Deep-Sky Name Index 2000.0

Rating:
Summary: Excellent for what it is.
Review: I doubt you'll find yourself reading through this book for entertainment, but it is a very useful book for the amateur astronomer. Can't remember the name of Beta-Algol? Just look it up. Can't remember the Bayer's designation for Alnitak? Its in there. I guess this is the real strength of the book. Being able to crossreference from one catalog designation to another. Stars dominate the book (I would guess because they dominate the other astronomical objects,) but you can find stuff about the more common nebulae and galaxies. I can't remember if the entire NGC catalog is represented at the moment or not. I don't, however, ever remember looking one up in the book and not finding it.

My only complaint would be the cover and binding. As you can see this is a spiral bound notebook (about 6"x8"?), and the cover is a posterboard-like material. I have my doubts as to how well this book is going to hold up for very long.

The book is a handy tool to have, and it is certainly worth the nominal cost.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent for what it is.
Review: I doubt you'll find yourself reading through this book for entertainment, but it is a very useful book for the amateur astronomer. Can't remember the name of Beta-Algol? Just look it up. Can't remember the Bayer's designation for Alnitak? Its in there. I guess this is the real strength of the book. Being able to crossreference from one catalog designation to another. Stars dominate the book (I would guess because they dominate the other astronomical objects,) but you can find stuff about the more common nebulae and galaxies. I can't remember if the entire NGC catalog is represented at the moment or not. I don't, however, ever remember looking one up in the book and not finding it.

My only complaint would be the cover and binding. As you can see this is a spiral bound notebook (about 6"x8"?), and the cover is a posterboard-like material. I have my doubts as to how well this book is going to hold up for very long.

The book is a handy tool to have, and it is certainly worth the nominal cost.

Rating:
Summary: Our "Dirty Little Book".
Review: Many observers refer to certain deep sky objects by their common names. Some objects are referred to by more names than just one. For instance, if you saw a reference to the "Cygnus Loop" in Sky & Telescope magazine, would you know they were talking about the Veil Nebula? Can you recall the NGC numbers associated with the Whirlpool Galaxy? The Messier number? How about the NGC number of Hubble's Variable Nebula (along with its coordinates)? For some advanced and veteran observers these things are seemingly second hand knowledge, and with some degree of cordial jealousy we salute their powers of retention.

It's always an impressive occasion at a star party when someone calls out from the darkness for an NGC number, and a correct response promptly resonates from somewhere else. Things like that usually draw muttered comments from everyone that the responder's brain must be wired with microchips and diodes.

If you're searching through a star chart for an object by its common name, you're going to have a problem. Virtually all charts show objects only by their catalog numbers. So if you need to know the designation for the California Nebula, you'll have to summon help. Call out through the darkness, and hope somebody remembers. But that gets old after a while, and the answers may stop coming back. Does it matter? If it does, and if you have difficulty remembering this kind of stuff (and who doesn't?) then this index will be an important tool for you, and for many others.

The Deep Sky Name Index lists all the common objects, i.e.: - all of the Messiers, their NGC numbers, their coordinates, and common names. It also lists all the most prominent NGC objects, with cross-references to any others, plus their common names and coordinates. Ditto for prominent IC objects. In addition, it lists all the brighter stars by common names, Arabic names, and Bayer designations. Objects are listed both alphabetically, and by their numeric designations. Redundancies are included so you aren't often confronted with "Bode's Galaxy; see M-51".

Objects are listed by type, constellation, synonyms, and epoch 2000 coordinates. At the alphabetic location of each constellation is an itemized list of all common and popular objects, all the brighter stars, their coordinates, and all the different spellings of their Arabic and common names. Moreover, there's the Greek alphabet on page 4, and a complete list of constellations by both nominative and genitive forms starting on page 5. Extremely handy.

The book allows almost any common object to be cross-referenced to its constellation, and to any of its other numeric or common designations. Not every known object is there of course, but the ones of common and popular interest are all represented (a very extensive list).

(NOTE: As an unfair test, I looked for the "Whale Galaxy", a rather esoteric object in Canes Venatici. It was not listed by either its common name or by NGC #4631. There are other omissions, but you're not likely to find another work this handy that includes much more. It would not be possible to include everything, and still be convenient or "handy").

The Deep Sky Name Index can be an extremely useful tool. So useful in fact, that we've assigned it a place on our "Honorable Mention List" of Required Reading for the amateur astronomer. We call it our "Dirty Little Book" because it gets so much use, and is ragged and worn almost beyond recognition. Beginners and novices will appreciate its educational value in bringing to light all the various object names that confront them, and where they are located. Observers more advanced will find it useful for working with charts, and converting familiar but meaningless "names" into proper designations and vital statistics.

Very highly recommended.

Rating:
Summary: Our "Dirty Little Book".
Review: Many observers refer to certain deep sky objects by their common names. Some objects are referred to by more names than just one. For instance, if you saw a reference to the "Cygnus Loop" in Sky & Telescope magazine, would you know they were talking about the Veil Nebula? Can you recall the NGC numbers associated with the Whirlpool Galaxy? The Messier number? How about the NGC number of Hubble's Variable Nebula (along with its coordinates)? For some advanced and veteran observers these things are seemingly second hand knowledge, and with some degree of cordial jealousy we salute their powers of retention.

It's always an impressive occasion at a star party when someone calls out from the darkness for an NGC number, and a correct response promptly resonates from somewhere else. Things like that usually draw muttered comments from everyone that the responder's brain must be wired with microchips and diodes.

If you're searching through a star chart for an object by its common name, you're going to have a problem. Virtually all charts show objects only by their catalog numbers. So if you need to know the designation for the California Nebula, you'll have to summon help. Call out through the darkness, and hope somebody remembers. But that gets old after a while, and the answers may stop coming back. Does it matter? If it does, and if you have difficulty remembering this kind of stuff (and who doesn't?) then this index will be an important tool for you, and for many others.

The Deep Sky Name Index lists all the common objects, i.e.: - all of the Messiers, their NGC numbers, their coordinates, and common names. It also lists all the most prominent NGC objects, with cross-references to any others, plus their common names and coordinates. Ditto for prominent IC objects. In addition, it lists all the brighter stars by common names, Arabic names, and Bayer designations. Objects are listed both alphabetically, and by their numeric designations. Redundancies are included so you aren't often confronted with "Bode's Galaxy; see M-51".

Objects are listed by type, constellation, synonyms, and epoch 2000 coordinates. At the alphabetic location of each constellation is an itemized list of all common and popular objects, all the brighter stars, their coordinates, and all the different spellings of their Arabic and common names. Moreover, there's the Greek alphabet on page 4, and a complete list of constellations by both nominative and genitive forms starting on page 5. Extremely handy.

The book allows almost any common object to be cross-referenced to its constellation, and to any of its other numeric or common designations. Not every known object is there of course, but the ones of common and popular interest are all represented (a very extensive list).

(NOTE: As an unfair test, I looked for the "Whale Galaxy", a rather esoteric object in Canes Venatici. It was not listed by either its common name or by NGC #4631. There are other omissions, but you're not likely to find another work this handy that includes much more. It would not be possible to include everything, and still be convenient or "handy").

The Deep Sky Name Index can be an extremely useful tool. So useful in fact, that we've assigned it a place on our "Honorable Mention List" of Required Reading for the amateur astronomer. We call it our "Dirty Little Book" because it gets so much use, and is ragged and worn almost beyond recognition. Beginners and novices will appreciate its educational value in bringing to light all the various object names that confront them, and where they are located. Observers more advanced will find it useful for working with charts, and converting familiar but meaningless "names" into proper designations and vital statistics.

Very highly recommended.