The Cambridge Double Star Atlas

The Cambridge Double Star Atlas is an accessible guide to these often-neglected night sky objects. James Mullaney covers the basic observing skills you need to see them, which will also help you observe many other types of object. He follows the introduction with 10 pages listing 133 of the best double stars. Then comes the main atlas, consisting of 30 double-page star charts produced by the renowned star mapper Wil Tirion, pinpointing double stars and many other deep-sky gems.

Towards the back of the atlas there are three appendices covering the constellations, the Greek alphabet and, most importantly of all, a master list of around 2,400 double stars. It’s just a shame the list doesn’t include map references. This atlas is a worthy addition to any observer’s book collection, despite the fact that it doesn’t include position angles for double stars, which 
help you visualise how a star is oriented in the sky so you can determine that you’ve identified the correct one.

This is an immense treasure trove of information that will keep you busy for a long time.

Paul Money