2010 programme

Antipodean History of Southern Double Stars (1800-1900)

Andrew James

The true importance and significance of double stars was not realised until the 1780s, when William Herschel deduced that their proximity suggested that double stars might be gravitationally attached. This idea inspired a new revolution in astronomical study and observation, which earnestly began in about 1800 AD. Soon this quickly diverged into a large divide between the northern and southern hemisphere pairs placed below -30° declination, leaving pairs in the south measured far more sporadically. Yet in recent times, this once widening gap is now rapidly narrowing, with either the discovery of new pairs or by refining some southern binary star orbits.
This paper delivers a short history of the various significant periods in the 19th Century of early southern double star observations, with emphasis on the notable observers of the time. This principally includes: James Dunlop and Charles Rümker, John Herschel between 1834 and 1838, H.C. Russell and R.L.J. Ellery in the 1870s, and importantly concludes with R.T.A Innes by the early 20th Century.
Understanding the historical background of these discoveries and visual observers is absolutely crucial, if double star astronomy is to achieve its main goal of completing the picture on the distribution of such systems throughout the night sky. Furthermore, correcting and understanding their measures can only advance amateur contributions to the science.

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AHSDS presentation (5.7MB ZIP)	5.62 MB