Beta Cygni, Albireo, may not be the brightest star of the constellation but it's by far the most interesting.

As a double star with striking colour contrast Albireo is a fine introduction to the study of binary stars. Indeed, many new to astronomy get caught up in the excitement of binaries after observing this marvellous star system.

The primary is a deep yellow, often described as 'golden', and its companion is a bluish-green, or 'sapphire'. This fifth-magnitude companion is found at a Position Angle of 54º and a distance of 34", which makes it quite easy for smaller telescopes and binoculars.

Albireo is just inside the Summer Triangle, midway between Vega and Altair. We're quite close to several other constellations: binoculars.

Once you've discovered the beauty of Albireo, you'll come back again and again to enjoy its remarkable colours.