An older book, but for what it is worth...
Book review - The Southern Sky Guide (Third Edition, 2008)
The Southern Sky Guide (Third Edition) by David Ellyard and Wil Tirion provides refreshingly clear maps of stars and constellations oriented to the southern hemisphere observer’s perspective.
It includes detailed maps of stars of magnitude 6 and brighter (including double stars and variable stars), as well as some of the more prominent open clusters, globular clusters, planetary nebulae, diffuse nebulae and galaxies.
It has 20 interconnected sky charts, including the four quadrants around the southern celestial pole, eight sequentially horizontal charts between -40 and +10 degrees declination, and eight sequentially horizontal charts from +10 to +50 degrees down to the northern horizon. Each chart is accompanied by basic information on the key constellations and key deep sky objects within them.
It also has 24 sky view charts representing the entire southern sky at different hours of the night or times of year, much like a planisphere.
The guide includes basic information on how stars and constellations are presented in the charts; an understanding of celestial coordinates and the ecliptic plane; the movement of the moon and planets; and the nature of the Milky Way and deep sky objects.
It may suit a keen beginner wanting to become more accustomed to the locations of stars, constellations and key deep sky objects as seen from the southern hemisphere perspective.
Intermediate amateurs may prefer other atlases which contain more detail. An example is the Cambridge Star Atlas by Wil Tirion which contains essentially the same stars but includes more deep sky objects and highlights their locations in colour. The atlas is presented from the northern hemisphere perspective.
The Southern Sky Guide continues to be available through Cambridge University Press and book sellers. The planetary positions are now outdated, but the rest of the guide and charts remain accurate.
https://www.cambridge.org/au/univers...=9780521714051
