Laurent Ferrero is well known in the world of amateur astronomy. He is the author of a celestial atlas in several volumes, “Splendors of the Deep Sky.”

Until recently he wrote an article for the magazine Ciel Extreme on a new double star bright enough. He confirmed that it was not listed, by consulting the Desktop Universe.

This double star is very interesting from an astrophysical point of view, interesting enough in any case who want to continue investigations and to seek the advice of a specialist subject. Brian Mason of the Washington Double Star (U.S. Naval Observatory) was interested in this discovery: according to him, this double star is probably a couple that has physical integration in the WDS catalog under the name LFR1.

Laurent Ferrero thus proves that with few means and some investigations of bases, amateur astronomers can still find interesting things even in deep space!

Here is the article drawn from Ciel Extrême:

While working on the volume of southern Deep Sky Splendors I noticed in the constellation Hydra Male duo formed by the star HD 24062 (7.41 m) and HD 24085 (7.56 m) quite intriguing and is not included in the WDS 2001 (the reference I have). On the mapping software they are a couple pretty apparent separated by 1.3 ‘, but the astrophysical parameters suggest a real couple:

- The data Hipparcos distances are quite similar: 179.5 and 170.3 light years away, and taking into account margins of error of measurement of the satellite it is quite possible that they are actually very close.

- The stars have almost the same apparent brightness and have the same spectral types (G0V), indicating that they are really at the same distance.

- Their apparent movement in the sky indicate that they move at the same speed and in the same direction. HD 24062 (-11 and -97 milliarcseconds alpha and delta) and HD 24085 (-9 and -97 milliarcseconds alpha and delta).

Visual Binary Stars