Double Star Section
Introduction
The Double Star Section exists to help and encourage observers interested in the observation of visual double stars. The specific objectives are to make measurements and to publish the results.
To this end the Section has recently published its 30th Circular which contains measures of visual double stars using micrometers, CCD cameras and on-line astrometry. The total number of double star observations published in this series is almost 86,000.
Copies of the Circulars are sent to the maintainers of the WDS catalogue at the United States Naval Observatory.
Bob Argyle - Double Star Section Director
Double Star of the Month archive
In this series of short articles, a double star in both the northern and southern hemispheres will be highlighted for observation with small telescopes, with new objects being selected for each month.
For those that use SkyTools observation planning software
We have a plan available covering all the Double Star of the Month pieces for SkyTools 3 users, and we also have a Double Star of the Month list for SkySafari too.
We will try to keep these updated as new double stars are added. Please note that this list is for SkyTools V3 but it can be imported into SkyTools V4.
Double Star Section Circulars
The Section publishes these Circulars which contain measures of visual double stars using micrometers, CCD cameras and on-line astrometry as well as a discussion of the nature of possible visual binary system.
Electronic versions of all the Double Star Section Circulars (DSSC) can be downloaded in PDF format from this archive.
Double Star Section Resources
- An excellent animation of the orbital motion of Mizar A by Dr. Christian A. Hummel (ESO) using data from the Navy Precision Optical Interferometer (NPOI).
- Clear Skies Observing Guides: Struve Double Stars containing object data, but no images. Since the Washington Double Star Catalog (WDS) is (mostly) included in SkySafari, SkyList files are included.
