Features
- Cover Type: Hard Cover with 224 pages
- Published by: Cambridge University Press
- Edition: 3rd Edition October 23, 2000
- Written in: English
- ISBN 10 Number: 0521781906
- ISBN 13 Number: 978-0521781909
-
Book Dimensions:
10.9 x 8.9 x 0.9 inches
- Weighs: 2.3 pounds
Product Review
Owners of small
telescopes will appreciated this revised edition of a classic, which has been updated to AD 2006, and which includes hundreds of night sky objects easily viewed by the home observer. From seasonal challenges in making observations to locating common guideposts and visible clusters, this is the home astronomer's 'bible'. --
Midwest Book Review
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Product Review
"an great book for small telescope usersAs the resurgence in small
telescopes continues, this book will be of use to all users of such instruments. Since many of the objects covered in Turn Left at Orion can be seen from light-polluted skies, this book is a valuable asset even if you live in a large urban area." Deep Sky
"should be packaged with every first telescope. It's as nearly perfect as such a book can be." Sky & Telescope
"for those intent on doing some serious observing with a small telescope, Turn Left at Orion has much to recommend it." Stardust
Reader Reviews
This review is from: Turn Left at Orion (Hardcover)
Too many amateur astronomy books are haughty, if not insulting, about the mass of small telescopes that people buy or receive as gifts. Sidebars like "Trash Scope Blues" are an example. This book, written by two professional astronomers, points out that the small telescope of today is the magnificent instrument beyond the dreams of Galileo or Messier*. With that foundation in place they proceed to lead you through the night sky to view the most interesting objects for small telescopes. They begin with the deepest coverage of the moon that I have encountered yet. There are separate sections for each phase of the moon detailing highlights of what is unique at that time of the month. Then they tour the night sky, season by season. Their directions to find items of interest don't presume that you know the constellations. Instead, in "Where to Look" they start with the bright, easy to find stars, and from there walk you over to the item. They assist your search by describing what you'll see in the finder scope and the telescope and have illustrations of what you will actually see in the telescope. (Not some picture taken by an observatory or the Hubble telescope.) In "Comments" they describe what you'll see, suggest the eyepiece to use to get the most of the view, and give details about just what that thing is. All objects are given a 1 to 4 telescope rating to help you choose the fun ones first. The Orion Nebula is an exception that receives a 5 telescope rating: easy to find, viewable in city light haze, with different interesting views at low and high power. Of the half dozen astronomy books I've looked over this is the hands down best book for the new owner of a telescope to have. More than any other book, it will help you get the most from your telescope. *Never heard of Messier? Most non-astronomers haven't Charles Messier hunted the skys for comets and kept coming across things that, at first glance, might be a comet. After figuring out that they weren't comets, he kept a record of them so he wouldn't waste time on them again. As it turns out this list contains some of the neatest things to see in the night sky.
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