The observation of Visual Double Stars is my main preoccupation in the field of Astronomy - although I also do a lot of webcaming of planets etc through the Society's scope. Indeed, applying webcaming techniques can be a useful tool in the study of Visual Double Stars.

I have been observing this type of object since 1995, recording what I have seen in a logbook/database and drawing sketches of the arrangements of stars. But since 2002/2003, I have been actively taking Position Angle (PA) and Separation (Sep) measurements of the components involved using my own 8" Meade SCT and the Doncaster Astronomical Society's 14" Meade SCT since 2005.

Below are two tables giving the values I have obtained for various Visual Double/Close Binary Stars. The first table gives my observed results and the current published measures by the WDS for the date concerned, using the 14" SCT and the second shows measures made with my own Meade 8" SCT.

By clicking on the Star Name, a pop-up will be displayed showing either a webcam image or a sketch of the Visual Double Star along with star info. It is my intention to replace these sketches with webcam images as time on the Society's scope permits.

For images of Doubles that I have not measured, click here.

Washington Double Star Database Measures Observer's Measures
Catalog ID Star Name RA Dec Spec Mags Year PA* Sep* Date PA^ Sep^ PA Diff Sep Diff N
STF 1877AB Epsilon Bootes 14:45.0 +27:04 K0II-III 2.5  4.8 2004 343 2.8 10/05/2005 340.0 2.5 -3.0 -0.3 1
STF 2382AB Epsilon1 Lyra 18:44.3 +39:40 A4V F1V 5.0  6.1 2001 352 2.5 12/05/2005 354.0 2.0 2.0 -0.5 1
STF 2383 Cc-D Epsilon2 Lyra 18:44.3 +39:40 F8Vn F0Vn 5.2  5.3 2001 83 2.3 12/05/2005 88.0 2.9 5.0 0.6 1
STF 2417AB Theta Serpens 18:56.2 +04:12 A5V A5Vn 4.5  4.9 2003 104 22.1 21/05/2005 104.0 22.7 0.0 0.6 1
STFA 43Aa-B Beta Cygnus 19:30.7 +27:58 K3III B0V 3.1  5.1 2003 55 34.7 21/05/2005 54.6 34.2 -0.4 -0.5 2
STF 60AB Eta Cassiopeia 00:49.1 +57:49 G0V dM0 3.5  7.3 2003 319 13.0 10/07/2005 315.0 12.7 -4.0 -0.3 1
STF 1821 Kappa Bootes 14:13.5 +51:47 A7V F1V   4.5  6.6 2003 235 13.5 10/07/2005 234.7 13.3 -0.3 -0.2 1
STF 2758AB 61 Cygnus 21:06.9 +38:45 K5V K7V 5.3  6.1 2004 151 31.1 10/07/2005 150.7 31.9 -0.3 0.8 1
STF 2140Aa-B Alpha Hercules 17:14.6 +14:23 M5Ib-II 3.4  5.4 2003 104 4.8 10/07/2005 104.3 4.7 0.3 -0.1 1
STFA 26AB Iota Bootes 14:16.2 +51:22 A7IV K0V 4.7  7.3 2003 32 38.7 10/07/2005 32.3 39 0.3 0.3 1
STF 2759AB Delta Cygnus 19:45.0 +45:08 B9.5IV 2.8  6.2 2004 225 2.5 27/08/2005 225.6 2.5 0.6 0.0 1
STF 2909 Zeta Aquarii 22:28.8 -00:01 F3IV-V 4.3  4.4 2004 178 2.0 02/09/2005 176.6 2.0 -1.4 0.0 1
STF 1523AB Xi Ursa Major 11:18.2 +31:32 F9V G9V 4.3  4.8 2004 245 1.7 05/02/2006 243.6 1.8 -1.4 0.1 1
STF 2140Aa-B Alpha Hercules 17:14.6 +14:23 M5Ib-II 3.4  5.4 2005 105 4.9 05/07/2006 104.5 4.74 -0.5 -1.26 2
STF 2272AB 70 Ophiuchus 18:05.5 +02:30 K0V K4V 4.2  6.2 2005 137 5.0 07/07/2006 137.6 5.02 0.6 0.02 2
STFA 43Aa-B Beta Cygnus 19:30.7 +27:58 K3III B0V 3.1  5.1 2005 55 35.0 19/07/2006 55.0 34.45 0.0 -0.55 1

The following table contains Double Star measures that I have made with my 8" SCT.

Washington Double Star Database Measures Observer's Measures
Catalog ID Star Name RA Dec Spec Mags Year PA Sep Date PA Sep PA Diff Sep Diff N
STF 528 Chi Taurus 04:22.6 +25:38 B9Vnn F8V 5.3  8.4 1999 24 19.1 26/01/2003 25.0 19.2 1.0 0.1 1
STF 1692 Alpha CVn 12:56.0 +38:19 A0pSiEuHg 2.8  5.5 2000 229 19.4 21/03/2003 229.5 19.5 0.5 0.1 2
STF 1888 Xi Bootes 14:51.4 +19:06 G8V  K5V 4.7  6.9 2002 316 6.6 20/06/2003 316.5 6.5 0.5 -0.1 1
STF 1877AB Epsilon Bootes 14:45.0 +27:04 K0II-III 2.5/4.8 2002 344 2.8 20/06/2003 344.3 2.8 0.3 0.0 1
STF 2272AB 70 Oph 18:05.5 +02:30 K0V  K4V 4.2  6.2 2002 143 4.4 16/08/2003 131.4 4.5 -11.6 0.1 2
STF 2922Aa-B 8 Lacerta 22:35.9 +39:38 B2Ve  B5 5.6 6.2 2002 185 22.2 07/10/2003 155.0 22.2 -30.0 0.0 1
STF 2894AB STF 2894AB Lac 22:18.9 +37:46 A8III 6.2  8.8 2002 194 15.8 07/10/2003 161.0 15.8 -33.0 0.0 1
STF 2140Aa-B Alpha Hercules 17:14.6 +14:23 M5Ib-II 3.4  5.4 2002 105 4.7 07/10/2003 107.0 4.6 2.0 -0.1 1
STF 2161Aa-B Rho Hercules 17:23.7 +37:09   4.5  5.4 2002 321 3.9 07/10/2003 279.5 4 -41.5 0.1 1
STF 2264AB 95 Hercules 18:01.5 +21:36 A5IIIn 4.8  5.2 2002 257 6.3 07/10/2003 236.7 6.8 -20.3 0.5 1
STF 2758AB 61 Cygnus 21:06.9 +38:45 K5V K7V 5.3  6.1 2002 150 31.1 07/10/2003 111.7 30.8 -38.3 -0.3 1
STF 744Aa-C Zeta Orion 05:40.7 -01:57 O9.5Ibe 1.8  9.5 1991 10 57.7 30/12/2003 10.0 57.6 0.0 -0.1 1
STF 668 A-BC Beta Orionis 05:14.5 -08:12 B8Iae 0.3  6.8 2001 203 9.2 30/12/2003 202.8 9.3 -0.2 0.1 2
STF 180 Gamma2 Aries 01:53.5 +19:18 A1pSi B9V 4.5  4.5 2001 0.6 7.4 12/01/2004 350.0 7.5 10.4 0.1 1
STF 2417AB Theta Serpens 18:56.2 +04:12 A5V  A5Vn 4.5  4.9 2002 104.0 22.5 02/07/2004 104.0 22.4 0.0 -0.1 1
STF 1744 Aa-B Zeta Ursa Majoris 13:23.9 +54:56 A1VpSrSi 2.2  3.8 2002 152 14.6 02/07/2004 154.0 13.7 2.0 -0.9 1
STF 60AB Eta Cassiopeia 00:49.1 +57:49 G0V  dM0 3.5  7.3 2003 319 13.0 27/08/2004 318.0 12 -1.0 -1.0 1
STF 222 59 Andromeda 02:10.9 +39:02 B9V  A1Vn 6.0  6.7 2002 36 16.5 28/08/2004 28.8 16.4 -7.2 -0.1 1
STF 79 STF 79 And 01:00.1 +44:43 B9.5V  A2V 6.0  6.7 2002 194 7.8 28/08/2004 195.0 6.87 1.0 -0.9 1
STF 205 A-BC Gamma1 And 02:03.9 +42:20 K3IIb 2.3  5.0 2001 64 9.8 28/08/2004 62.6 9.9 -1.4 0.1 1
STF 2727 Gamma2 Delphinus 20:46.7 +16:07 K1IV  F7V 4.3  5.0 2000 266 9.2 04/09/2004 256.8 9.95 -9.2 0.8 1
STF 1110AB Alpha Gemini 07:34.6 +31:53 A1V A2Vm 1.9/2.9 2004 62 4.2 11/01/2006 59.0 4.7 -3 0.5 1

Updated 2/8/2006

All images are Copyright © 2006 John Cox
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