Category: Books and magazines

A few weeks ago I got a new book from Steven James O-Meara: “Hidden Treasures”. This is his third Deep-Sky Companion he wrote and it is definitely my favorite read at the moment. After the well known “Messier Objects” and “Caldwell Objects” this new book, Hidden Treasures, is again about 109 deep-sky objects, but this time about objects which are not included in the Messier or Caldwell catalogs. Some of them are well known, but there are a lot of objects which were more or less new to me.

Again the whole range of deep-sky objects is included, Galaxies, Planetary Nebulae, Star Clusters (open and globular), Asterisms, Bright Nebulae, Dark Nebulae and even a High-proper motion star. Steven James O’Meara is getting better and better. I like the way he writes his deep-sky companions. There’s always a lot of information about each individual object (history, observing the object, how to find it, and up to date scientific information), and for every object a finder-chart, black and white image and a sketch. The information you get in this book is also fully consistent with the two other books in this collection.

I can highly recommend all three of them. In the English language, they are by far the best observing guides around at the moment, and Hidden Treasures is with almost 600 pages packed with information on 109 deep-sky objects the crown on this wonderful series (until now).


                    

I just got a preview-copy of the September/October issue of NightSky magazine. My “Clavius” close-up was published in the “Skyscapes” section. Click on to image below to enlarge. It’s a scan from the entry in the magazine.



If you are interested in NightSky magazine or Sky and Telescope, click on this link to get to their new website.

Enjoy!

At the moment I’m reading through the Solar Astronomy Handbook by Beck,Hilbrecht, Reinsch and Volker. This book with more than 500 pages is a very complete observers guide to the Sun. It was published in 1995, so you won’t find the newest observing techniques like webcam imaging in this book. However, it tells you everything you want to know about Solar Observation in white light, H-alpha and even amateur magnetic field observations. There are also some chapters on how to observe and register solar eclipses (visual, photography, filming etc.) I am reading this book because I want to learn how to register my solar observations in white light and H-alpha, how to count and classify sunspots, active regions, prominences etc. Anyway. this is the most complete work on solar observing that I could find at the moment. If you have any questions about the Solar Astronomy Handbook, please give a comment or send me an e-mail.

Willman-Bell inc. publishes this book under ISBN 0-943396-47-6





Clear Skies!

This week I bought Photoshop for Astrophotographers. This CD gives detailed step-by-step directions for properly adjusting, correcting and enhancing images with photoshop. This looks like a great digital reference for deepsky imaging but I hope that I well learn a few things to enhance my lunar and solar images. For more info on Photoshop for Astrophotographers follow this link.

I will keep you updated on the results I get in the next few months, but for now I'm of to the Amsterdam Arena for the U2 Vertigo show. I wish you all a beautiful day!

Last week I got a great new map of the Moon, Sky & Telescope's "Field Map of the Moon".

Antonin Rukl made this beautiful map. It is completely laminated so it can be used indoors as well as outdoors, while observing the Moon. It can be folded in several ways, so you can view the whole map, two neighbouring pair of quadrants or just a single quadrant. The images below should give you an idea.

A few weeks ago I got my copy of the Clementine Atlas of the Moon from Cambridge University Press. This atlas is the first that shows the entire lunar surface in uniform scale and format (144 maps). It also claims to have the most comprehensive database of lunar crater nomenclature in existence. After using it for a few weeks I can say that this is not an atlas for the casual lunar observer. However, if you are a lunatic who wants to know everything about the Moon, or wants to study the Moon in detail, maybe this book is something for you. My advice is as with all books and equipment:  have a look at it before buying. It can save you a lot of money!

For some editorial and customers reviews please follow this link .

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Among my favorite deep sky objects are open clusters and asterisms. A few weeks ago I ordered a new book on open clusters, globular clusters and asterisms: Star Clusters by Brent A. Archinal and Steven J. Hynes. Last Saturday I received this magnificent book.

It covers, in just under 500 pages, everything an observer would like to know about these beautiful objects. It contains data on 5045 individual clusters, not only in our own milky way, but also in the Andromeda Galaxy, the Magellanic Cloud’s and the Fornax Dwarf Galaxy. Besides the catalog data like magnitude, size, distance, Ra, Dec, etc.  there are extended notes on hundreds of these objects.

You will also find chapters on the history and astrophysics of open and globular clusters. Finally there is a chapter devoted to the observation of these objects. This book, with the most up-to-date catalog of star clusters, is published by Willmann-Bell Inc. ISBN 0-943396-80-8. If you are an observer of open clusters, globular clusters or asterisms, this book should be part of your library!

For some sample pages, and the table of contents please follow this link to Star Clusters.

Book cover from “Star Clusters”
Credits and Copyright: Willmann-Bell Inc.