The Cambridge Double Star Atlas

[goober (Doug)]

Just admiring this book that turned up this morning.

A spiral backed atlas, not too large - around twice the area of the Pocket Sky Atlas. The paper quality feels quite dew resistant.

Features include a thorough introduction, including observing techniques, the many double star designations that appear on the maps, references and a "showpiece" section of 133 double stars.

The 30 maps are well done - black stars on white background plotted in 0.5 magnitude sizes down to < 7.5, red galaxies, yellow clusters, mustard nebula, blue constellation lines, lavender shades for the milky way, and the highlight ... many, many labeled double stars in green. No anonymous blob with a bar through it (well, they are still there... but now they have a name!).

Appendices include constellation list, greek alphabet, and a 50 page index of every plotted double star sorted by RA. We get the object and constellation, the designation, plotted position, separation, magnitude and so on.

If you're a double star fan who wants a compact atlas with the designations plotted right on the maps, check it out.

[Miaplacidus (Brian)]

Sounds good. I guess it would compliment the author's "Double & Multiple Stars, and How to Observe Them". Where did you get it?

Cheers,

Brian.

[goober (Doug)]

Amazon.com.

[Miaplacidus (Brian)]

Yes, I like doubles myself. Unfortunately, most electronic hand controllers list stars only with their SAO, whilst catalogues eschew this in favour of WDS and even the old Herschel and Struve numbers. Years ago I made the effort to match them, but I wish charts would include SAOs somewhere.

Anyway, I'll be interested to hear how it goes "out in the field".

[Robh (Rob)]

The Cambridge Double Star Atlas

Originally Posted by goober

Appendices include constellation list, greek alphabet, and a 50 page index of every plotted double star sorted by RA. We get the object and constellation, the designation, plotted position, separation, magnitude and so on.

Doug.
Does it make any distinction between known optical doubles (chance alignments) and actual binaries (physical systems)?
Regards, Rob

[Enchilada]

I posted today in Observational Astronomy Forum about a 'Free" Double Star Catalog, only to find a similar placed here in General Chat. So instead I have reposted here in case someone missed it. (IMO the cost of the Cambridge Atlas is too expensive to justify the purchase. )

+++++++++++++++++++++

Those here might be aware that there was recently issued a "NEW: Cambridge Double Star Atlas", which can be bought at some expense. This Atlas was drawn Will Tirion, the same person who did the various popular sky atlases currently used by amateurs. Needless to say there are alternatives to this on the Net, whose usefulness is likely as good but cost nothing to download.

A good introductory one is the "Atlas of Double Stars" by Toshimi Taki and Pete Wehner, which can be obtained from the link http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~zs3t-tk/index.htm (Under . Astronomy>Tools of Observation>Atlas of Double Stars (updated on March 2, 2008)

This atlas lists double stars that have the combined magnitude if 7.0 or brighter, whose angular separations are between 0.5 and 200 arcsec, and secondary companions that are brighter than 11th magnitude.
The scale of the thirty-six charts are in A4 (or other formats too) was scale is 39mm/ degree. They can be downloaded in four. c. 1 Mb bits. (If I were to be slightly negative, there is a lack of overlap with the charts mainly around +50 and -50 degrees declination. Annoying, but at least no pair within the range is missing.

In all there are more than 2053 double stars here that will easily satisfy those new to double stars. Some 304 bright deep-sky objects are included - most easy targets for amateur 'scopes.

Also for download is a basic catalogue of all objects presented in chart order.

There are some general drawbacks, however, that I have noticed. For example, Gamma Crucis and Alpha Circinus are not listed as double stars - especially annoying as these doubles are popular among amateur astronomers. Indeed, I suspect the southern portion is a little neglected compared to the north.

Highly recommended for a newbee.

(A sample of the chart is given of the Pointers and the Southern Cross.)

Note: Also available is the Taki's Star Atlas, and an A3 "Taki's 8.5 Magnitude Star Atlas." You can also make your own or modify the atlas using Powerpoint and Excel. A bit technical, but useful if you have some specialist usage -- like images you have taken or some specialised selection of objects. (I haven't used it, but it does look fairly easy.)

[goober (Doug)]

Originally Posted by Robh

The Cambridge Double Star Atlas



Doug.
Does it make any distinction between known optical doubles (chance alignments) and actual binaries (physical systems)?
Regards, Rob

Rob, as far as I can tell, only the 133 "showpiece" doubles mention if it's an optical or physical binary. The lengthy catalogue in appendix C don't appear to distinguish.

[goober (Doug)]

Originally Posted by Enchilada

I posted today in Observational Astronomy Forum about a 'Free" Double Star Catalog, only to find a similar placed here in General Chat. So instead I have reposted here in case someone missed it. (IMO the cost of the Cambridge Atlas is too expensive to justify the purchase. )

Gracias, Enchilada... I didn't know about the Taki stuff. The Cambridge Atlas was $22 US from Amazon which I thought was a bargin.