The Washington Double Star Catalog (WDS), maintained by the US Naval Observatory, is the worldÏs principal database of astrometric double and multiple star information. The WDS contains positions (J2000), discoverer designations, epochs, position angles, separations, magnitudes, spectral types, proper motions, and, when available, Durchmusterung numbers and notes for the components of 84,486 systems based on 563,326 means. The current version, available on-line, is updated nightly. This catalog is one of four USNO double star catalogs to be included on a new CD-ROM. A brief summary and statistical analysis of the contents of the catalog are presented.
Abstract. The Ninth Catalogue of Spectroscopic Binary Orbits (http://sb9.astro.ulb.ac.be) continues the series of compilations of spectroscopic orbits carried out over the past 35 years by Batten and collaborators. As of 2004 May 1st, the new Catalogue holds orbits for 2386 systems. Some essential differences between this catalogue and its predecessors are outlined and three straightforward applications are presented: (1) completeness assessment: period distribution of SB1s and SB2s; (2) shortest periods across the H-R diagram; (3) period-eccentricity relation.
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