Illustrated Guide to Astronomical Wonders: From Novice to Master Observer (DIY Science)

This is a book that initially surprises the reader. The first chapters are very generic but quite well written. The part dedicated to the description of deep sky objects is very good. It is very well explained how to starhopping . The maps and descriptions are adequate enough to find the DSOs with ease. Perhaps what one would miss, in my way of thinking, since I am a fan of double stars, would be a larger selection of double stars. A few are listed and with angular separations, in most cases, very wide. It is true that a Newtonian telescope and in particular the 10 '' dobsons are not the most suitable instruments for separating doubles, as they present significant optical aberrations. For this, a refracting telescope is better. Another aspect that is missing is also related to variable stars, and among them, for example, carbon variable stars. They are stars with showy colors and it is very gratifying to observe them with the telescope. In any case I give a good score for the great work of the authors. This book is a great companion for stargazing.

This book is the one book I use to plan my observations.Most if not all objects discussed in the book were observed with a 10" Dob and since mine is an 8" it fits my needs for my non goto observations.All objects discussed are shown with their RA and DEC coordinates which I use to enter into my 5" grab and go scope and GOTO mount when my observing sessions are limited for observing time.And yes I have bagged most of the objects discussed in the book with my 5" Newt.I have been observing for many years,but I still find myself dependent on this book for all my astronomy observations including Binocular sessions.

While I disagree with some of Robert Bruce Thompson's opinions and practices in certain areas, in the astronomical realm, he and his wife Barbara have written a wonderful reference guide to the nighttime sky for amateur astronomers, the Illustrated Guide to Astronomical Wonders. Corny title aside, this volume will keep me busy in my limited time under starry skies for years to come.The Illustrated Guide is a contellation-by-constellation guide to observing double-stars, galaxies, nebulae and star clusters. The Illustrated Guide also provides introductory material on how to best to observe these night sky objects with amateur equipment and a guide to some of the gear that will make your life as a backyard astronomer more pleasant. Much of this introductory material is a repeat of what's in the authors earlier book, Astronomy Hacks.The bulk of the book is a deep-sky object reference guide. For each of 50 of the northern hemisphere constellations, the authors provide several pages of information about that part of the sky, including a brief history of the name and story behind the constellation, a table of the prominent deep-sky objects that live there, and charts and helpful tips for finding each of these often elusive targets.For each constellation covered, there is a chart of the constellation as a whole, and then for most of the prominent objects found therein there are charts covering smaller portions of the sky to help you star-hop your way to find the object. Each chart indicates the field width displayed and many of the charts of smaller field widths contain 5-degree finder circles, and 1-degree eyepiece circles, which are useful, but it would have been nice for the circles to match the 4, 2 and 1/2-degree circles of my Telrad.Though the charts are nice, I find them a little harder to use than those I print out of the astronomy software on my computer. I think I tend to print out my own charts with a higher limiting magnitude, so I get more stars to use for reference.The tables of deep-sky objects provided for each constellation indicate the type of object, how easy it is to find it, a visual rating (is it worth looking at after spending 20 minutes trying to find it?), its visual magnitude, its size, its right ascension and declination, its common catalog number, and other pieces of useful information. It does take some time to get acquainted with the abbreviations and symbols the authors use to indicate all these facts.If you acquire a copy you may want to take it to a local print shop to get the book spiral bound. Keeping the book open when turned to Andromeda or to Taurus can be a challenge when you're trying to use your hands for other things. Holding the (somewhat heavy) book up to your eyepiece while trying to compare the charts to what's in your eyepiece is a pain (maybe that's another reason why I like my printouts better). Perhaps cutting off the spine and drilling holes for a 3-ring binder might be the best option so you can consult one page at a time next to the eyepiece (the book is just big enough to do so).The book is fun to browse, and is helpful when planning your observation sessions, but the true test for such a work is to put it to use under a clear sky at night. So it has accompanied me on a few increasingly-difficult-to-find-time-for forays into the backyard. At the recommendation of the authors in Astronomy Hacks, a year ago I purchased an 8 inch dobsonian telescope (Zhumell brand). This new scope has given me a good opportunity to field-test the material in the Illustrated Guide--although my 'field' to-date has mainly been the light-polluted backyard of my home in Orem. The book has helped me find a number of interesting things in the sky, though some have eluded me. For many of the objects in the book, you'll need good (dark) skies and plenty of aperture. I found that adding a Telrad finder to my scope made finding these objects much easier--I now spend more time looking at these objects then for them. A good-quality, easy-to-use scope will make all the difference in whether your observation session is successful, enjoyable, and therapeutic, or a source of frustration and disappointment. A good scope will make using a book like this much more pleasant.The Illustrated Guide is useful for beginners and experienced astronomers alike. For beginners, the book will be challenging to use, but will provide years of deep-sky targets to chase down. For those with more experience the book will be a great reference.

Excellent guide, and compliments other guides, like TLAO, very nicely.

SUMMARY: an incredibly rich resource for amateurs looking to bring into the field one resource that will guide them to successful deep-sky observingPROs: loaded with useful information, great value (considering what most good astronomy books go for these days)CONs: claims to be useful for beginners but I'm not so sure I'd go that farVisit my web site for a full review.

Superbly written. If you're looking for ONE book that will take you from binocular basics to the most advanced astronomical viewing, this is it! Concise and easily understood, Thompson's book will open the treasures of the universe to both casual observers and those wanting to become master observers.

Selection of DSOs based on widely respected observing lists. Well organized, by constellation. Good descriptions and guide maps (created with MegaStar software). Highly recomended.

Un libro bellissimo (in inglese) bellissimo. Ho trovato tantissime informazioni utili. Belle cartine del cielo con gli elenchi del piu belli oggetti celesti da osservare.Ve lo consiglio vivamente

This is a classic of the genre, and a must-have for anyone interested in knowing more about stargazing, and learning how to navigate the night sky. It simply is the best. On my kindle app - please use a large format, not a phone - I found no issues arising.

北半球中緯度地域から見やすい５０星座について、星雲・星団と二重星など双眼鏡から中口径天体望遠鏡までの観望ガイドとして役立つ優れた書だと感じます。　本書の使用方法などの解説は冒頭65ページにあり、アイピースや星雲用のフィルターなどについても記載されています。本文は50星座の星図と各星座で選りすぐった観望対象のファインディングーチャート（10度、5度、1度）が掲載されています。特に優れた点として多く対象で１度四方に統一した白黒写真が掲載されており、各対象の大きさの比較がイメージしやすいことがあげられます。ファインディングチャートも含め書式が統一されているため、天体間のイメージ比較が容易で、この1点だけでも本書を購入する価値があったと思っています。　スケッチほどではないのですが、実際に望遠鏡で見たときのイメージがしやすい白黒写真が掲載されており好感がもてます（もちろん肉眼で見るよりも明るく写っているので、掲載写真のように見えるわけではないので誤解なきこと）。ただし、対象天体のうち星団の写真ではそう不満はないともいえますが、紙と印刷の質が悪く、星雲では淡い部分とハイライト部分が感じよくは表現されていないのが残念です。　観測対象を最も美しく魅せるカラー写真も、それはそれでよいものですが、観望対象を机上で決定したり、星図を頼りに見つけたいマニアには、このように統一の視野角で写真やチャートが表現されたガイドブックがより適切であると感じます。　さらにお気に入りの点としては、双眼鏡から中口径の望遠鏡まで、どの機器でチャレンジすべきか、各星座毎の冒頭で一覧にされており、特に都市部近郊のような空の比較的明るいところでもチャレンジできる対象が選別されているところは、都市部に住みベランダから気軽な観望を楽しむことがほとんどな自分には最もうれしいところでした。　観望対象として各星座ごとに選定されたリストは、M天体、NGC天体オブジェクト、双眼鏡M天体、双眼鏡ディープスカイ天体、都市観望、二重星の6分類で400以上が選定され難易度も4段階で記されています。各対象個々にはタイプ、サイズ、座標などのほか、辿り方などについても記載されています。　暗い空の下に暮らしているか、よっぽどのマニアで南半球にも星見のために遠征しようなどと考えていない限りは、このリストの天体を一生のあいだにすべて自分の目で見れればいいかな？自分にはちょうどいい感じがします。この書でさらに深水に嵌ればそれはそれでおおいに価値のある書であるともいえますし。　購入した本書の印刷国は明記されていなかったのでわかりませんが、アマゾンさんが日本国内で印刷したものについては、印刷の質だけでなく重要な付録が欠落しているなど過去に粗悪なものがありましたので注意が必要かと思っています。安心・気軽・安価に購入できる点はありがたいので、現在ではそのようなことが改まっていればよいのですが・・・　本書をAMAZONから購入した2018年11月現在、普通紙にインクジェットプリンターで印刷したような感じがあり、色刷りのインクが星図に付着していたり、文字がにじみ消えていたりと印刷に起因する問題が一部にあり、その点が残念です。自分も過去はそうしていたのですが、印刷の質が気になる書物や書式の異なる付属の資料がある書物など、急がない場合は国外の販売店に注文するのも一考かもしれません。また、本書に掲載されている星図は美しいとは言えず、プラネタリウムソフトから切り出したような雑なデザインである点がマイナス１です。ただし購入しづらい価格帯になるのはさらにマイナスなので、このあたりがコスパがよいところなのかもしれません。

I bought this for myself in time for my birthday. Glad that I did!The book is well laid out with two introductory chapters, the first on Deep Space Objects and the second on Astronomical equipment.Then it has a guide to 50 constellations that can be seen in the northern hemisphere with complete description, history, what can be found there [nebulae, clusters, galaxies and multiple [binary] stars etc.] along with detailed maps [sometimes of the whole constellation, or sections of] and black/white photos as it actually looks. Descriptions of what can be seen with the naked eye/binocular/telescope are also given.The book is designed for the amateur and student/teacher in mind, as well as being useful for the more advanced astronomer.It is also designed to be a field guide and can be used with a red torch.I would suggest to get the book protected with a cover/binder as it will get used often!