G4LED
Joined: 24 Nov 2006
Posts: 24
Location: Holmfirth UK
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 Posted: Thu Feb 08, 2007 3:50 pm Post subject: Plaskett's Star HR 2422 |
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Plaskett's Star HR 2422
Currently and understandably the temptation to gawp at Saturn is irresistible. But slew over to the Rosette Nebulae NGC 2237 (too faint for me) then north and left to V640 Mon which is Plaskett's Star. mag 6.1(06.37, +06.08) Discovered spectroscopically by the emminent Canadian astronomer in 1922 as the heaviest known (then) binary pair. Two blue supergiants at 43 and 51 solar masses locked together in an orbital embrace of 14.4 days! Imagine the confusion if you lived nearby. Thought to be about 5000LY away, now 6600 likely. Just as well at the rate they are shifting.
G4LED
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"Holme Valley Weather" Davis Vantage Pro+ station; XT10 Orion Intelliscope(frontspiece) |
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