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Title: Turn Left at Orion: A Hundred Night Sky Objects to See in a Small Telescope--and How to Find Them by Guy Consolmagno, Dan M. Davis, Karen Kotash Sepp, Anne Drogin, Mary Lynn Skirvin ISBN: 0-521-78190-6 Publisher: Cambridge University Press Pub. Date: 19 October, 2000 Format: Hardcover Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $25.00 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.73 (30 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: Batteries not included...
Comment: In an astronomical world that's becoming increasingly dominated by computerised 'goto' telescopes, here's a book that shows the budding amateur that the old method of 'star-hopping' is still a valid and satisfying alternative: Turn left at Orion.
Many budding observers are daunted by the prospect of 'learning the sky' well enough to find their way to those elusive deep sky objects. And even when the desired target is perfectly centred in the eyepiece, it's often so difficult to recognise that the search resumes unnecessarily. When a positive identification is finally made, one wonders if the exercise was worth all the effort. Why? Because, visually, they don't look anything like their flattering portrait photographs.
The end result is frustration and disappointment.
Well, here's the book that changed my astronomical life: it taught most of the major constellations, and plenty of minor ones to boot; it showed me how to star-hop to the more interesting deep sky objects within them; and it also changed my expectations of what I would see when I got there.
Literally, this is a 'star-hopping made easy' bible.
The book works on the assumption that the reader is prepared to learn up front just a few of the major constellations. The Big Dipper, (or Plough to the Brits, or 'Pluff' to them southerners), is one that most people can recognise straight off. But it helps to be able to spot the big square of autumn's Pegasus, winter's unmistakable Orion the hunter, spring's sickle-necked Leo the Lion, and the big cross of summer's Cygnus the swan. These are all good starting points, and won't cost much effort to learn beyond a cricked neck.
The book feels like it's been written from copious notes acquired during many years of practical observing. There's a section per seasonal, with two pages devoted to each particular object. And the objects really are a good primer for the northern deep sky: nebulas, globular clusters, open clusters aplenty of course, some galaxies, and a good sprinkling of those oft neglected double stars. On the left page you'll find a typical upside-down finder-scope view of the target area, plus a description of which stars to use to guide you there. On the right page is a typical left-to-right telescopic view of the object itself, plus good textual descriptions.
And here's the clever bit: all of the illustrations are beautifully hand-drawn to show truthfully how they appear at the eyepiece; none of those misleading full colour observatory-type photographs here: what you see is what you, er, see. Fear not if an illustration fails to take your fancy; keep turning the page until one catches your eye.
So how does it work under the night sky?
Well, it works beautifully. Turn to the correct page, and locate the general target area using your (ahem) marginal knowledge of the constellations, then visually hop from star to star as advised. Aim your telescope, then switch to the finder-scope to identify the exact location. Slip in an eyepiece of about the recommended magnification, and the object's usually 'just there', or at the very least within easy reach. For those objects requiring high powers, the book recommends using a less powerful eyepiece first to properly centre the target. Really, I and countless others have followed this advice to good effect.
Okay, it'll take you a year of observing to learn your way around. It takes that long for each season's constellations, and their hidden treasures, to come around. Time enough to learn the stars a little better, and time enough to gain confidence. In a way, one will learn the more obscure constellations for free; "What's that? Oh yes, it must be Delphinus, so that funny arrow below is, er, Sagitta...right?" (flick, flick of the page) "I was right!" And anyway, it'll take you at least a year to get bored with the selection that this book offers.
What do I have against this book? Not much... well, it's a shame there isn't a sequel for next year.
Oh, and batteries are not included.
Rating: 5
Summary: Pounding Celestial Beefsteak
Comment: Finding invisibly faint objects in the night sky, like beefsteak, can be tough. It takes work. Ad astra per aspera! (Go ahead, look that up).Don't let easy-looking books on the subject fool you. What is wonderful about this book is that the authors honestly tackle the difficulties involved. They give clear exact information that will help a serious newcomer (like me) find what they seek. If at first it still seems rather challenging, that's because it is. A telescope shows thousands of stars that are invisible to the naked eye. Familiar patterns are obscured. The new patterns you see can be found in the pages of this excellent book.
Rating: 3
Summary: Keep looking
Comment: After reading reviews on many astronomy books I chose this one. It was not a good choice for the astronomy 'beginner' that I bought it for.
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Title: Nightwatch: A Practical Guide to Viewing the Universe by Terence Dickinson ISBN: 1552093026 Publisher: Firefly Books Pub. Date: November, 1998 List Price(USD): $29.95 |
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Title: The Backyard Astronomer's Guide by Terence Dickinson, Alan Dyer ISBN: 155209507X Publisher: Firefly Books Pub. Date: October, 2002 List Price(USD): $49.95 |
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Title: Sky Atlas 2000.0, 2nd Deluxe Edition by Wil Tirion, Roger W. Sinnott ISBN: 0521627621 Publisher: Cambridge University Press Pub. Date: 13 November, 1998 List Price(USD): $50.00 |
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Title: Deep Sky Companions : The Messier Objects by Stephen James O'Meara ISBN: 0521553326 Publisher: Cambridge University Press Pub. Date: July, 2000 List Price(USD): $40.00 |
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Title: The Night Sky 30°-40° (Large) by David S. Chandler ISBN: 0961320753 Publisher: David Chandler Co. Pub. Date: 01 January, 1998 List Price(USD): $11.00 |
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