Turn Left at Orion....

[Caz]

....I've finally bought a copy, couldn't wait for the library to get it on their shelves..... Got it at an excellent price to, hardback, 10 squid, I'm well chuffed. I haven't delved into it yet I'm too tired, has anyoneelse got a copy, and what do you think?

Happy New year....

[daz]

Got mine at Crimbo.

So far, I think it's well written, especially as it's intended for small aperture users. It will be coming out with me next clear sky!

[Mick.G.]

"Twixi" thats a good price,my copy is a bit kabuggerd as I have dropped it several times at the scope.

As I'm hopeless at starhopping,It does help a lot.

I hope you have some fun with it.

Mick

[stargeeza]

This book sound like it may be very useful to me coz i just started gazing and i 'avent got a clue except what i read in the sunday papers.

I've been looking up maps and charts furiously on the internet.

I saw something 3 nights ago (when the clouds were away) and it looked like some spectacular cluster, then I lost it while changing eyepiece - never found it again and couldnt decide from all my maps what in God's name it could have been.

Will being literate help me?

[GazOC]

Try this SG

http://deepimpact.umd.edu/amateur/beginner/sec4.shtml#winter

[stargeeza]

Try this SG

http://deepimpact.umd.edu/amateur/beginner/sec4.shtml#winter

Thanks dude, any little helps. Too cloudy. My brain hurts. I'm off to watch Patrick Moore.

[The Warthog]

I left my copy of "Nightwatch" out in the rain one night. It's not good for the book. Be careful with it. Don't like the idea of scanning the pages, though, although I did make a Xerox copyof the moon map in Sky at Night a few months ago. The unfolded chart was just too big to handle.

[daz]

You might also want to take a look at www.skymaps.com which is a free star chart site.

Check out the Links section for links to other great sites as well!

[Astroman]

Hey TT! I'm glad I'm not the only one. I recommend this book to beginners all the time because of the way it's written. But it left me feeling something's missing, too. It's helpful for what it is, but is by no means definitive. Good call.

[col]

thanks for that caz, i was toying with the idea of that book too,

[col]

your right, ill have a good look in the library first, then decide

[The Warthog]

Take a good look at "Nightwatch." I like to promote it because its author is Canadian, but it is a very good book. I wish I could find mine. I'll have to replace it.

[Astroman]

Theres no pictures of the real thing for example, so unless your familiar with Messiers etc You have no idea what to expect through your scope visually, hope I'm making sense??

It just so happens I have the Messier catalog with photos on my website. They're all professional pics, but they are all done to scale. It's meant to illustrate what you'd see, at least size-wise, in an 8" telescope.

Look under "Sir Charles Messier's catalog".

[The Warthog]

If you google Messier catalog, you will get a couple of sites in there that have photographs of the Messier objects in tabular form. Very handy. I don't have the book mark on this computer though... It is a good idea to look at a picture when you are going looking for things, especially open clusters.

[Astroman]

Ah, sorry. www.stargazing.net/Astroman

[daz]

Caz - if you look under people's Avatars, you will see some little icons, one for sending PM's, one for Profile and those that have it set, web site addresses (little world looking thing)

[Astroman]

Oh hey! Lookit that!

[daz]

Having read the book in a lot more detail, I do agree that the x-factor is missing, BUT given what the book is trying to achieve I think it's excellent.

The authors have deliberately NOT included the fancy images because that is not what you see at the eyepiece. Personally, I think this puts a lot of people off when they look for themselves and realise that the little fuzzy patch is all they are likely to see and not the glorious red and green filaments of nebula in the picture.

Secondly, they state that they don't see imaging as astronomy. They are trying to encourage you to learn the sky, and how to find a particular list of objects. Now, whether this is right or wrong really doesn't matter. It's subjective.

Which is the next point that they make. It is subjective - it's their list. You may agree or disagree on the objects that have been included, but to my mind the book is doing it's job. If you can say "I don't think Object X should be in the list, Object Y should", then they have succeded in their task.

I think showing what you can see through the finderscope is an excellent idea. At least it's a real idea of what you will see - no misleading colour piccies here!!

JMHO of course

[GazOC]

I think the illustrations show well what you are likely to see through the eyepiece.

Search any Astro forums beginners section for "M31" and you'll come up with a load of threads with people asking "M31. All I can see is a smudge, what am I doing wrong?" At least the book gives realistic examples of what to expect.

[col]

well my decision has been revised once more, i think for a relative begginner its probably going to do me good to read this book,i think a realistic picture in my minds eye will help me to identify more as i learn, thanks again for opening my eyes gaz, :)and yes caz is right, you put it in a very understandable way.

[AstroTiger]

well thank you all, i was going to buy a copy of turn left at orion, but do not think i will both now.

Al

[daz]

Col - no problem, and I don't even mind that you get my name wrong (not related to Ant are you......??? ) :lol:

[col]

:lol:took me a while to realise what you meant about your name, it wasnt your name it was an answer to caz, who said you did it articulately

[daz]

Some of our members have had trouble in the past with Gaz and Daz, at least Caz has a different username otherwise they would be completley stumped!!! :lD

[col]

lucky im not called cal eh?