Struve Double Stars
compiled June 2007
NOTE: Because the
STRUVE double star data has been provided as a CORE database file with
TheSky6 the Struve SDB file is not necessary and should probably be avoided
because it can/will cause confusion. However, for those that want a valid
working SDB file for the Struve double
stars SDB <------ Click here.
Edit | Find | STRUVE {number}

Listed under group Stellar
In order to search the core
databases for a Struve ID use Edit | Find STRUVE {number}. Or expand the
Struve entry under Edit | Find | Stellar | then double click Struve to
expand the group.
There are several entries that appear to be
redundant! This is normal. Because the stars are part of the same system they
use the same Struve number. Don't Panic!
NOTE!
The more accurate Washington
Double Star catalog has been CROSS referenced to the Struve ID's. Meaning it
is best to search that dataset using the Struve ID first. If you cannot find
the Struve ID in the Washington Double Star catalog next search the Struve
less accurate dataset, and lastly the Struve SDB keeping in mind the
positions will not be extremely accurate.
Edit | Find WDS STF 748

Confused yet?!
The above search returns the
following wealth of more accurate information from the Washing Double Star
catalog (WDS).
Object name: WDS STF
748
Magnitude: 6.5
Equatorial: RA: 05h 35m 37s Dec: -05°22'58"(current)
Equatorial 2000: RA: 05h 35m 16s Dec: -05°23'14"
Horizon: Azim: 112°34'55" Alt: +05°08'24"
Size: 1.5 x 12.5
Visibility: Rise 07:43, Set 18:26
Transit time: 13:05
Object type: Double Star
Spectral: O7 B1V
Source catalog: WDS (Washington Double Star Catalog)
WDS ID: STF 748
Components: Aa,B
Separation (first): 8.6
Separation (last): 8.7
Position angle 1: 31
Position angle 2: 31
Spectral: O7 B1V
Dates: 1836 1999
Position angle: 30°00'
Hour angle: -04h 29m 53s
Air mass: 10.11
Screen x,y: 943.00, 536.00
Sidereal time: 01:06
Click distance: 0.0000
Catalog number: 4350273
Celestial type: 3
NGC/IC: 215
Catalog: 2
NOTE: The use
of LOADMEMORY is not being used here. That is because this is a very large SDB
file. This also means that not all double stars will show at all fields of view
because they are not all loaded into memory. You have to zoom into narrow fields
for the objects to show, i.e 1 degree or less.
Or EXPAND the Struve entry under Edit | Find |
Stellar | Struve to see the individual entries listed there BUT ONLY IF the WDS
search does not find a match! See above.
Because the data found in the
SDB file does not contain DECLINATION in seconds that is the data is only
good to the MINUTE the positions are not very accurate. Garbage in Garbage
out.
And now since a picture is
worth a thousand words! The Stuve data is on the left and the more accurate
Washington Double Star data is on the right.
Now keeping in mind that the
Struve positions are in error ~30 arcseconds 1/2 an arcminute off from the
true positions look at the following. The record number AND the Struve ID
are both plotted from the SDB data. The record numbers are unique
HOWEVER the Struve ID's are not unique!
I believe the logic here is that these double stars belong to a
"system". Also note below that these entries all use the exact
same set of coordinates! This is why they all plot in the same spot! The
coordinates are the same but the angular separation and position angle are
give for the companions.
Struve ID AND

Record number shown!
However that is not reflected
when using the SDB. Better to use the Washington Double Star catalog cross
referenced to the Struve ID. It has better data. And although the
Struve core database is
prone to positional errors it WILL plot the ID's in the proper relative
position. See the above image showing this. Again, the Struve SDB has little
value.
To verify that the redundant
entries come from the data simply edit the
STRUVE.TXT file and inspect the RAW data. You will clearly see that
there are multiple entries with the same Struve number but these have unique
record numbers. I have chosen to compile the Struve data with the
Struve ID being the search field
NOT the record number. Why?
Because I am making the assumption that one
would be searching for the Struve identifier rather than the RECORD number.
Of course the search field can easily be changed and the data recompiled. If
the SEARCH field was the record number there would be NO redundancies shown!
1001 15294 05 35.3 -05 23 STF 748 AB 836 990 45 32 8.7 8.8 6.73
1002 15295 05 35.3 -05 23 STF 748 AC 836 990 53 132 13.0 12.7 6.73 5.13
1003 15296 05 35.3 -05 23 STF 748 AD 827 983 32 96 21.5 6.73 6.70
1004 15297 05 35.3 -05 23 STF 748 AE 832 990 21 351 4.1 6.80 11.10
1005 15298 05 35.3 -05 23 STF 748 AH 889 1 178 7.9 6.80 15.80
1006 15299 05 35.3 -05 23 STF 748 BC 836 987 25 162 163 16.8 7.90 5.13
1007 15300 05 35.3 -05 23 STF 748 BE 877 878 2 240 6.2
1008 15301 05 35.3 -05 23 STF 748 BF 877 878 2 155 19.9
1009 15302 05 35.3 -05 23 STF 748 CF 844 990 17 126 122 4.0 5.10 11.50
1010 15303 05 35.3 -05 23 STF 748 CG 888 983 4 32 7.4 8.8 5.10 16.70
1011 15304 05 35.3 -05 23 STF 748 CH 889 1 276 8.6 5.40 16.70
1012 15305 05 35.3 -05 23 STF 748 DB 836 987 31 300 19.4 6.70 7.90
1013 15306 05 35.3 -05 23 STF 748 DC 836 987 41 242 13.4 6.80 5.40
1014 15307 05 35.3 -05 23 STF 748 DE 878 1 285 23.1
1015 15308 05 35.3 -05 23 STF 748 DF 878 1 225 12.0
1016 15309 05 35.3 -05 23 STF 748 DG 925 936 3 272 7.0 6.80 16.50
1017 15310 05 35.3 -05 23 STF 748 HH 889 1 274 1.3 15.80 16.30
NOTE!
There are 17 entries using Struve ID STF 748! They are RECORD
numbers 15294 through 15310 and that is entries 1001 through 1017 inclusive.
Washing Double Star Catalog

ONLY! And 1 Billion STARS plotted!
Again for the above reasons
the Washington Double Star catalog is the best choice for double star data!
DOWNLOAD -
the ZIPPED file and UNZIP the contents into the default SDB's folder. Actually the files can be
placed anywhere on your system. The default SDB folder just makes sense. REPLACE
the existing text and SDB file "Struve" with the newly compiled versions! That
is OVERWRITE the non-functioning version.
\TheSky6\Data\User\SDB's
Once the SDB and text file have been UNZIPPED the
SDB can be added to the Active List of SDB's using the Data | Database Manager's
"Add" button highlighted below.
Data | Sky Database Manager

Click "Add" after finding the SDB by name
Add the
downloaded and expanded SDB file named "Struve.SDB".
To search for a double star
use Edit | Find Struve Double Stars {number}
Example Edit | Find Struve
Double Stars 4305.
Edit | Find

Struve Double Stars{NUMBER to SEARCH}
Or, EXPAND the
Sky Databases (SDB's) group then Expand "Struve Double Stars" to show the
individual entries. Currently the list is sorted in Descending order!
HINT: If you enable
FRAME OBJECT and OBJECT INFORMATION as shown above when you go down the list
each entry highlighted will be centered and framed with the information
dialog show. Very handy!
To label the double stars on
the sky display use View | Display Explorer and EXPAND the Struve Double
Stars entry and check the field's) you want to label.
View | Display Explorer

Place check next to field's)
If you do not like the fields
I have chosen the data can be compiled quite easily with
the fields you like instead <--Click
here!
NOTE:
Because only 8 fields can be shown in the
Object Information dialog the
fields have been tripled and doubled up!
;Copyright Software Bisque 2007
>SEARCH 33,41
>RAHOURS 17,18
>RAMINUTES 20,23
>DECSIGN 26,26
>DECDEGREES 27,28
>DECMINUTES 30,31
>MAGNITUDE 93,97
>IDENTIFIER Struve Double Stars
>PARSE "Record Number" 10,14
>PARSE "DiscName" 33,42
>PARSE "Comp+1 / Date / Date" 42,59
>PARSE "# of obs" 64,66
>PARSE "pa1 / pa2" 69,83
>PARSE "Sep 1 / Sep 2" 79,91
>PARSE "MagA / MagB" 93,104
>PARSE "mas/avy mas/a DM note" 118,140
>OBJECT TYPE 3
>CATALOG CLASS=OBJECTS
;Struve Double Stars
Object Type 3 above is "Double
Star". Make sure this object type has been enabled or they will now show! Or
recompile the dataset as another object type which is ENABLED.
View | Display Explorer

And check next to Double Star
HINT:
Typing in Double Star in the Go To: field in
the Display Explorer takes you directly to the object type, quickly!
The ">IDENTIFIER Struve Double
Stars" above is what defines
how the data is searched. If you don't like the long name you can just
re-compile the data with a new Identifier. You don't have to edit the header
just RECOMPILE. But it is best to also make the change stick by altering the
header too.
Example, change the identifier
to "SDSs'" Struve Double Stars hen
just press Compile. See below.
New Identifier SDS's

Change and Compile
Now use Edit | Find SDS's
{number to search} or EXPAND the entry named SD's under Edit | Find | Sky
Database (SDB's).
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