Hi,
I'm looking around for a good observing guide. I have been using the Peterson Field Guide, but it leaves something to be desired. Any recommendations?
-Jason
Wanting a good observing guide
Started by nodda duma, 04/18/2006 04:04PM
Posted 04/18/2006 04:04PM
Opening Post
Hi,
I'm looking around for a good observing guide. I have been using the Peterson Field Guide, but it leaves something to be desired. Any recommendations?
-Jason
Posted 04/19/2006 09:11AM
#2
To me a good example would be a very good help, so I'm posting one. Let's look at (randomly picked) NGC 2903.
Karkoschka:
Galaxy with bright oval center, asymmetric, relatively easy to find. It also tells you that the galaxy has magnitude 9 and surface brightness 13 per square minute of arc, its size 10', shape (elongated), type (Sc), estimate of visibility (low surface brightness but visible in 75mm), distance (25 Mly), and coordinates - all in two lines of text. It also gives you an excellent finding chart with stars to magnitude 9 and scale 1 degree/cm. Weight: 205g.
NSOG:
Galaxy Type SAB(rs)bc I-II 12.0' x 5.6', m9.0v, SB13.4 and the coordinates. There is a finding chart on the next page with stars to mag 8 and smaller scale, which makes it considerably worse than Karkoschka's. There is a nice (big!) b/w photo and 27 lines of description in three different aperture clasess. Here is one of them:
8/10" Scopes - 100x: This is one of the better objects missed by Charles Messier. A bright stellar nucleus is embedded in a large, extended core surrounded by a mottled halo that is elongated 9' x 4' NNE-SSW and has diffuse edges.
(Not so much new information in fact.) Weight of the volume 2: 1675g.
Luginbuhl & Skiff: 13 lines of text.
Dimen. 13' x 6'.6 V = 8.9 sfc. br. 13.5. Easily visible in 6cm, this bright galaxy is elongated in pa 15 deg, about 8' x 4'. The core appears very elongated and some stellarings are associated with this object. In 15cm the middle parts of the nebula appear unevenly bright. The halo grows to 10' x 4' in 25cm. A bright stellar nucleus is visible in the center, and a star is visible off the S side. The remaining 7 lines of text describe the view in 30cm. No finding chart. Weight: 1390g.
[ The copyrights are of their owners. ]
How about posting the description of 2903 from Peterson? I suggest people post the corresponding bits of their favourite guides.
Dmitri
Karkoschka:
Galaxy with bright oval center, asymmetric, relatively easy to find. It also tells you that the galaxy has magnitude 9 and surface brightness 13 per square minute of arc, its size 10', shape (elongated), type (Sc), estimate of visibility (low surface brightness but visible in 75mm), distance (25 Mly), and coordinates - all in two lines of text. It also gives you an excellent finding chart with stars to magnitude 9 and scale 1 degree/cm. Weight: 205g.
NSOG:
Galaxy Type SAB(rs)bc I-II 12.0' x 5.6', m9.0v, SB13.4 and the coordinates. There is a finding chart on the next page with stars to mag 8 and smaller scale, which makes it considerably worse than Karkoschka's. There is a nice (big!) b/w photo and 27 lines of description in three different aperture clasess. Here is one of them:
8/10" Scopes - 100x: This is one of the better objects missed by Charles Messier. A bright stellar nucleus is embedded in a large, extended core surrounded by a mottled halo that is elongated 9' x 4' NNE-SSW and has diffuse edges.
(Not so much new information in fact.) Weight of the volume 2: 1675g.
Luginbuhl & Skiff: 13 lines of text.
Dimen. 13' x 6'.6 V = 8.9 sfc. br. 13.5. Easily visible in 6cm, this bright galaxy is elongated in pa 15 deg, about 8' x 4'. The core appears very elongated and some stellarings are associated with this object. In 15cm the middle parts of the nebula appear unevenly bright. The halo grows to 10' x 4' in 25cm. A bright stellar nucleus is visible in the center, and a star is visible off the S side. The remaining 7 lines of text describe the view in 30cm. No finding chart. Weight: 1390g.
[ The copyrights are of their owners. ]
How about posting the description of 2903 from Peterson? I suggest people post the corresponding bits of their favourite guides.
Dmitri
Posted 04/20/2006 12:36PM
#3
The NSOG is not perfect but, IMO, it's the best observing guide currently available.
I believe that nobody had mentioned it yet but Walter Scott Houston's _Deep-Sky Wonders_ as presented by Stephen O'Meara is a very good reference.
http://www.skyoptics.net/books.htm
Dave Mitsky
I believe that nobody had mentioned it yet but Walter Scott Houston's _Deep-Sky Wonders_ as presented by Stephen O'Meara is a very good reference.
http://www.skyoptics.net/books.htm
Dave Mitsky
Chance favors the prepared mind.
De gustibus non est disputandum.
Funding Member
