Book beside the scope?

[FLO]

Just curious...

Does anyone have an astro book with them for reference when observing?

If so, which one?

Thanks,

Steve :book:

[GazOC]

In the summer I have my laptop running Starry Night, in the winter I use Wil Tirions Sky Atlas outside with me and Stephen O'Mearas Messier and Caldwell Objects indoors close at hand.

BTW the O'Meara books are great and get a big thumbs up from me.

[GordonCopestake]

I class myself as a beginner, as such the books i have are maybe a little "low level" but my current list includes:

Philips Dark Sky Map - ISBN0-540-08612-6

An excellent map that doesn't quite have enough resolution to be useful to me. You can see the areas that are dark, but only to within a few miles or so. Could do with this map at street level!

Philips Planisphere - ISBN0-540-08817-X

Everyone should have one of these! Don't leave home without one.

Philips Stargazing with a telescope, Robin Scagell ISBN 0-540-08478-6

An excellent book for anyone starting out in astronomy. I found the advice invaluable when I was starting out.

Collins Simple Stargazing, Anton Vamplew ISBN 0-00-720395-0

A good book, but didn't really add much to my knowledge. There's some nice sections on the history of the constellations if your into that sort of thing.

Cambridge, Turn Left at Orion, Guy Consolmagno, Dan M. Davis ISBN 0-521-78190-6

An excellent book that helped me find my way around the night sky and see the sights that really take your breath away. Recommended to anyone with a telescope!

Philips, Star Finder, John Woodruff and Wil Tirion ISBN 0-540-08818-8

An excellent month by month guide with starmaps showing interesting constellations and objects to see.

Philips, Stargazing 2006, Heather Couper & Nigel Henbest, ISBN 0-540-08789-0

Similar to above but the maps are more detailed and has a few articles. Recommended. This is the book i use most for finding objects at the moment.

I also have Patrick Moores 2006 almanac, but i dont have it at hand to type the details. A little too complex for me as it lists co-ordinates rather than visual maps.

[The Warthog]

Nightwatch when looking for DSOs, Ian Ridpath's Pocket Guide to Astronomy when I am looking at the Moon, as it has a good set of line drawings of the moon.

[Ant]

The only thing that I normally take out with me is "Will Tirion Sky Atlas 2000 Field edition (laminated)".

It's good and goes down to mag 8 for stars and show doubles / variables and all the DSO objects you'll ever need.

But the thing that always gets me is that you have to know where something is before you can find it on the map.

Ant

[radioactive]

I only have the philps planishere out with me and the lappie if going to try imaging that night which has starry night pro5 on it

[daz]

I have:

Phillips Planisphere

The Mag 7 charts from Cloudy Nights (laminated)

A Messier Catalogue sheet (BAA) laminated

Variable star charts (laminated)

T.L.A.O. when I remember

Skymap Pro 10 (laptop)

And I still can't see M1!!!!!!!!!!!

[Albireo380]

What I take out depends on the phase of the moon. If it is near full moon then I take out the Hatfield Lunar Atlas and Rukl atlas of the moon.

If skies are dark, I take out: Nightwatch by Terence Dickinson

The Messier Objects by Stephen O'Meara

Observing Caldwell Objects by David Ratledge

I always check Starry Night for the positions of Saturn's or Jupiter's moons before I go out (no Laptop).

Wish I could take more with me - so much that I want to look up when I am observing.

Tom

[daz]

Caldwell's! I knew I forgot one!

Actually, only part of this collection as I haven't finished laminating them all yet!

[Albireo380]

Laminating !!! Now that is a good idea Daz. Do you laminate just the covers, or all the pages?

Tom

[Astroman]

I use the companion guide to Wil Tirion's Star Atlas 2000 the most, along with some other references by Brian Skiff and Burnham's.

[lunator]

I have Norton's Star atlas - Phtotcopied and each page out in plastic sheaf in a folder.

Collins - A guide to stars & Planets. Ian Ridpath & Wil Tirion

Uranometrica Vol1 - Hardback.

I have Redshift & Cartes do Ciel on the Desktop. Use it to check details when I come in to 'thaw'

[daz]

Tom - I printed the charts (Mag 7, Variables and Caldwells) off the internet, so they are easy to do.

Turn Left - I just take off the posh cover and just use the book as is - BUT try not to get it too damp!!!!

[GazOC]

Those Mag7 charts are great when laminated. I'm not a book conditition [removed word] but I do hate to spoil them by taking them out on a winters night, having charts saves all this.

[MartinB]

Turn left at Orion is hopefully coming my way soon. Laminated star charts thanks to Russ - come with skyscan I think. A lovely big Firefly deluxe planisphere, tremendous detail on it but almost impossible to read with a red light so about as much use as a chocolate fireguard. Notebook. laptop with starry night. Handset (bliss)