Is this a good star chart for Telrad?Posted By Jeff Poplin |
I consider the Sky Spot's Messier Telrad Charts a "must have", not only for the novice sky hound, but for a grizzled old dog like myself. I have used the 2 volumes for years and like to have them close by at public star parties. Not only for locating the objects, but having constellation lines and star names in the general area helps the public "see" where the scope is pointing. The included size, distance and other facts are great for those "How big/far is that?" questions.
Sure, there are free Messier charts online, but the bound laminated books from Sky Spot will not be ruined in the dew or blown away from your dropped clipboard on a windy night. The size and weight of each volume is easy to use one-handed while pointing out objects to others. Many times I have been asked by others at public star parties if I had my "Messier books" handy.
My only negative comments are the slick/shiny laminate used can glare back the red light and make it difficult to read at certain angles. A more matte-finish, non-glare laminate would have been better. This may not have been available years ago when I originally purchased my set. The other is on dewy nights, some pages tend to stick together, but it is a minor point. I did tab the edges with those stick-on page tabs (in groups of 10) to make finding/flipping through the books easier, especially when wearing gloves.
While these books are invaluable when making a run at the Messier Marathon, they cannot compete with a good, all sky atlas. With a bound, laminated Field edition of Sky Atlas 2000 and these Messier quick charts, you will be set for many hours of enjoyment under the stars.
Hope this helps,
Jeff
Sure, there are free Messier charts online, but the bound laminated books from Sky Spot will not be ruined in the dew or blown away from your dropped clipboard on a windy night. The size and weight of each volume is easy to use one-handed while pointing out objects to others. Many times I have been asked by others at public star parties if I had my "Messier books" handy.
My only negative comments are the slick/shiny laminate used can glare back the red light and make it difficult to read at certain angles. A more matte-finish, non-glare laminate would have been better. This may not have been available years ago when I originally purchased my set. The other is on dewy nights, some pages tend to stick together, but it is a minor point. I did tab the edges with those stick-on page tabs (in groups of 10) to make finding/flipping through the books easier, especially when wearing gloves.
While these books are invaluable when making a run at the Messier Marathon, they cannot compete with a good, all sky atlas. With a bound, laminated Field edition of Sky Atlas 2000 and these Messier quick charts, you will be set for many hours of enjoyment under the stars.
Hope this helps,
Jeff
