Thomas ConnorOct 6, 2023
It's the 100th Anniversary of the "VAR!" plate, when humanity first had physical proof to understand the scale of the Universe. Happy VARDay, everyone!
#Astronomy #Astrodon #HistoryOfScience #Science #Telescopes #MtWilson #VARDay
Show threadRichard Hendricks
@thomasconnor Does that star have a name? Can it be seen with midrange amateur equipment, like 5-8" telescopes? What is its period? Might make for a fun #AmateurAstronomy project. #AAVSO
Oct 6, 2023 at 4:21pmWeb
Show threadThomas ConnorOct 6, 2023

@hendric It's "V1" -- and we've gone back to look at it, since. Hubble used the 100 inch Hooker telescope, albeit with a photographic plate instead of modern CCDs. My wholly off-the-cuff guess would be you'd need something a little bigger than that, all the same.

But there have been follow on projects: https://hubblesite.org/contents/news-releases/2011/news-2011-15.html

Show threadRichard HendricksOct 6, 2023
@thomasconnor Looks like I just barely missed it in my 80mm f/5 with 30 minutes the last time I did an Andromeda picture a few years ago. https://hendric.smugmug.com/Hobbies/Astronomy/20201221-Dark-Skies-at-Bastrop/
I'm sure it's well within the mid-range of #AmateurAstronomy if a schmuck like me almost got it. I've since upgraded to a much better telescope and mount. I'll give it a try soon and see what I can get!
20201221 Dark Skies at Bastrop - hendric

Pictures taken under dark skies in Bastrop, TX

Show threadThomas ConnorOct 6, 2023
@hendric You might have also caught it in a faint period. Either, way, clear skies and good luck! It's wild what modern amateur scopes can do!
Show threadRichard HendricksOct 6, 2023
@thomasconnor Great point! I did find an article from a few years ago discussing capturing it with a 350mm high end telescope. I think my 90mm F/6 should be able to capture it though. It has much better focus and is apochromatic vs my ST80 F/5 "colors lol" old scope.
Show threadRichard HendricksOct 6, 2023
@thomasconnor I dunno, the zoom image on this is just baffling to me, it doesn't look like the right FoV at all. I didn't find any contact info for the author to ask for clarification on which star is V1. https://www.astronomy.com/science/the-star-that-changed-the-cosmos-m31-v1/ #astrodon #AmateurAstronomy
The star that changed the cosmos: M31-V1

An astroimager follows in Edwin Hubble’s footsteps to prove the utter vastness of our universe using a single star.

Astronomy Magazine
Show thread🔻 aetios 🇪🇺Oct 6, 2023
@hendric @thomasconnor Based on what I just learned reading up on this, the variable star that Hubble discovered seems to be in the top right of the plate, not in the area that you boxed. That is why the N in the top right is crossed out and VAR is scribbled down there.
Show threadRichard HendricksOct 6, 2023
@aetios @thomasconnor Dang, good catch! I'll have to look closer up there to tell *which* star is marked var.
Show threadRichard HendricksOct 6, 2023
@aetios @thomasconnor Looking closer at the Astronomy article, it has a fuller view of the plate than even Carnegie has on their website. https://obs.carnegiescience.edu/PAST/m31var
Hubble's Famous M31 VAR! plate

Show threadRichard HendricksOct 6, 2023
@aetios @thomasconnor Well it isn't as pretty as the other FoV, but I can align my crap image with the one from the article now. This image from a Hubble article points out the variable star and has yet another image of the plate with more detail visible. I think the bottom star in the faint triangle is V1. Looks like I didn't get it, but maybe with the better equipment I'll have a chance.
https://hubblesite.org/contents/media/images/2011/15/2851-Image.html?news=true
Thanks @aetios for the clarification on the location!
Show threadRichard HendricksOct 16, 2023
@aetios @thomasconnor I got it last night after the Annular Eclipse! Now I'm pretty happy! 90mm @ 540mm! 11x180s
#AmateurAstronomy #astrophotography