New and Improved Binocular Star Listing (v2)

Affiliation
American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO)
Thu, 03/05/2015 - 00:53

Ok, I admit it I'm a data geek.

I've attached my latest version of the Binocular Star program.

Added fields/features:

Index (allows to return to origanal listing order)

Const (3 charactor constellation name)

RA/DEC (split out the Coords field)

Min/Mag (split out the Mag. range field)

 Enjoy,

David

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Affiliation
American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO)
Edited binocular list

Very nice, thanks!  I just found it and have already shared it with another binocular VS observer.

Affiliation
American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO)
Thx

Thank you.  This is what I am doing as a beginner and will probably still do even if I can figure out photometry which is my goal.

As a new observer, I am doing stars normally at 6th magnitude at the dimmest to start out.  I use 7th and 8th at times as markers to figure out where the target and/or comparison star is but can barely see them.

My question is you have some that go as low as 15 mag on the low end of the range, and twenty that are 10 mag or lower.  What binoculars do you use?  Are you in a dark area?  My location is an Orlando, FL suburb and the night skies are always like dawn or dusk, even last night with the new moon.  I use high quality Zeiss Victory 8x42 and also a Vortex Viper 10x42.  I strain to make out, e.g., the 3 triangle stars including the target (carbon star W Ori).  I see them but when I think of 7th-9th magnitude I know I won't be able to do that. 

Again, is it the dark skies you have and I don't?  The type of binoculars?  Maybe you have younger/better eyes?  I do have a 95mm objective Swarovski ATX spotting scope with a 30x70 zoom  that was purchased for wildlife/birding; I have not tried it yet for variable stars.  At a cost of roughly 5 times the cost of a Celestron 8 inch NexStar 8SE, I hope it will help me make good estimates on some stars with low end mags greater than what I am currently observing.  It better.

Please let me know some ideas on binocular observing for those 10-15 magnitude stars.   Appreciate it very much.

Bob