Personal Library

[Baldrik]

Hi

After ordering the '09 Compendium I was just wondering what were the most popular/best printed references/maps/guides were being used.

B

[Robh]

I can't comment on what others are using but these are some references I have and would recommend for the night-sky observer ...
Value for money, you can't go past the annual astronomy yearbook (Astronomy 2009 Australia, next year Astronomy 2010 Australia) by Ken Wallace, Glenn Dawes and Peter Northfield.
For a good general reference and target objects by constellation, Atlas of the Southern Night Sky by Steve Massey and Steve Quirk.
Sky & Telescope's Pocket Atlas has fairly well detailed maps and is useful in the field. It won't fit in your pocket and it doesn't describe any of the objects on the maps. However, the objects are indexed so you can locate them.
A handy pocket atlas is the Collins book Stars & Planets by Ian Ridpath and Wil Tirion. Has an alphabetical list of constellations with target objects and nice simple maps for beginners.
More expensive is the Cambridge Double Star Atlas by James Mullaney and Wil Tirion. The maps are probably the best I've seen. It has many deep sky objects as well.

Regards, Rob

[jjjnettie]

Ditto to all of what Rob said.
I'll add in Eddie Trimachi's "Moon Phase Maps" too. Hours of fun to be had exploring the moon.
I dare say that Mike will be offering the "Astronomy 2010" for sale again very soon.

[barx1963]

Ditto on the Collins guide. Excellent book. I take it to bed, just open it to a random constellation and have a read, so its great for planning out sessions. Also have the set of 9 maps by Wil Tirion. I purchased it at Australian Geographic shop. Never go observing without it.

[jjjnettie]

Malcom, are they the double sided maps?
I have a set of those and use them all the time.
If I need to go deeper, I'll use "Atlas of the Night Sky" by Storm Dunlop. The maps in it are also by Wil Tirion but much more in depth. Again, an excellent publication, orientated to the Northern Hemisphere though.

[Blackant]

This might be just a personal thing from my years of using binoculars, but my favorite book is still Binocular Astronomy (http://www.willbell.com/HANDBOOK/HAND2.htm)by Craig Crossen and Will Tirion.

What I've always really loved about it is that it takes you through the sky bit by bit, and explains everything to you not only in great detail but also in a way that is interesting. It has chapters about galaxy structure, and how what you can see through your binoculars is related to the galaxy as a whole. It just blows my mind when they start talking about star associations between different constellations, and how they know there associated because of the direction they are travelling through space.

I can't put what I mean into words very well, but when I read Crossen's descriptions and have a think and a bit of a look through the bino's I start to feel a three dimensional picture of the galaxy and the universe building in my head, instead of just LOOKING at it I feel PART of it :eyepop:

It does have a northern hemisphere bias but it covers enough of the southern hemisphere to be worth buying IMO. It also has Will Tirion's bright star atlas included, as well as stacks of more detailed finder charts.

I'd really love it if anyone knows of a book for the southern skies that covers this kind of stuff at a level suitable for my 8" dob too :)

and ditto on collins star & planets book, and the double sided laminated moon and star charts from Australian Geographic, I have them too and they are great :)

[Baldrik]

Thanks very much for your responses - just picked up a copy of Atlas of the Southern Night Sky - just what I wanted ! Nice balance of maps, photos and info.

Have also ordered Moon maps as recommended.

Once again - thanks.

B

[shane.mcneil]

Hi Baldrick

I'm after some moon maps too. May I ask where you ordered yours from?

Many thanks,