Page gazing..

[Whippy]

I fancy a new astro book, preferably something to do with DSO's along the lines of Neil Bone's 'Deep Sky Oberservers' Guide' which is excellent but maybe a little more comprehensive. Any recommendations?

Tony..

[GazOC]

I always recommend Steven O'Meara's books....

[Astronut]

I'll second that. The Messier Objects, The Caldwell Objects and Hidden Treasures and well worth getting. Hardbacks and therefore pricey but worth it.

They were published in that order and are the Deep-Sky Companions series by Stephen James O'Meara.

[GazOC]

He's also just brought out a Hershell 400 book, thats next on my list.

[Astronut]

He's also just brought out a Hershell 400 book, thats next on my list.

I read a bad review of that somewhere (might have been Amazon) saying it's not in the same format as the others and didn't seem as though the author had put his heart and soul into it.

[GazOC]

Thanks for the warning, maybe its a case of cashing in on the previous books?

[Whippy]

That review is indeed on Amazon.

Tony..

[Beyond_Vision]

This is more of a coffee table read because of its enormous size but has some of the best prints I have seen in a book. It presents the scale of things very well from the Solar System to Galactic Clumps.

'Cosmos' by Giles Sparrow ISBN 1-905204-29-9 this was originally £50 but can be picked up for £15-20 at places like 'The Works' etc.

Regards

Kevin

[Whippy]

This is more of a coffee table read because of its enormous size but has some of the best prints I have seen in a book. It presents the scale of things very well from the Solar System to Galactic Clumps.

'Cosmos' by Giles Sparrow ISBN 1-905204-29-9 this was originally £50 but can be picked up for £15-20 at places like 'The Works' etc.

Regards

Kevin

I've got that one Kevin, get some legs and it could be it's own coffee table it's that big!! Purdy piccies though .

Tony..

[Astronut]

A coffee table book that doubles as a coffee table!?

Anyone else here Seinfeld fans

[dogfish]

He's also just brought out a Hershell 400 book, thats next on my list.

I recently bought the Herschel 400 book, but don't have the others to make a comparison with. Although I have GoTo I wanted something that will describe the NGC objects, what they look like, and am I likely to be able to see them in my 8" SCT. For those purposes it works fine. I can't attest to the finding description, although Paul (GiZmO) has found some of these objects in his 12" Dob with descriptions I've given him culled from the book. (see http://scottishastronomers.com/forum/index.php?board=10.0 for some of these descriptions).

HTH Martin

[spacemonkey]

Try this one. It's the single most useful observers guide I've seen in years. I use it as a session planner (by constellation), and it's cheap enough that you can scribble observing notes in.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Illustrated-Guide-Astronomical-Wonders-Observer/dp/0596526857/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1203295087&sr=8-1

I think the bad review on amazon of the O'Meara Herschel 400 book is because it isn't as comprehensive as his Messier, Caldwell & Hidden Treasures books. I don't know what the reviewer was expecting, but how many words and different turns of phrase can you use to describe a small, faint open cluster or galaxy? You have to be sensible; most of the stuff in the Herschel list doesn't warrant a lengthy description with historical information, but what O'Meara has cleverly done is give you finder charts, a realistic night-by-night plan, and an accurate visual description. Everything you need, nothing you don't. However, I agree that the book is more of an indoor reference rather than an outdoor set of charts. Probably best to copy the pages you need, and keep the book in good condition.

Regards, Dave.

[barkis]

I have more books than you could shake a stick at, ( I have no Idea what that means.) but most of them are a good age now, yet I am reluctant to get rid. If I need to consult one at times, I get a comforting assurance from holding, and reading it.

Much much better than words in a PDF file, or a help file within a programme.

I sincerely hope we never have a Farenheit 451 as in the Bradbury SF Novel.

Ron.