Star Maps

[Astro_Dad]

I was chatting to @Second Time Around about the Bracken Star Atlas, and we thought it would be interesting to see which star maps/atlases people use and would recommend - for those back to basics observing sessions with no GOTO or similar… be interesting to see what comes up. 
Thanks.

AD

[wookie1965]

Sky & Telescope Pocket star Atlas. 

Cambridge star Atlas 

These are the two I use. 

For planning I use Sissy Haas and the Cambridge double star Atlas 

Edited May 20, 2022 by wookie1965

[Franklin]

Pocket Sky Atlas is a no-brainer at the eyepiece. For planning sessions I use Sky Atlas 2000 and companion. I did have Uranometria 2000 but found it to be a bit too much for me as my largest scope is only 4". On the bookshelf for reference are Nortons and Cambridge.

[Pixies]

Sky Safari. On a small tablet with a red acetate screen.

[Laurieast]

Norton's Star Atlas

Messier's Nebulae and Star Clusters (Kenneth Glyn Jones)

Or by electronic means,
Connected to the AVX, Cartes Du Ciel for remote goto and control.
Planning, Sky Safari 6 Plus, and Stellarium.

Edited May 20, 2022 by Laurieast

[Franklin]

There will probably be quite a few who don't use any atlas but rely on smartphone and tablet apps and computer software.

[Mark S W]

I use Sky Atlas 2000.0 at the scope. I removed the spiral binding and only take the ones I need for that session.

I do occasionally use Uranometria 2000 depending on how deep I am going.

Mark

[Starwatcher2001]

If electronics were banned, it would be my old Sky Atlas 2000. I use Skysafari on a tablet now as it requires a lot less table space.

 

[jacko61]

I 'll admit that since getting more into Astrophotograpy I'm using Stellarium more for GoTos but I do still refer to my SkyAtlas 2000 when I'm in the house and I have a Phillips starchart pinned to the observatory wall that's very useful just to get a wider view of what's in the sky. Stellarium is great for getting into the detail though. 

Graeme 

[Captain Scarlet]

I would second Charles Bracken's Astrophotography Sky Atlas. Although it doesn't feature doubles, it has just the right map size and scale for me to choose any of the other targets. Also the way it denotes the objects on the chart, PNs, Globulars, OCs, galaxies and of course nebulae is just right for me. And I'm not an astrophotographer, I'm purely visual.

Magnus

[callisto]

Mainly two... S&T Pocket Sky Atlas and interstellarum Deep Sky Atlas 

[Astro_Dad]

Thanks some great suggestions - with some perhaps a little less well known. I mainly use SkySafari at the eyepiece but looking to pick up one or two of these. 
AD

[Jiggy 67]

Sky atlas 2000 for me and for when I want to go deeper, the Interstellarum Deep Sky Atlas…an outstanding atlas for which I made a Telrad template 

[Spile]

Android I use SkEye 

iPad I use SkySafari 

[Orange Smartie]

I use the Cambridge star atlas for a general overview of a wide area and the Interstellarium Deep Sky Atlas where I'm having trouble finding my way exactly (good for planetary nebulae). The latter is a fantastic resource, but I don't use it outside as it's big, expensive and each page only covers a very small area.

[RT65CB-SWL]

Books...
Norton's Star Atlas and Handbook - (editions 17, 18 & 20) - [1]
Patrick Moore's pocket guide to The Stars and Planets

iOS & iPadOS... 
Sky Safari 6' (basic) - [2]
Star Charts - [3] [5] 
Sky atlas - [4] [5]

Android OS... 
SkEye
Sky Safari 6 (basic) - [2]
DSO Planner

DOS / Windows / MacOS / Linux... 
SkyGlobe
CircumSpace
Stellarium
Tri-Atlas
The Sky
Red Shift
Where is M13?
miscellaneous .PDF files of star charts, Messsier, Caldwell, Herschel, DSO, etc.

Other...
A planisphere - no batteries required or loss of night vision.

 

 

notes:
[1] edition 19 was available in paperback only - I gave this a miss.
[2] includes augmented reality [AR] for iOS... note: not available on Android OS at time of writing.
[3] Wil Tirion's - star charts
[4] José Ramón Torres’s - Tri-Atlas
[5] the names given to them in the Apple app store.

 

Edited May 24, 2022 by Philip R
tidy up as originally posted from my iPhone earlier today.

[Pete Presland]

I use the Pocket Sky Atlas also For planning sessions. I use the  Uranometria 2000 for star hoping, but only photo copies of the relevant pages, as i try to protect it from the winter conditions

[Paz]

I only use sky safari in the field these days as it is so easy to use, but for paper maps covering the basics I would say the S&T pocket sky atlas is my favourite, a convenient size and easy going scale with all the popular targets. Next is the Cambridge double star atlas which also shows all the popular dsos plus double stars. It's a bigger size and a lot of it is taken up with tables of double stars but the maps are great in themselves.

[Mr Magoo]

Pocket Sky Atlas

Jumbo Pocket Sky Atlas

Sky Atlas 2000 and companion

The Cambridge Double Star Atlas 

TriAtlas by José Ramón Torres

 

 

[bomberbaz]

At home stellarium, sky safari both on the pc and occasionally cambridge star atlas desktop version. 

In the field almost always sky Safari 6 plus subscribed version but sometimes stellarium, both on a smart phone. 

Tablets are just a little clunky for my liking.

I hope we are not going to descend into an argument about how electronic sky atlases in astronomy takes away from it's appeal, or is cheating, or isn't proper astronomy, or you don't learn the sky the same! 

Remember goto ? 🤣

Sorry, (not sorry).

Steve

[Kimboman]

Nice topic ,

when I first got into astronomy I obtained and still use my 1966 edition of Nortons Star Atlas love it.

I and a few like minded others used to star hop to locate M13 m57 etc and had great delight when we had located our targets.

I later obtained Sky Atlas 2000 and its companion and then the Sky Atlas 2000 charts on a black background with white stars in 26 charts

Today I use my two Celestron goto mounts and love them the best ever for locating lots of targets , I have graduated onto digital means as well  who knows what the future will bring?? enjoy our pastime.

[RobertI]

I mainly use Sky Safari for planning and in the field, both phone and tablet. I also have the Interstellarum atlas which which is lovely to use when I want a nice ‘chilled’ planning session with a cuppa at my desk. I do feel I would benefit from a smaller pocket guide for those brief ad hoc grab and go sessions  - perhaps I’ll treat myself to S&T Pocket Guide. 

[Mr Spock]

Cambridge Double Star Atlas
Cartes du Ciel

[jjohnson3803]

SkySafari when observing.  I toggle my iPhone display to red so I don't blind myself if I move off the SS screen.  Jumbo Pocket Atlas for planning and occasionally stellarium-web.org for a quick idea of what's where and when.

I have the Cambridge, but it's too fine print for my aging eyes and my ancient Norton's unfortunately disintegrated awhile ago.

I ordered a copy of the Bright Star Atlas last week, but USPS seems to have "lost" it.  I have to follow up on that.

And finally, I'm considering buying a newer edition of Norton's.  That's the one I grew up with and aside from nostalgia, I do think it's a good atlas.

 

 

 

 

Edited May 24, 2022 by jjohnson3803

[Laurieast]

22 hours ago, jjohnson3803 said:

And finally, I'm considering buying a newer edition of Norton's.  That's the one I grew up with and aside from nostalgia, I do think it's a good atlas.

Me to!
Mine is falling apart, the binding is coming off the back, but it's full of pencil annotations on the maps from years ago 😁
15th edition Printed 1969.

Edited May 25, 2022 by Laurieast