I have Cartes Du Ciel on my laptop, however, it is being REALLY finicky, so i do not want to take it with me. It has been a while since I have been out observing, but this weekend, I plan on dusting off my binoculars and cleaning/tuning up a 4" newtonian.

So that said, I am wondering, what is the number one sky atlas that is the must have book? to take to the field?

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Eagle Eye Observatory

The Bright Star Atlas 2000.0 is an inexpensive atlas that's easy to use and is appropriate for binoculars and small aperture telescopes. (Also worth considering is the Edmund Mag 6 Star Altas.) Sky & Telescope's Pocket Sky Atlas is a bit more expensive but goes "deeper" and is very handy to use in the field. The next step up would be the magnitude 8.5 Sky Atlas 2000.0.

For further information, see http://www.oreillynet.com/pub/a/netw...aratlases.html

Dave Mitsky

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Sky Atlas 2000.0 is the one I was looking for, I think

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Eagle Eye Observatory

It comes in different versions. I like the black on white laminated one for use outdoors. I used to use the white on black, but I like to me able to mark on it with a Sharpie pen.

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Uranometria 2000.0 rocks. It has every deep sky object you could ever imagine. I should probably save up for the companion guide.

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I do not recommend any hard-bound atlas for field work. Loose charts or spiral bound are best. For example I have SkyAtlas 2000.0 by Wil Tirion and Roger Sinnot. It is spiral bound and lies flat in the field. But...

It is a pain because the charts fold out making it difficult to flip between charts. I also find these atlases better suited to binocular astronomy. Telescopic fields are too narrow and often too detailed to be easily correlated to a chart position. They are good for 'ballpark' finding. For this reason I will use software of my own design for detailed "finding" or verification of observations.

-Veeger

Pocket Sky Atlas would be my must have.
SA2000, a should have, is a masterpiece meant to be sprawled out
across a table.
PSA is the handheld version that still takes us through the Herschel 400.

I just saw it at Amazon for $9. If the OP doesn't grab it I will.


SJS