Best double stars to start with?

[stem1989]

Never tried splitting double stars before and thinking of giving it a go next clear night. I have unrestricted views East and south as well as north-east.

Which ones are going to be 'easy targets' easy to find & split. Using a 150p what eye piece would best be suited?

Sorry for the stupid questions but its something Id like to have a crack at

[Stu]

Alberio and Almaak are two lovely ones to try. Rigel is also good to try, can be trickier due to the brightness difference.

Epsilon Lyrae, the double double is a nice challenge although less well positioned at the moment.

Plenty in Orion to try, including the Trapezium in M42. Sigma Orionis is a lovely multiple.

http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/objects/doublestars/3309846.html?page=1&c=y

Stu

[Stu]

Generally doubles will take high power, it's nice to start high to split them then work down to see how low a magnification will still do it.

A properly cooled and collimated scope will definitely help with the tighter ones, as will good seeing conditions

Stu

[Tiki]

Almaak (gamma Andromedae) is especially beautiful and still well placed at the moment. Iota Cassiopeia is a particularly fine triple. http://www.jouscout.com/astro/belmont/belmontd.htm is a link to a very useful list.

I find that many non-astronomers are not often impressed by DSO's, however, a nice colour contrasting double on the other hand often impresses.

[MorningMajor]

Alberio was my first - lovely contrast

[alan potts]

Almach is a nice one, Rigel is worth a look and is a little more difficult. Sirius is very difficult but worth a try, I have done it with a 4 1/2 inch Refractor more than once but being in Bulgaria helps.

Alan.

[nightfisher]

My first was Alcor and Mizar in the plough, i still go back to them most nights

[lunator]

Eta Cass is lovely colour contrast pair' easy to split, east to find

[Davidv]

Castor in Gemini is a very impressive double. Algieba in Leo (Gamma Leonis) is also easy to find. You should split them with your 8 or 6mm eyepiece.

Cor Caroli in Canes Venatici is a beautiful double on a par with Albireo. It will be better placed as spring comes around as it is below the "handle" of the Plough, Ursa Major.

Another one, not quite so easy to find but worth the effort, is Beta Monocerotis in Monoceros to the left of Orion. This looks like a double but if you raise the magnification you will see it is a triple star. Your 6mm eyepiece should show it at x125. (I am assuming your 150p is F5, not F8)

Hope you find them and enjoy them.

Dave

[cotterless45]

East is a super direction, I'd try:

Kappa Geminorum ( the shoulder star of Pollux)

Eta Persei: top star

Iota Cancri: top star

Phi2 Cancri : to lower right of iota.

Tegmine in Cancer

Meissa top middle star of Orion and the fabulous

Beta Monoceros , one of the finest triple groups in the sky available to the Lhs of Orion.

Nick.

[Qualia]

Of the joys already mentioned, I'd also recommend Sigma Orionis.

[crashtestdummy]

another for Mizar,its a great double