Submilliarcsecond VLBI Observations of the Close Pair GC 1342+662 and GC 1342+663

Differential VLBI was simultaneously performed on the source pair GC 1342+662 and GC 1342+663 (4.4-arcminute separation) using S-band on the Goldstone/Madrid baseline. These measurements were acquired on two separate observing sessions: 30 December 1982 and 14 May 1983. The change in separation of GC 1342+662 relative to GC 1342+663 between the two epochs was 0.03 + or 0.08 milliarcsecond. The differences of the relative position measurements between epochs of GC 1342+662 relative to GC 1342+663 were -0.29 + or - 0.05 milliarcsecond in right ascension and 0.14 + or - 0.09 milliarcsecond in declination. These measurements demonstrate submilliarcsecond accuracy and repeatability. The discrepancies outside of the formal uncertainties could be attributed to the intrinsic properties of the sources such as structure and to a lesser probability, proper motion. These discrepancies could also be attributed to excursions in UT1-UTC of about four times the quoted BIH uncertainty.