Double stars. Why bother?

[sockgoblin]

3rd Jan 2017 I observed my first double star. Until now I had not really seen the point of looking at two stars when there are so many others and so many more interesting objects to have a go at. I had become obsessed with  working my way through the Messier list and was neglecting other objects. I decided to go for a double after reading a recommendation in "The Illustrated guide to Astronomical Wonders (Better than turn left at orion . In my opinion. ) to work through individual constellations so as to include objects other than Messiers.

The double was eta 24 (STF 60AB) in Cassiopeia. 
I used my skyliner 200p , at 32mm Panaview I thought than I could maybe see a small dot next to a bright star (maybe) .With bst 18mm and then 12mm and 8mm they resolved into a bright yellow star with a dimmer reddish orange companion with clear space between. 12mm was best giving the sharpest image It was one of those wow moments. Imagining actually being there, fabulous. 

Thats why I will now be bothering to do some doubles.

[johnfosteruk]

Great report. Doubles are very captivating and they're pretty robust too, they'll take a fair bit of light pollution so you can catch them when other targets are suffering.

Next you'll be buying the cambridge double star atlas.

[Mr Spock]

Double are suprisingly addictive. Once you are into them there's no stopping and there are thousands within reach of amateur scopes.

[sockgoblin]

5 minutes ago, Mr Spock said:

Double are suprisingly addictive. Once you are into them there's no stopping and there are thousands within reach of amateur scopes.

and youve been there Mr Spock

[Mr Spock]

Some of them

[wookie1965]

Have a look through this plenty of doubles here for you

dblstar2.pdf

[sockgoblin]

12 minutes ago, wookie1965 said:

Have a look through this plenty of doubles here for you

dblstar2.pdf

listeria....thanks 

[Size9Hex]

Another doubles fan here! 

They're strangely compelling and with seemingly endless variety for something that's just two stars next to each other! A great way to explore areas of the sky you would otherwise rarely visit too.

[Knighty2112]

Some doubles are beautiful to look at, and others are a challenge to split. The good thing is that you can view them even when other objects are hard because of the sky conditions. I'm working my way through them with the CDSA, so I'm hooked on them now too.  

[laudropb]

Glad to see you have become a convert.

[rockystar]

nearly every session I'll take a look at sigma orionis

 

[David Levi]

I spent my last observing session on Monday night this week working my way through the doubles in Orion as highlighted in Turn Left At Orion. Some of them couldn't be resolved into doubles on the night so I'll be trying them again either from my back garden hoping for better seeing or from a darker site. They are fascinating and addictive as other people have said.

[Paul73]

Dito here!

Sigma Orion, the Double Double, etc, etc.

I should spend more time on them.

Paul 

PS. As King of the Doubles, where is Nick C when you need him?

[Glimpse111]

every single object is a beauty

[alan potts]

I think Globular clusters are my favourites but I feel doubles come in second, some I have visited countless times.

Alan

[chiltonstar]

Welcome to doubles addiction syndrome! They do have a special charm I think as they are often really coloured, unlike faint fuzzies, and the sight of a pair of interlocked diffraction rings from close doubles shimmering as the seeing changes can be quite mesmerising. Add to that, the fact that with the (seemingly inevitable) march of LP here in the UK, the only objects to be seen up there soon will be doubles and planets!

Chris

[cotterless45]

Holy moly ! Thought I was seeing double reading the title !

My skies have got so bad that for sheer joy there are only binaries and clusters left . There are colours , challenges and magic in binaries. Add on the magic of triple and multiple stars and the imagination can only grasp how they'd look from s close planet.Your chance to see a red and white dwarf in orbit, your chance to thrash the limit of your gear and get down to 1.1".

Follow in the footsteps of Herschel   Burnham and Struve. Even  basic wide binaries are available to the beginner with simple gear, let's not sit on the fence or sidelines ! Binaries rule the town skies  ! Hurrah !

old Nick.

[jabeoo1]

 I was waiting for Nick to post to this thread ! 

[mikeDnight]

It's funny really how such interesting, often challenging and yet always beautiful targets are so often overlooked, even though they are so easily accessible! 

Mike

[Paz]

I agree multiple star systems are great targets and unfairly neglected by maps and books, which usually focus on dso's.

The Cambridge double star atlas and Burnham's books are good for these targets, and I've just downloaded some double star lists into sky safari making it much easier to pick out interesting doubles to go for.

 

[sockgoblin]

On 04/01/2017 at 21:31, rockystar said:

nearly every session I'll take a look at sigma orionis

 

duly added to my"TO SEE" list

[sockgoblin]

many thanks all for the links , books and comments. As a newcomer I have had access to enormous amounts of info helps and tips ,it is almost overwhelming, so much to see and initially frustrating to find. So the books , web pages and mags give priority to targets giving instant gratification and tend to focus on Messiers and the Solar system . Doubles dont look as good in a magazine and take a bit more work to split , its you lot and the good astronomy writers who help point the way.

On 05/01/2017 at 08:19, chiltonstar said:

Welcome to doubles addiction syndrome! They do have a special charm I think as they are often really coloured, unlike faint fuzzies, and the sight of a pair of interlocked diffraction rings from close doubles shimmering as the seeing changes can be quite mesmerising. Add to that, the fact that with the (seemingly inevitable) march of LP here in the UK, the only objects to be seen up there soon will be doubles and planets!

Chris

I think you have nailed it there. The apparent single bright white star resolving into two stars of definite and distinct colours is part of the wow.

[Davey-T]

29 minutes ago, sockgoblin said:

 Doubles dont look as good in a magazine and take a bit more work to split , its you lot and the good astronomy writers who help point the way.

 

Astromomy Now has a double star of the month feature, this month it's 1 Camelopardalis and always includes some interesting info.

Dave

[sockgoblin]

On 04/01/2017 at 18:11, johnfosteruk said:

Great report. Doubles are very captivating and they're pretty robust too, they'll take a fair bit of light pollution so you can catch them when other targets are suffering.

Next you'll be buying the cambridge double star atlas.

noted ....and cambridge star atlas has been added to the growing pile of astronomy books

[JOC]

Castor was my first double - an easy win and it split easily with the 10mm in my setup.  No colour difference though, but as I sort of found it by accident it was a nice fin, I am keen to try sigma orionis, but it hasn't been clear since rockystar told me about it.