Double Star Catalogue Sorted

[Mr Spock]

Sometimes I can be really dim. I've been wanting a good double star chart/catalogue for sometime. I have WDS installed in CdC, but, it's difficult to use as you have to click on the star to get the data - and there are hundreds on each page view...

Yesterday I was talking to a guy from the Webb Society at IAS when I realised, hidden away in a cupboard, I have a copy of Webb's Celestial Objects for Common Telescopes, 1962 version, which I purchased in 1973. It has all the data for me to cross-reference with CdC. Some of the fast moving binaries are out of date, but even so...

With WDS activated in CdC, I turned off star labels and turned on double star labels and reduced the mag difference to 0.

Now, as an example, I look at Bootes in CdC. I note just north of Arcturus is STF1825. I open up Webb's, go to Bootes, and look up Σ1825, which gives 6.8, 8.5, 3"4. WDS says 6.47, 8.42, 4"2 - close enough.

I can now do what I wanted to do. I can look up doubles (in Webb's), print out a CdC chart with double star labels, and go straight to them.

Sorted

[MahlerMoonMan]

This is me being dim, probably ... What's CdC?

Donaldo

[ronin]

Cartes du Ciel

It is similar to Stellarium.

Each has their own characteristics and some like one some the other.

The sneaky ones have both.

Don't worry, I know what it is and still have to use google to find out the correct name every time, and that is after about 7 years.

[MahlerMoonMan]

Many thanks Ronin ... I've got stellarium, I might though have a look at CdC ....

Donaldo

[Merlin66]

Another option is to consider AstroPlanner for preparing (and recording) your observing lists.

It has hundreds of catalogues built in and works seamlessly with CdC.

You could for example sort the double star catalogue for doubles north of 65 deg dec and separations between 2 -5 arc sec.....

Wonderful aid for all amateurs - highly recommended.