Best star chart to buy for a beginner

[skir]

I've got a copy of TLAO on the way, but had been advised to get a star chart too. I don't have an iPhone or smartphone or the like so that avenue is not open to me. So for the time being I'm after something in a good old fashioned book or a wheel perhaps.

So what's best for me as a beginner?

[Naemeth]

Have you got Stellarium on your PC? It's free.

http://www.stellarium.org/

[RichieP]

I would recommend the spiral bound Sky and Telescope Pocket Sky Atlas

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sky-Telescopes-Pocket-Atlas/dp/1931559317/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1358086334&sr=8-2#_

Rich

[skir]

Have you got Stellarium on your PC? It's free.

http://www.stellarium.org/

Yes, I have stellarium on my laptop, sadly the laptop needs a power supply repair which I'm waiting on parts for at the moment, hence why I was thinking of a book or wheel which also gets round having to find power for anything outside.

[skir]

I would recommend the spiral bound Sky and Telescope Pocket Sky Atlas

http://www.amazon.co...58086334&sr=8-2#_

Rich

i'll bet it's good but that is pretty pricey, is there anything as good for less?

[Carbon Brush]

The long established Philips planisphere.

Cheap and intuitive to use.

Helps with 'whats up when' for looking ahead.

When you outgrow it, you will have a better idea of what suits you best.

[DirkSteele]

i'll bet it's good but that is pretty pricey, is there anything as good for less?

Amazon must be out of stock currently, hence the high price. It normally costs less than £20.

[Mike73]

Yep a planisphere and TLAO is all you really need to get you started.

Dont worry about having to use books instead of iPhones/ipads etc alot of people still prefer using books over smartphones because the screen brightness effects your dark adaption and your ability to see faint objects.

[VigdisVZ]

A planisphere is excellent.

You can plan ahead by checking out objects in stellarium and then making some notes to what interesting objects you want to look for and where they located.

If you want some inspiration check out this list http://en.wikipedia....Messier_objects and sort by magnitude (lowest magnitude = brightest).

Oh, and TLAO is excellent too!

[Mike73]

Amazon must be out of stock currently, hence the high price. It normally costs less than £20.

I think I paid about £10 for mine last year, in need of a new one as mine is a bit battered and worn but think I'II wait a while.

[VigdisVZ]

Amazon must be out of stock currently, hence the high price. It normally costs less than £20.

There are two versions on amazon, one earlier version that is really expensive, and a newer one thats cheap.

[skir]

I think I paid about £10 for mine last year, in need of a new one as mine is a bit battered and worn but think I'II wait a while.

Ok, that makes sense. Looking around it seems to be out of stock at a lot of places currently, perhaps a new revision is due out.

I have a planisphere but it is at home currently and I won't be back there for a few weeks. I could buy another one but it would be nice to have another resource. However if it is the best thing then I'll just buy another as they are cheap enough.

[skir]

There are two versions on amazon, one earlier version that is really expensive, and a newer one thats cheap.

Have you got a link? I can't find it.

[Capricorn]

To add another to the pot have a looka at The Mpnthly Sky Guide by Ian Ridpath and Wil Tirion.

Each month a prominent constellation is selected, the initial chart shows the constellation in the sky with respect to the rest of the sky.

Then the constellation is shown in detail with a good selection of the assorted objects in the constellation.

Means you have a subtly changing sky chart monthly and a detailed one for the prominent constellation.

A planesphere is a good guide for the constellations but it cannot include too much as you would be unable to read everything in what amounts to 2/3 of one side of paper. Very good but not everything will fit on, I would suggest getting one however.

There is star chart/guide out by the Field Studies Council, think it is one chart for each season, laminated so safe to take outside and drop on the ground or ge damp. No idea how good or detailed it is as I have never seen one or use it, but it is an option if you fancy buying one and you could tell us what you think of it. They also sell a guide to clouds - could get both and cover all options. :grin:

[skir]

Has anyone tried the pocket sky atlas on kindle? I'd imagine everything would be too small on the kindle to view properly.

[Astro Imp]

Can't believe the price being asked for Pocket Sky Atlas, I paid less than a tenner including postage a year ago.

[VigdisVZ]

http://www.amazon.com/Turn-Left-Orion-Hundreds-Telescope/dp/0521153972

[skir]

http://www.amazon.co...e/dp/0521153972

Thats on the .com site rather than .co.uk, but it still shows as out of stock unless I'm missing something?

I have found an app for iPad called star map which when you point it at the sky it shows you the portion of sky you are looking at with items marked along with constellations and a pile of other stuff. I was looking for a reason to buy an iPhone and I think I just found it!

[cs1cjc]

I use the Sky & Telescope pocket Atlas, but until it is again available at a sensible price you might try something *very* inexpensive like the Philips Pocket Star Atlas: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Philips-Pocket-Star-Atlas-Astronomy/dp/1849072396/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1358270052&sr=1-3-fkmr0 or the Little Gem Stars (Ridpath and Tirion): http://www.amazon.co.uk/Collins-Gem-Stars-Ian-Ridpath/dp/0004724747/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1358270052&sr=1-2-fkmr1

[Rich MedRev]

I too thoroughly recommend the Sky and Telescope Pocket atlas and cannot believe the current price tag. have you checked ebay for second hand star atlases as I got the Sky atlas 2000 field addition off there for £8 incl postage last year as mine had fallen to pieces.

Otherwise The Monthly sky guide as Capricorn has outlined earlier.

[glowjet]

The latest production from the Cambridge press, Will Tirion`s Cambridge Star Atlas 2011 has received very good feed back, s/h copies near £15 plus postage can be had through the big online seller, the pocket sky atlas is extremely popular, but not at its current price. As there is no indication of the equipment you have, it is assumed that you are wanting to learn the location of your targets and star hop to their position in he night sky, if this is the case a good star map such as Sky Atlas 2000 and the one mention above will be invaluable to you as time goes by and your knowledge of the sky increases

John.

[skir]

These are all good suggestions that I might follow up on. For the moment I've got the free version of star map and put it on an iPad. This should help me with polar alignment and initially getting my bearings. Unfortunately on the free version it doesn't look like you can redden the screen to protect your night sight unless someone know differently?

[cantab]

I've got on well with Taki's Star Atlas for binocular observing, http://www.geocities.jp/toshimi_taki/index.htm . Not used it much with a scope mind. He has a more detailed version too, that was beyond what I needed.

I recall someone else posting another free download-and-print atlas by somebody else that they rated, can't remember which one though.