26 - April, May, June

Summary

As this season opens, the excitement of Orion is now at our disposal in the early evening. R Leonis is a fine star, and then you can move your thoughts and your telescope to RY Leonis, a long period star that is easy to find.

Next, move over to the Big Dipper region, to a small region that houses the “Dipper Trio”. It consists of two long period variables, T and RS Ursae Majoris, with closely matched periods, and S UMa with a shorter period but altogether a brighter star. Spring also offers perhaps the most unusual dwarf nova of all, Z Camelopardalis, a star whose exploding fluctuations are often interrupted by standstills.

Lynx

072046 Y Lyncis. Red and bright, this semiregular has a half magnitude range from 7.2 to 7.8 and a possible but imperfectly defined period of about 110 days. To find this star with your binoculars, go about 13 degrees east of Beta Aurigae. Difficult to follow usefully because of its small range. Observe it only once a month, no Moon, constant observing conditions from one observation to another, same pair of binoculars, and watch out for the Purkinje effect. The more you keep observing conditions constant, the more accurate your Y Lyn picture will be. Level 2.

061359 U Lyncis. Mira star. Range 9.5–14.4; period 436 days. Level 3.