Identifying Common Proper Motion Binary Star Systems

by Martin P. Nicholson

Data mining using the recently published 1500 square degree near infrared proper motion catalogue from the UKIDSS Large Area Survey has yielded 1220 common proper motion binary star systems of which 1129 appear to be new discoveries. Each component of a common proper-motion pair can be considered to be at the same distance from the observer, of the same age and subject to the same degree of reddening. These pairs are an interesting area for both amateur and professional astronomers to research because they do not fall into either of the extensively studied groups of orbiting binary stars or open clusters. Only a small proportion of the astronomical data mining and astronomical imaging projects I carried out over the last 20 years went through the lengthy - and sometimes controversial - process of third-party publication. Some of the rest of my work has appeared on assorted web sites or within specialist society "news groups" but much of it remains unpublished. The long-established scientific principle "first to publish gets the credit" means that without publication taking place it is almost as if the work had never been done! "Research Topics for Amateur Astronomers" will be a multi-volume series containing two types of material. Research Notes are intended to share discoveries, ideas or techniques of interest to astronomers. Articles equate to a traditional peer reviewed article.

50 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2014

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

This is 2^ Martin P. Nicholson.

Martin Nicholson (Martin Piers Nicholson) (born 1954 in Westminster, London) was educated at St Albans School in Hertfordshire and then at Nottingham University. After a brief spell working in the food industry Martin became a college lecturer initially based in Somerset and later in Northamptonshire before retiring from the post as Director of Information Technology at Guilsborough School in 2005. Although he had a successful career as a teacher he is probably best known for the 25 years+ he served as a school governor and for the extensive work he carried out in the fields of amateur astronomy and in the twin disciplines of stamp collecting and postal history.

Martin was one of the first amateur astronomers to see the potential of remote access astronomy and it is testimony to his determination that what was initially regarded with great scepticism by the astronomical establishment has now become standard practice for most serious enthusiasts.

Much the same can be said for his pioneering work in stamp and postal history collecting. Almost to a man the people at the top of the hobby regarded the Internet as a passing fad that would have no lasting impact on their hobby and customer service, particularly in the field of philatelic exhibiting, as an irrelevancy. Only a few shared Martin's vision for updating the hobby - luckily this time the minority prevailed.