The Observer's Sky Atlas: With 50 Star Charts Covering the Entire Sky / Edition 3

by Erich Karkoschka

Overview

Can you remember being impressed by a clear starry sky? Look at the Milky Way through binoculars and it will reveal its many hundreds of thousands of stars, double stars, stellar clusters, and nebulae. If you are a new observer, it is not that easy to find your way in this swarm of stars, but this atlas tries to make it as easy as possible. So now it is not just experienced amateurs that can enjoy looking at the heavens. Two additional observing aids are recommended. The first is a planisphere, where one can dial in the time and day in order to see which constellations are visible and where they are in the sky. The second is an astronomical yearbook listing the current positions of the planets and all important phenomena. So, let us begin our journey around the night sky, and see what the universe can reveal to us! Sky Atlases Most sky atlases can be classifled into one of two major groups according to the number of stars they contain. Some atlases only show the stars visible to the nakedeye. As there are not more than a few thousand such stars, such charts can be simple and clear and can be arranged in a handy format. They are ideal for all naked-eye Facing page, top: The constellation Cygnus (Swan) in the midst of the northern Milky Way.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780387485379
Publisher:	Springer New York
Publication date:	09/05/2007
Edition description:	3rd ed. 2007
Pages:	165
Product dimensions:	5.51(w) x 8.50(h) x (d)

About the Author

Mathematician Dr. Erich Karkoschka works as a specialist for planetary research at the Lunar and Planetary Center in Tucson, Arizona. He has observed every object presented in this Atlas.

Table of Contents

Explanatory Notes.- Star Charts and Catalog.- Appendices: Brightest Stars; Meteor Showers; Calendar 2004-2022; Nebula Numbers; Nebula Names; Star Names; Constellations; Glossary; Mean and Extreme Values.- Index of Figures and Tables.

Editorial Reviews

Praise for the previous editions:

"the most informative little sky guide in the business."

ASTRONOMY

"The more experienced observer will find this slim volume useful at the telescope and packed with interesting observing projects."

SKY & TELESCOPE

From the Publisher