Atlas of Double Stars

Toshimi Taki and Pete Wehner
September 2007

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1. INTRODUCTION
The goal of this atlas is to provide the amateur astronomers a series of charts that plot and label
double stars within the grasp of moderate-aperture instruments.

The United States Naval

Observatory’s Washington Double Star Catalog is the primary modern resource for doubles, binaries
and multiple star systems discovered to date. However, this catalog includes over 100,000 pairs,
many of which are beyond the capabilities of the average amateur telescope.

The following

criteria were selected to represent doubles that would be potentially visible in moderate-aperture
telescopes:
Doubles with a combined magnitude of about 7.0 or brighter
Angular separations greater than 0.5” and less than 200”
Secondary components that are magnitude 11 or brighter
Based on these criteria, over 2,000 double stars are plotted and labeled on the charts. A complete
list of the plotted doubles along with their specifications can be found in the downloadable Double
Star Atlas Data Spreadsheet.
In addition to the double stars, about 300 bright deep sky objects were plotted to broaden theusefulness of the atlas. They include all of the Messier and Caldwell objects and other brightobjects that have been described in various other works.

A complete list of the double stars anddeep sky objects plotted in the atlas can be found in the Double Star Atlas Data Spreadsheet.

2. SPECIFICATION OF THE ATLAS
2.1 GENERAL
The specification of the atlas is as follows.
Projection: Modified Transverse Mercator Projection
Number of Charts: 36
Scale: 3.9mm/degree
Chart Size: A4
Magnitude of Faintest Star: 7.0 (15,918 stars)
Double (Multiple) Stars labeled: 2053
Deep Sky Objects: 3042/5

2.2 LAYOUT OF CHARTS

Chart No.
1Decl. Range

RA Range

(deg)

(h)

+50 to +90

24h to 20h

220h to 16h

316h to 12h

412h to 8h

58h to 4h

64h to 0h

70 to +50

24h to 22h

822h to 20h

920h to 18h

1018h to 16h

1116h to 14h

1214h to 12h

1312h to 10h

1410h to 8h

158h to 6h

166h to 4h

174h to 2h

182h to 0h

19-50 to 024h to 22h

2022h to 20h

2120h to 18h

2218h to 16h

2316h to 14h

2414h to 12h

2512h to 10h

2610h to 8h

278h to 6h28

6h to 4h29

4h to 2h30

2h to 0h31-90 to -50

24h to 20h

32

20h to 16h

33

16h to 12h

34

12h to 8h

35

8h to 4h36

4h to 0h3/5

2.3 STAR LABELS
The following labeling convention was used on the charts and Double Star Atlas Data Spreadsheet:
Double stars with Bayer (lower-case Greek) letters- labeled with Bayer letters (Example: αGeminorum, aka Castor)
Double stars with Flamsteed numbers - labeled with Flamsteed numbers (Example 1 Arietis)
Doubles without Bayer or Flamsteed designations - labeled with the discoverer designation andcatalog number (Example: William Herschel (H), John Herschel (HJ), J. Dunlop (Δ), F. G. W.
Struve (Σ), O. Struve (ΟΣ), S. W. Burnham (β) and others)
See the Double Star Data Spreadsheet for more specific information on the labeling symbols used on
the charts (Designation Key worksheet).
2.4 DATA SPREADSHEETSThe Double Star Atlas Data Spreadsheet includes the Double Star Data worksheet which lists
detailed information for each double star labeled on the charts. Note that there are 2,053 doubles
labeled on the chart, but the number of entries in the Double Star Data worksheet is over 2,600.
Many of the doubles plotted on the chart are multiple stars; the worksheet lists the multiple
components for these stars.
The Deep Sky Object Data worksheet lists detailed information for the deep sky objects that areplotted and labeled on the chart.

3. DATABASE[1] B. D. Mason, G. L. Wycoff and W. I. Hartkopf, The Washington Double Star Catalog, Astrometry
Department, U.S. Naval Observatory (http://ad.usno.navy.mil/wds/wdstext.html#single)[2] "SAO Star Catalog J2000 (SAO Staff 1966; USNO, ADC 1990)"[3] D. Hoffleit, W. H. Warren Jr., "The Bright Star Catalogue, 5th Revised Ed. (PreliminaryVersion)," Astronomical Data Center, NSSDC/ADC (1991)[4] D. Hoffleit, M. Saladyga and P. Wlasuk, "A Supplement to the Bright Star Catalogue," Yale
University Obs. (1983)[5] A. C. Davenhall and S. K. Leggett, "A Catalogue of Constellation Boundary Data," (1990) -->There are some errors in the data.
[6] "Saguaro Astronomy Club Database," Version 7.2, (2000)[7] "Charles Messier's Catalog of Nebulae and Star Clusters"

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[8] Patrick Moore and the Editors of Sky & Telescope, "The Caldwell Catalog: 109 Deep-Sky
Delights for Backyard Observers," (1995)[9] "The Combined Table of General Catalogue of Variable Stars Volumes I-III, 4th Ed. (GCVS4)(Kholopov+ 1988) and Namelist of Variable Stars Nos.67-76 (Kholopov+, 1985-2001),"
Institute of Astronomy of Russian Academy of Sciences and Sternberg State AstronomicalInstitute of the Moscow State University.

Toshimi TakiPete WehnerThis work is a result of collaboration of Toshimi Taki and Pete Wehner.
Development of specification of the atlas:

T. Taki and P. WehnerCompilation of the double star list:

P. Wehner

Compilation of the deep sky object list:

T. Taki

Making the star charts:

T. Taki

Making the index charts:

T. Taki

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