Alpha Ara
Brightest Star in Ara
Uploaded 8/18/26

 
Seen
            best on the meridian in early summer evenings is the bright star
            Tchou - Alpha Arae. Located in the northernmost constellation
            of Ara which is the Altar to the Olympian gods. This 3rd magnitude
            B3 star is also a challenging double star, with components at
            magnitude 3 and 11 separated by 55 arcseconds. This 3x2 degree
            field also captures the faint and sparse globular cluster NGC6352
            at upper right, and about half of the open cluster IC465 on the
            right edge. At -50 south declination, this star sits only six
            degrees up here in Payson, but is very obvious visually with
            the naked eye.

            


            
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1400 x 1200

Technical Data: Sigma 160mm f/5.3, ASI294 MC, RGB = 15 mins total, Payson, Az. 

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