Customer Reviews

The Cambridge Double Star Atlas

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a rather nice atlas with good and complete list of the most interesting doubles and multiples. The maps are perfect. However, 1) I found an error in the table data during the first night of the usage and 2) position angles in the tables are really necessary but unfortunately they are missing.

Any college-level collection strong in astronomy must have this atlas of double stars: it pairs a lay-flat spiral binding with spine letters for maximum library efficiency and practical use, it offers the first modern star atlas focusing on double and multiple stars, and labels near 2,000 pairs with plot points and observatory designations in a treasure trove of deep-sky observation.

I was reluctant to write a review for this Atlas as the "Look Inside" pictures say a thousand words; but I had to share my appreciation for this well presented book. It's a brilliant Atlas for stargazers seeking those alluring jewels in the night sky. Clear and vivid colours of the different objects and constellations with a guide on the top of each page and most importantly the Double (or Multiple stars) are clearly labelled. Whilst it's dedicated to Double stars it can be used as a general atlas for other objects though the appendix provided is dedicated to the constellations and the double stars only. The "Look Inside" option was very helpful for me to preview the book before purchasing it as at the time I ordered it there were no reviews yet. I have no regrets; this is a treasure and a job well done. It will take its place right by my side with my pocket sky atlas and the Atlas 2000.0 on my starry nights.
Nevertheless, I wish there was a CD with those Maps so I can print them and Laminate them before heading out.
Just to note, this is not a tutorial or a how to book, it's not a book intended for learning about telescopes or astronomy. Its spot on Double Stars Atlas.

Here is an effort that deserves a standing ovation! Thirty seconds into opening this book I found myself grinning and purring like a cheshire cat. A very nice star atlas indeed. Maps are large and clear, and double star notation is versatile and up to date (see p3 for key to different naming conventions- worth the price of the book there).
This book is a great complement to Sissy Haas' Double Stars for Small Telescopes (one of my favorites). In fact, I spent an afternoon cross checking Centaurus and Crux and found great correspondence between the two books with no errors.

My only complaint is that the index of double stars is presented with R.A. as the dominant field. That makes the tables not too user friendly for planning observation sessions without extensive flipping around. I mean, don't we all plan double star sessions per constellation instead of by R.A.?! It would be super nice if this info was made available on a CD to the book. That would truly make things easy!

Since I finished the Herschel 1 list and am already well into the Herschel 2's, I was looking for another observing project to add to my goals. I've never really given double stars much thought since I split Epsilon Lyrae with my 8" reflector back in 1967. However, when I checked the Astronomical League (AL) list of observing challenges (or goals), the double star list just jumped out at me. Why not? The 100 on the list are well within range of my 16" scope, and I can even do many of them on crummy nights. With that in mind, I printed out the list.

My problem with that AL list is that some of them are not easy to find on either the Tirion or Megastar. I'm no wiz with coordinates, so between the obvious star names and hunting and pecking with the declination and right ascension numbers, I located most of them. However, the AL decided to list some of them with the Struve numbers. The Struve numbers? I guess that really brought out my ignorance of double stars!

I was in conversation with my friend, Roger Ivester and he mentioned he knew one of the authors (James Mullaney) of this new double star book. He told me the book would be coming out in a week or two and I should get it if I want to get serious about double stars. I ordered it and when the book arrived, I was not only pleasantly surprised, but in OCD hog heaven.

The book is well organized, has listings for over 2000 double stars, and includes all the Struve numbers. Every double listed is highlighted in green on the specialized Tirion charts that were specially drawn for this project. It didn't take me long to find all those odd doubles I couldn't locate with the regular Tirion or Megastar.

The book is spiral bound but the job is not some thrown together Office Depot project. It is professionally done. The charts are well thought out, though a little awkward if you are used to a regular Tirion.

After receiving this book, I can not only pursue the AL 100 list, but now I have over 2,000 more to find! All of them are in the range of 2.6" up to 14" scopes so my 16" sould work fine for all 2,000+ of them.

The book even smells good! If you are a double star enthusiast, or just want to add to your collection of reference books, this one is "da bomb." Highly recommended.

2,400 pairs(good for 2- to 14-inch telescopes) are labeled, mostly with a green Struve designation.

The atlas,
25,000 stars(plotted in half-magnitude steps, beautiful!) to magnitude 7.5, 900 deep-sky objects. Basically the same stars, same star clusters, same galaxies, few nebulae after a quick look, compared with Sinnott's Pocket Sky Atlas. The idea of the atlas is 30 charts on 30 CROSSING pages, with constellation stick figures, arrows showing adjacent chart numbers. Each page(half of one chart) is twice the size as in Pocket Sky Atlas. The arrangement of the charts is like Sky Atlas 2000.0-8 charts for constellations on celestial equator, another 6+4+1 charts for each hemisphere. The index chart is two hemispheres.

At the front are the introduction and a 10-page table of 133 showpieces. At the back is a 56-page table of all labeled pairs. Tables(with green shade on every other line) show well under red light.

The cover is tough. A sin:) to print the text, tables on the same kind of paper the charts are on, but such a delight to touch.

this is among the two or three most stimulating and encouraging books that one could give to an aspiring young astronomer or adult novice. the core of this volume is the star atlas of 30 double page color plates, beautifully designed by wil tirion at the handsome scale of 4 degrees per inch. the atlas shows all stars down to magnitude 7.5 (and sometimes fainter), along with hundreds of deep sky objects (galaxies, clusters, nebulae, etc.) and the milky way isophotes, printed on durable semigloss paper and spiral bound to open easily and lie flat. it's a star atlas that can serve the general amateur observer, whatever his or her specific interest, for many years of detailed sky exploration.

following the atlas is a 55 page list of about 2400 double and multiple stars, tabulated in easy to read alternating green/white bands. for each multiple star is given its bayer/flamsteed name, common designation in a double star catalog (struve, burnham, aitken, herschel, etc.), its celestial coordinates, magnitudes, and angular separation(s). all the stars in the list are marked in the atlas by the catalog designation and a thin line drawn through the star symbol, which makes the stars easy to identify. (preceding the list is a list of constellations with the chart pages they appear on, and a key to greek letters.)

introducing the volume is an excellent overview of double star astronomy by the late james mullaney, including tips on observing, a summary of the star catalogs from which the main list was compiled, and his own pick of 80 "double and multiple star showpieces", which includes some spectacular and splendid specimens that are sure to fire the enthusiasm of any amateur observer.

i said this is an excellent beginner's book because double stars are among the most breathtaking and exciting sights it is possible to see in the night skies, and because they are also among the easiest to find and to study with a small telescope -- in contrast to those elusive emission nebulae, faint galaxies, ghostly planetary nebulae and straggly star clusters that crowd out double stars in the deep sky handbooks. unlike the planets or the moon, double stars reveal their beauties almost immediately and consistently, especially the wider spaced and more colorful pairs, which can be enjoyed even in poor seeing. it is enthralling to contemplate these thousands of stars, almost all of them bigger and brighter than our sun, tangled in their timeless mutual orbits, and to reflect on the nature of a universe that can so profusely produce them.

Outstanding charts that can double as a replacement for your aging Sky atlas 2000. A fantastic reference for double stars. The listing of doubles in back is organized by RA and thus is difficult to plumb. PA values are left out, and this is a loss.

This is an excellent and well produced atlas, covering not only double starts, but also a selection of deep sky objects. My only gripe is that I wish it were hardcover, like Norton's (I rate it as superior on content, at least to the modern Norton's editions).

I actually got it for the nice size, ring binding, and great number of deep sky objects. I'm working on the H400 list and this has been my workhorse atlas for at the eyepiece use.