Recommendations for first doubles?

[lw24]

Hi all,

I've been working my way through the Messier List, with my first telescope (Done 21 so far, since late Feb), and would like a break from faint fuzzies. I have read up on double stars, and would really like to have a go at splitting some.

Could you recommend some easy to split, fairly nice doubles for me to try.

So far on my list I have Mizar, and the Double Double.

Cheers

[mdstuart]

Try the Pole star. Its lovely at high power..

[Demonperformer]

Albireo is starting to be around at a decent time and is a must.

A little more challenging (but worth a go) is Castor, before it disappears into the twilight zone

[West End Wendy]

Cor Caroli's a good one - easy to find and not far from Mizar.

[lw24]

I've only got eyepieces + barlow that allow me to go up to 120x magnification, is this enough?

[Demonperformer]

That should be plenty for all of them

[ronin]

Astronomical Data - Colored Double Stars

or

Double Stars - TOP 200 most beautiful double stars

The second one is pretty long.

[Moonshane]

some of my favourites are Algieba (Gamma Leonis), Castor (Alpha Geminorum), Double Double (Epsilon Lyrae) and Izar (Epsilon Bootis. As mentioned Alberio is excellent too.

There are so many to have a go at though.

[lw24]

Will the CA of my 120mm Achromatic Refractor ruin double stars?

It's just when I look at a bright star, sometimes there's alot of CA.

Do you need much aperture to view double stars, as when I use aperture masks, the CA is drastically reduced.

Cheers

[Moonshane]

it really depends on the different aspects of the double. brightness (actual and comparative), separation etc.

best thing is give it a go! I think you'll be OK.

[John]

I think you will be able to resolve these doubles OK but the CA may affect the perception of the colour variations between the stars eg: Albireo in Cygnus.

[philj]

Faves around at the moment - Algieba, Castor, epsilon Bootes, kappa Bootes, delta Cass, a bit low but you may get beta Monerceros + loads more

Philj

PS and if you fancy a bit of a challenge try Porrima in Virgo, just split it at 200x in a 5" refractor the other night

[lunator]

I wouldn't worry about CA.

It just makes the colours different.

In my Newt the colours are quite muted and realistic.

In my ST120 the colours are more vivid.

Cheers

Ian

[Charon]

What is meant by spliting? Sorry if it's a pathetic much asked question but if you don't ask.........

cheers.

[brantuk]

Star systems can have two or more stars orbiting around each other - but from here it just looks like a single star in the sky. Soon as you put some magnification on them you realise there's two - because you've "split them apart"

Wander along the stars in the plough handle with binocs and see which are single stars and which are doubles.

(sometimes you realise there are 4 stars in a "double/double" system)

[Charon]

Cheers for that Kim.

[Pavel]

I think that very interesting is one of Turtles; I mean β Lyrae.

Excellent examples of variable and double stars are ones in Cassiopeia (e.g. : γ Cas also Cih).