Sky & Telescope's Pocket Sky Atlas

by Roger W. Sinnott

This 80-chart atlas contains more than 30,000 stars to magnitude 7.6 and approximately 1,500 deep-sky objects (including 675 galaxies to magnitude 11.5). Included are extra close-up charts of the Orion Nebula, Pleiades, Virgo Galaxy Cluster, and Large Magellanic Cloud.

Genres: Astronomy, Science, Nonfiction, Reference, Nature, Space, Atlases

110 pages, Spiral-bound

First published January 1, 2006

Reviews

[Sarah Far · Rating 4 out of 5]

یه کتاب خووووب با نقشه صورتهای فلکی برای دوستداران آسمان

[Jose Moa · Rating 5 out of 5]

For me the best sky atlas for backyard astronomers,it has 80 detailed charts with the most interesting targets to observ,classified by right ascension and dates and hours to better observation,has charts of both sky hemispheres and is also excelent for star hopping with the added value that is a relatively small pocket book. At the end of the book have close up charts of the Pleiades,Orions Sword,Virgo Galaxy Cluster and Large Magellanic Cloud
A imprescindible tool book

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

For casual star gazing, this is great. When you look through binoculars or a scope, you can see so many stars that you will be overwhelmed. Most astronomers own a few different Sky Atlas books, as their needs change. A more advanced one can help find dimmer objects.

I will put my atlas on a coffee table outside. Using my telescope, I look up at a star field and see how much of it fits in my field of view. I then take a paper-clip and bend it into a circle whose size matches the enclosed same stars in my star atlas. Now, when I 'hop' around the sky looking through my scope, I can put this paper-clip circle on my atlas and determine exactly what stars I am seeing.

There is both a spiral-bound and plain book version of this. Get the spiral-bound so it lies flat easily when you open it.

[C. Marcos · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are planning to become a casual night sky watcher this book is a must. But if you are a regular stargazer you must have this little book too. A piece of artwork by itself, there is no much reading in it but there is a lot to look at. Incredibly useful star charts! Easy to use at night or during the day to prepare the observations. It does not matter if you live in the southern or the northern hemisphere, this book will serve you well. Unless you have a relatively large telescope, anything you can observe (naked eye or scope-d) will be in the charts. The overall organization of the book is also commendable. In summary, the very best book for observing.

[Patty Cheek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! Love it for helping me sky hop.

[Steve LaForest · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing star atlas - very useful in the field - especially when you are packing luggage and space / weight is limited. I won this book in a contest at my local astronomy club - best thing I ever won.

How do you decide whether you should say you "read" a book like a star atlas? I think if I have logged hours and hours and hours of observing constellations / asterisms / stars / nebulae / galaxies - then you have "earned" the right to say you "read" the book. This would also apply to my 2 books with lunar maps - I have spent countless hours identifying lunar craters - vastly more time than I ever spent reading a story or novel or most non-fiction books.

It really is arbitrary what year / month / day I list as having "read" the atlas. I use it every time I am out under a remarkable night sky - whether it's my local intensely light-polluted neighbourhood in Oshawa - or the nearby Greenwood Conservation Area ... a moderately dark site we use for watching perseid meteors (because we can't drag most casual observers all the way out to a reasonably dark site), to the fairly dark site at Long Sault conservation area that is a half-hour drive away where you can readily see fifth magnitude stars, to the truly dark sites (like Presqu'ile Provincial Park or the mind-numbingly dark sites like Fish Point on Pelee Island).

Go out - look up!

To quote the amazing song from the amazing Firefly: "They can't take the sky away from me!"

[Phil Moyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A perfect "observatory bag" companion to the excellent Sky Atlas 2000.0, 2nd Field Laminated Version, which is my go-to source for sky data. Sometimes, however, the Sky Atlas 2000.0 is too big to cart about - it's much better on the chart table than standing at the Dobsonian trying to starhop. That's where this little pocket atlas comes in handy!

[Dan Cowden · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a small reference for astronomy lovers, in a handy size able to fit into a large pocket. It covers all stars down to 7.6 magnitude, which means it's great for small telescopes and binoculars, but readers will find it much more useful after learning the constellations. The book is divided into many sections, each of which is considerably smaller than the night sky.

[John]

reference,science,astronomy

[Arsalan ale · Rating 3 out of 5]

it's not optimized for telescopes and i didn't find if comfortable for binoculars either.my experience!

[Tom · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a beginner I think its a great sky atlas. Don't see reason to use any other more detailed one.

[Sanjay Virkar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must have. Won't go out in the night to find stars, without it

[Bob Mimiaga · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very well written explanation of the purpose and use of star charts. This was a short introduction to the rest of the book which contains star charts for the four seasons and every part of the sky in both the northern and southern hemisphere.

The kindle version of this pocket guide is not quite as useful as the hardcopy Jumbo version which I also purchased. But overall this guide to the stars is a valuable tool for anyone hoping to explore and learn more about the stars at night.