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(IAAC) Supergiant stars in M31
Observer:N.J.Martin
Your skill:intermediate
Date and UT of observation:October 28/29 1997 01UT
Location & latitude:near Ayr South West Scotland lat 55 24'56"
Site classification:bright rural
Limiting magnitude (visual):6 (zenith)
Seeing (1 to 5 - best to worst):4.9-5
Moon up (phase?):no
Instrument:20" f4.4 Dobsonian, 8" f8 Newtonian
Magnification:X150
Filters used:None
Object:M31
Category:Galaxy
Object data:mag3.35 177.8' X 63.1'
RA/DE: RA 00 42' Dec +41 16'(2000 coordinates)
Description:There are three relatively bright and easy to find supergiant
stars in M31.
They are described in David J. Eicher's book of extracts from Deep Sky
magazine entitled 'Galaxies and the Universe' were three supergiant stars
labelled A (13 mag),B (12.1)and C(12) in the annotated photograph on p.56.
Slighly difficult to describe their location but they lie on the central
axis just to the north (opposite end to M32) of the bright part of the
galaxy as a part of a triangular group of five brighter stars. C is left
(east) furthest out corner and A and B form a pair close to the right (west)
outer corner of the triangle. There is a brighter pair of stars to the right
of the triangle.
The stars themselves look quite undistinguished but they provide a rare
chance for observers in the northern hemisphere to see stars in another
galaxy. I did not observe the two other twelth magnitude stars, D(12.2) and
E(12.7)on the M32 side of the nucleus, almost exactly opposite A,B and C. D
lies at the end of a line of stars coming inwards from M32 and E is just to
the right of it, with the 14.7 magnitude 29a close to D.
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| nmartin@bonnyton.u-net.com |
|"There are more things in heaven and earth ... than are dreamt of in your
philosophy" (Hamlet, Act 1, Sc. 5) |
Bonnyton House, Ayrshire,Scotland, UK. lat 55 24'56" N long 4 26' 00" W
Altitude 150 m.
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