Article contentIf you choose to look for double stars, I must warn you, the hunt can become quite addictive. Having observed a few optical doubles, you may fall down the rabbit hole and challenge yourself to see just how many double stars you can find.Article content Circinus X-1, an X-ray binary star system, taken by the Chandra X-ray Observatory. NASAArticle contentCan be found in all seasonsArticle contentFor those of you who do succumb to the temptation, you might want to have a look at the comprehensive Washington Double Star Catalogue at astro.gsu.edu/wds/Article contentA word of warning, though: if you do decide to surrender to the dark desire of observing double stars, I would advise keeping a list of the double stars you do observe. Not only will compiling a list of the doubles observed keep you from losing your way amongst the stars and repeating your observations, it will also give you a great deal of satisfaction in seeing how quickly your list will grow.Article contentOf course, once you have compiled a list of summer double stars, you could always have a look at the autumn, winter and spring doubles.Article contentArticle contentThe nice thing about hunting for doubles is that they can be observed on any clear night regardless of the season.Article contentFor a comprehensive list of double stars visible in binoculars, go to astroleague.org/files/u3/BinocDoubleStarList.pdf. Good hunting!Article contentThis week’s skyArticle contentMercury (mag. +1.3, in Cancer – the Crab) is not readily observable this coming week, as it only reaches about nine degrees above the eastern horizon by dawn.Article contentThis is a busy week for Mercury: on Aug. 19, it reaches its greatest elongation west of the sun, and on Aug. 21, it reaches dichotomy or its half-lit phase. Also on Aug. 21, Mercury and the thin crescent moon will be in conjunction with one another, and may possibly be visible to the naked eye just above the pre-dawn eastern horizon, depending on where you live and if you have a clear view of the eastern horizon, before both fade from view as dawn breaks.Article contentArticle contentVenus (mag. -4.0, in Gemini – the Twins) rises in the east around 3:15 a.m. ADT, reaching 25 degrees above the eastern horizon before fading from view into the brightening dawn by about 5:50 a.m. ADT.Article contentMars (mag. +1.6, in Virgo – the Maiden) is not observable this coming week, as it is no higher than 4 degrees above the western horizon at dusk.Article contentJupiter (mag. -1.9, in Gemini – the Twins), visible to the upper right of Venus, rises in the east around 2:40 a.m. ADT, reaching 30 degrees above the eastern horizon before fading from view in the brightening dawn around 5:50 a.m. ADT.Article contentSaturn (mag. +0.8, in Pisces – the Fish) becomes accessible by about 10:45 p.m. ADT, when it reaches 11 degrees above the eastern horizon, before reaching its highest point in the sky 41 degrees above the southern horizon by around 3:30 a.m. ADT, and then becoming lost in the dawn twilight around 5:30 a.m. ADT 34 degrees above the southwest horizon.
ATLANTIC SKIES: How to search for double stars in the summer night sky
