The clear nights of early autumn offer stargazers a great opportunity to grab a small telescope or binoculars and take a look at the hidden celestial objects that can only be seen through a “looking glass.”

This week, look overhead at the Milky Way and the highflying double star Albireo in the Summer Triangle constellation of Cygnus. Seen at even slight magnification through binoculars or a small telescope, the third magnitude Albireo unfolds from a single point of light into a beautiful double star. The contrasting bright golden yellow primary star and its sapphire blue companion have been called the most beautiful double stars in the sky. At 430 light years distant, these two bright stars orbit around a common center of gravity under their mutual gravitational attraction.

Look for Cygnus, the celestial Swan, high overhead around 8:30 pm. Deneb, the brightest star in Cygnus, is directly overhead. It marks the swan’s tail. Albireo, 23 degrees to the lower right of Deneb, marks the swan’s head.

First Published: October 10, 2017, 4:00 a.m.