Deep Sky Hunter Atlas

[arrayschism]

Foundaplanet and I have been pondering star atlases for a while now; wondering how to get a decent (and dew proof) atlas for an affordable price. After some hours searching the internet, deliberating test print outs and so on, we settled on the Deep Sky Hunter (www.deepskywatch.com/deep-sky-hunter-atlas.html).

I was not in a position to print out A3 at home, so we went for an online printing firm (doxdirect.com) - I'd recommend them: excellent service, excellent printing and reasonable prices (no I don't work for them ).

Then came the hunt for laminating pockets - Foundaplanet took care of sourcing those. He went for the slightly more expensive end of the market, on some 125 x 125 micron matt ones, but boy are they worth it. The quality really makes the difference. The idea of using matt ones is that they are less shiny when used with a torch.

Finally, I managed to get Mrs Arrayschism to borrow her school laminator (an industrial piece of plant!!!); Foundaplanet and I spent an afternoon melting plastic to paper, and lo, we now have decent dew-proof star atlases to play with.

 Here are a few pictures:

Front:

Inside:

Under torchlight:

[crashtestdummy]

I have the same atlas but had mine printed and laminated at the same time then blinded.Probably paid more than you did though but happy with it

[emadmoussa]

I settled for the Triatlas...happened to have a laminator and printer...just got the pouches...cost me few pounds only.

How did you go about the binding?

[arrayschism]

Well, not 100% about the binding yet - am actually leaning towards not binding the set at all, but keeping the set loose in a decent quality plastic box file or something. Just concerned that making holes for binding might compromise the water tightness. How did you bind yours Emad?

[emadmoussa]

Well, not 100% about the binding yet - am actually leaning towards not binding the set at all, but keeping the set loose in a decent quality plastic box file or something. Just concerned that making holes for binding might compromise the water tightness. How did you bind yours Emad?

I just used a puncher and ripped off the binding rings from one of the wife's folders...works well.

[emadmoussa]

http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/200217-homemade-star-chart/?hl=%2Bhomemade+%2Bstar+%2Bchart#entry2114147

[steveb1977]

Will be taking a look at this atlas, looks good.

[arrayschism]

http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/200217-homemade-star-chart/?hl=%2Bhomemade+%2Bstar+%2Bchart#entry2114147

That's nice Emad!

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Looks very nice. I might get one like that done as well

[yesyes]

Could you not use a slightly wider laminating pouch so that you can punch holes in the plastic only keeping the paper safe?

[Moonshane]

^{Foundaplanet and I have been pondering star atlases for a while now; wondering how to get a decent (and dew proof) atlas for an affordable price. After some hours searching the internet, deliberating test print outs and so on, we settled on the Deep Sky Hunter (www.deepskywatch.com/deep-sky-hunter-atlas.html).}

^{I was not in a position to print out A3 at home, so we went for an online printing firm (doxdirect.com) - I'd recommend them: excellent service, excellent printing and reasonable prices (no I don't work for them ).}

^{Then came the hunt for laminating pockets - Foundaplanet took care of sourcing those. He went for the slightly more expensive end of the market, on some 125 x 125 micron matt ones, but boy are they worth it. The quality really makes the difference. The idea of using matt ones is that they are less shiny when used with a torch.}

^{Finally, I managed to get Mrs Arrayschism to borrow her school laminator (an industrial piece of plant!!!); Foundaplanet and I spent an afternoon melting plastic to paper, and lo, we now have decent dew-proof star atlases to play with.}

 ^{Here are a few pictures:}

^Front:

^SAM_2037.JPG

^Inside:

^SAM_2036.JPG

^{Under torchlight:}

^SAM_2041.JPG

 

^{I did exactly the same and really like them. I actually left the sheets loose as I felt that they were more manageable at the eyepiece single than as a large bulk.}

[arrayschism]

 

^{I did exactly the same and really like them. I actually left the sheets loose as I felt that they were more manageable at the eyepiece single than as a large bulk.}

Yes, my feelings exactly - I figured that I'd be able to mark up a sheet or two at a time and have them to hand when observing.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

I might not laminate them at all, just print them of good quality paper and put them in a suitable box. I always keep my star atlas inside (in the dark) so dew is not a problem. My Sky Atlas 2000.0 is still fine after all these years, so I think I will take my chances.

[Gina]

Thank you for the link - downloading now

[arrayschism]

I might not laminate them at all, just print them of good quality paper and put them in a suitable box. I always keep my star atlas inside (in the dark) so dew is not a problem. My Sky Atlas 2000.0 is still fine after all these years, so I think I will take my chances.

Yes, laminating is not a must if you are not too worried about dew. 

Handy though, if you want to mark the maps up temporarily with, say, dry wipe marker pens or stickers

[crashtestdummy]

I mark mine with a green sharpy so I know exactly what I've seen and it stays nicely on the matt laminated paper.

[webboid]

A great idea

I have just got my set printed by doxdirect & they have done a great job

I now want to laminate them like you arrayschism with matt pouches. Could you tell me what ones you used & where you got them please.

[TakMan]

I've got some of the TriAtlas sets printed/laminated as well - all spiral bound to A3 and some 'reversed', so white stars on black as that's just what I happen to prefer when observing.... took that idea from the 'Field' Sky Atlas 2000 edition!

Although a tad more difficult to read than the standard black stars on white it has to be said (needs a good red light) and 'impossible' to make notes on the actual thing! For that I use a small dictaphone to record my observations which I can listen to later for writing up notes.

Michael Vlasov's Deep Sky Atlas is superb and has become my 'standard' atlas now (big thanks to him)... I used everything that I had learnt from previous atlas print outs when deciding upon how to do these charts - thankfully I work in graphics so can print and laminate via work. I tried different combinations of pre-processing in Photoshop to reverse the charts and then boost the contrast and white points knowing that the printing process would 'knock back' the smaller details, especially with this much black coverage.

Perhaps I would have been better with a matt laminate to finish.... too late now as glossy is what was at hand!

Rather than spiral bound (which can get a bit heavy if all charts are kept together - been there, done that), I kept 'em loose this time and put into an A3 binder from Rymans. Again, to reduce the final weight I only printed down to what I considered an appropriate horizon - see picture marked 'index'.

Finally added some works Sasco wall planner(!) yellow and orange stickers to act as major 'pointers' to identify the brighter/better known targets when I'm out observing in the dark and what I might actually be able to find in my scopes and prevailing sky conditions.

So orange = nebula, Yellow circle = glob/open cluster, Yellow triangle = galaxy, etc, etc

The thinking being that once I was on a particular page I'd look more closely at the charts anyway and pick up the fainter stuff especially if it was a very good night or I happened to be at a dark site! If and when they get dew damaged or I want to highlight the fainter stuff - I can reapply or peel them off to reduce clutter.

Then worked out rough eyepiece FOV's and magnifications with various scope combinations to aid star-hopping/identifications and note taking. These were printed onto acetate, then strengthened via laminating - was pleasantly surprised to find that combination would actually laminate together. The central black areas of the charts are a 'percentage' print of black so that I can see a masked view of surrounding stars and features underneath - again to aid star hopping...

Made up a nice 'fancy' cover and spine as well - well, had to to complete the look!

Another 'astro project' that's kept me busy....!

[Lorne]

Looks really good the white on black background