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Gamma Virginis with rainbows

Started by einari, 04/01/2003 03:53PM
Posted 04/01/2003 03:53PM Opening Post
Last friday I took this image of Gamma Virginis - a double star with 1.6" separation.
When I processed the image I noticed these rainbows.
I wonder why these came out.
Last time I did a similar image and didn't get any colors:
http://members.surfeu.fi/tapiol/astro/ds/SAO112921_091002.htm
Is this a collimation problem ? Focus should have been ok.
I thought Mak-Cassegrains were pretty immune of collimation problems.
StarMax 127, 10mm Baader, webcam

Thanks
Tapio

Attached Image:

einari's attachment for post 4922
Posted 04/01/2003 07:00PM #1
What was the altitude of the star? If it was low toward the horizon, atmospheric dispersion may have done this. At low angles, the atmosphere does the same thing a prism does - it spreads out the spectrum.

Ron Wodaski
http://www.newastro.com

Ron Wodaski
New Astronomy Press
http://www.newastro.com