Observing Handbook and Catalogue of Deep-Sky Objects

Rating:
Summary: Good Book for advanced observers
Review: If you're an amateur astronomer in a rut of a few dozen Messiers and want someting else, here's the place. Some 3,500 deep sky objects with paragraph descriptions. Helps you get a lot more enjoyment out of a scope. Describes objects through various apertures from 60mm through 30cm (=12"), consistently describing at 6" 10" and 12" apertures. Mostly text, some drawings, some pix. Organized by constellation: you can pick a constellation near zenith for the night, and then do "saturation viewing" of dozens of objects in that one area. The descriptions really help you learn to notice detail: you'll be directed to a red star at the s end of one cluster, or advised to notice a double or triple star in another cluster. Much attention paid to appearance of galaxies. Includes items by NGC, M, and IC numbers. Follows ascending RA in each chapter like the NGC catalog. Provides info on magnitude: surface brightness, visual magnitude, etc. Keyed to be used with a good skymap like Tirion. Extremely powerful tool in conjunction with digital computer. Main defect is that RA and Dec coordinates are in separate listings in back which is clumsy in field use; RA and Dec are also provided for 1950 and 2000 coordinates in a way that is difficult in field. If you're star hopping with a good map or have an e-brain for a digital setting circle system this isn't much of an obstacle, however. This book is one of the most underused resources in amateur astronomy. I am mystified as to why. If you have a scope 4" or bigger and want some universe to explore, this is the book.

Rating:
Summary: Great for Serious Amateur Astronomers
Review: If you're an amateur astronomer in a rut of a few dozen Messiers and want someting else, here's the place. Some 3,500 deep sky objects with paragraph descriptions. Helps you get a lot more enjoyment out of a scope. Describes objects through various apertures from 60mm through 30cm (=12"), consistently describing at 6" 10" and 12" apertures. Mostly text, some drawings, some pix. Organized by constellation: you can pick a constellation near zenith for the night, and then do "saturation viewing" of dozens of objects in that one area. The descriptions really help you learn to notice detail: you'll be directed to a red star at the s end of one cluster, or advised to notice a double or triple star in another cluster. Much attention paid to appearance of galaxies. Includes items by NGC, M, and IC numbers. Follows ascending RA in each chapter like the NGC catalog. Provides info on magnitude: surface brightness, visual magnitude, etc. Keyed to be used with a good skymap like Tirion. Extremely powerful tool in conjunction with digital computer. Main defect is that RA and Dec coordinates are in separate listings in back which is clumsy in field use; RA and Dec are also provided for 1950 and 2000 coordinates in a way that is difficult in field. If you're star hopping with a good map or have an e-brain for a digital setting circle system this isn't much of an obstacle, however. This book is one of the most underused resources in amateur astronomy. I am mystified as to why. If you have a scope 4" or bigger and want some universe to explore, this is the book.

Rating:
Summary: MUST for serious deep sky observer
Review: This book explains the view of numerious deep sky objects through 60mm, 150mm and 200-250mm scopes. The explanations are helpful in finding the objects in the field. However; although introductory chapters may be helpful for beginners, this book is for intermediate or advanced telescope users.

Rating:
Summary: Good Book for advanced observers
Review: This text is not for people who take their scopes out once a week to do casual oberving. It is packed with technical and visual data on about 2,000 deep-sky objects, most of them galaxies. This book competes directly with the 2 volume Night Sky, which details some 5,000 objects. Which to choose? Luginbuhl's text has close to 30 detailed charts, and maybe three dozen sketches; it has basic information on magnitude, size, and nature of deep-sky objects. It deliberately limits the objects described to those visible in scopes no bigger than 30 cm (12 inches). The descriptions range from 3 or 4 lines (for distant galaxies seen a hazy patches in 12 inches scopes) to almost a full page (for objects like the Orion Nebula).This book works well for observers with smaller scopes. Luginhuhl begins his descriptions with how the object appears in 6 cm (2.4 inch) scopes. Then moves up to 15 cm (6 inch), then presents the view from a larger socpe (ranging from 20 to 30 cm). So, the owners of smaller scpes are not left out. Owners of smaller scopes can't see most of the 5,000+ objects presented in the 2 volume Night Sky. So, for those of us with more modest scopes (and bank accounts), we can use Luginbuhl. However, you will still need a good set of star charts to find the objects. Overall, a very useful book for amatures with smaller scopes and an interest in oberserving deep-sky objects. But not intended for observers in the southern hemisphere; no objects south of -50 declination are covered. I recommend it.