2025-10-22

• Condition: VG6
• Quality: 19.81 mpsas
• Location: Home, Spearfish: 44.49, -103.87

8:07PM

• Target: δ Cygni, STF 2579
• Const: Cygnus
• RaDec: 19h44m +45.07
• Type: Star (Multiple)
• Scope: AT102ED
• Setting: 55x - 204x

I set off the night excitedly wanting to look at a multiple star. I’m not sure if either I’ve grown rusty with splitting stars, or this target is just difficult, or both; but I could not bring myself to see either of the siblings.

I tried multiple Barlow and lens combinations. At one point, I had a split second view of something that I think may have been a close sibling, but I’m not confident enough with the observation to log it.

I threw enough time at this target that I decided to move on to the nearby open cluster Berk 86. While it’s frustrating that my first delve into multiple stars was a failure, I’m also excited to attack this as a challenge.

8:24PM

• Target: Berk 86
• Const: Cygnus
• RaDec: 20h20m +38.42
• Type: Open Cluster
• Scope: AT102ED
• Class: II 1 p
• Setting: 110x

Took me a little while to find not because it was too hard to see but because the central Cygnus star field is so dense. It was hard to distinguish this from the surrounding stars.

A very small and simple star cluster. In the sketch it is represented by the central stars that form a small loop. Through the eye piece, they appeared as a lasso or noose.