Barnard's Star

The second-closest star to our sun is Barnard's Star, just under 6 ly distant.  Technically, it is the fourth closest star because the nearer Alpha Centauri  system consists of three stars.

The closest member of the Alpha Centauri trio is Proxima. At a distance of 4.25 ly, it has a visual magnitude ranging between 10.3 and 11.1.  Barnard's Star has a visual magnitude of 9.5, which makes it 2.3 times brighter than Proxima, and an easy target in a small telescope if you know where to look.

Barnard's Star is located in the constellation Ophiuchus.  At this time of year this constellation is rising in the east after twilight.

Ophiuchus rising over Snowshoe Mountain.

 This photo was taken with a Sony A7iii camera and a Samyang AF 35mm f/1.8 lens and Hoya Softon filter.  There are very strong bands of purple and green airglow present.  The bright star near top center is Rasalhague, Alpha Ophiuchi.  The location of Barnard's star is very near the center of this image.

A closer look is provided with an Olympus E-M1iii + 75mm f/1.8 lens (and softon filter).

Barnard's Star is circled.  The bright star top center is Cebalrai, Beta Ophiuchi.

 An even closer look:

 The open star cluster (top center) to the left of Beta Ophiuchi is IC 4665.

Although I have photographed Barnard's Star many times, last night was one of the few times (maybe the first?) that I have used a telescope to see it with my own eyes.  A Celestron C8 Schmidt-Cassegrain and a Pentax XW 40mm eyepiece (50x) provided an excellent view.  I also tried to pick it out with a 10x50 binocular, but the view was too shaky free-handed. 

 

Scorpius rising over Snowshoe Mtn.  Samyang AF 35mm f/1.8, softon filter.

Antares rising.  Olympus 75mm f/1.8, softon filter.

 

Omega Centauri.  Olympus 75mm f/1.8.

I was wrong about not being able to see Omega Centauri from the back yard.  However, the time is very short between when it emerges from behind the cabin on the hill and then sets behind the distant ridgeline.

In spite of the strong airglow visible near the horizon, the measured sky brightness overhead at midnight was sqml=21.65, which is very respectable.