Double star in Bootes
At a distance of just over 20 light years, this pair can be considered one of our stellar neighbors. Both of these stars are smaller and less luminous that our Sun. They orbit each other in a period of about 150 years, and their angular separation varies quite a bit during the course of this orbit, from 2.5" to about 7" apart. Right now they are about midway between these two values, and the gap between them is closing.
| Magnitudes | 4.7, 7.0 |
| Separation | 5.3" |
| Distance (light yrs) | 21.8 |
| Right Ascension | 14:51.4 |
| Declination | +19 06 |
| Field of View | 16' x 12' |
Image details: A series of 1-second exposures through clear, red, green, and blue filters, taken with an SBIG STF-8300M imager through a Meade 14” LX850 telescope at f/8.
July 2019