair a dozen or so times before. The smallest telescope was my TMB 100/800 amd a Takahashi TSA-102, so I know a 4" refractor is capable.
Location: Virginia Beach SQM-L 17.4 75¡ã H 72%
Equipment: 120mm F/7.5 Takahashi, 7mm Pentax
Seeing: 9
Transparency: 8
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Kent Blackwell