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Nortons Star Atlas -20th Edition


Merlin66

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I grew up with Nortons in the early 1960's - the handbook section was "interesting" and dated even at that time but it help me to make my first equatorial mount (in woodwork class - using 25mm wooden dowels for the shafts etc) and made me appreciate the calculation for Siderial time etc. My 1966 edition ( I have a copy of the very first edition -1910 and many others!) shows my growth in astronomy with the various pencil tracks of comets etc.

Well I've just picked up the latest 20th Edition from ebay (16.50gbp) and find not only has it changed... it's grown up!

The new edition has four lengthy chapters- covering everything from Position and Time through to Star, Nebulae and Galaxies, some 138 detailed pages which answers every question the novice could ask ....."how to clean mirrors?" -page 40 "Which camera?" -p41,

"what can I see on Saturn?" -page 82 etc etc.

The cost of the book is paid for in the content of the handbook section alone!

What about the sky maps?

Well things have changed over the years...gone is the single, taped joint, double spread chart...(I miss that:() and a detailed 6.5mag limit computer plotted chart replaces it. Very accurate, very neat but to me doesn't have the same "feel" as the older Norton's charts...such is life.

The Interesting Objects listing for each chart will keep you busy for years! No excuse as to selecting "what do I look for tonight??" it's all there.

All in all a wonderfull collection of basic data for any amateur astronomer and excellent set of full sky charts to help you along the way.

Hopefully in 40 years time you will look back on your Nortons - the faint pencil lines - and say "Geez I remember that - I was in Oxford that week and used a 8" scope - those were the days"

The kids won't believe a word of it....but you will!!

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