Rating: 
Summary: IF YOU BUY ONLY ONE STAR ATLAS, GET THIS ONE!
Review: Looks small and unimpressive, but WOW! By far the most useful single sky guide I've found. What makes it special? First, the trick of showing additional detail and fainter stars for only selected areas of the sky, along with full-sky coverage of brighter stars...if you use binoculars or a telescope to hunt down faint objects, you will see lots of faint stars too, and showing them on the charts is a big help to orient you. Second, the scaling of the charts and of the plotted stars is unusually well matched to what you actually see through binoculars or a telescope at low power, making it easy to match your eyepiece view to what the chart shows. (Indeed, I find it superior to either the Sky Atlas 2000.0 or Uranometria--much larger and more expensive charts--in that regard.) Third, the format of listing interesting objects with associated data on pages facing each map is very useful and convenient. Fourth, the inclusion of hundreds of NGC objects besides the full Messier list makes this a reference that a beginner will not soon outgrow, and a veteran will continue to find it useful through the years. Fifth, the information regarding the types of instruments needed to view each object (small binoculars, large binos, small scope, medium scope) is the most accurate and practical I've seen. Sixth, it's so portable you can take it out on every viewing session--it even fits into a binocular case. Downside? Only that so few dealers carry it! ...and you've found one here. Good work, Amazon.
Rating:
Summary: Absolutely Indispensable!
Review: Ok, you've probably read all the other enthusiastic comments from the other reviewers. I have nothing more to add to that...except: I prefer the first edition compared to the second edition. It is printed in Germany on high gloss heavy weight paper that is more resilient to dew and condensation...which might not sound like a big deal to you but believe me if you use it as often as I do you'll know what I mean. The 2nd Ed is printed on more absorbent acid free paper (in the US). The good thing is that the star maps in the back pages are marked in blue/green, which is better than the red constellation markings in the first Ed as the blue/green lines do not disappear under a red flashlight. Otherwise, both editions are equally good and are not overly different.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent for small/medium scope owners with some experience
Review: Packs a lot of information into a small sized book. While the charts are not as big as most observing atlases,its format makes it very easy to locate the more interesting and brighter objects observable with a small to medium size scope. It's more detailed charts of the areas near the objects are very convenient.Not only was the way the constellations are grouped according to season a good idea but also according to northern,ecliptic and southern skies. The index and the charts in the back of the book are well thought out. I use this atlas quite often and highly recomend it!
Rating:
Summary: Surprisingly comprehensive, with some interesting features.
Review: Some of us have a penchant for portability - a disposition for stuff that's easy-to-tote, whether it be accessories, maintenance items, or even the featured equipment itself. For star parties and "over-niters" I could care less if my bulk and baggage are busting at the seams. However, a walk on the boulevard with binoculars, or the occasional front yard setup for a hop through Cygnus, is much more enjoyable without having to juggle back and forth between the eyepiece and whatever I'm using as a reference - like a clumsy atlas.The Observer's Sky Atlas is a streamlined reference for use with binoculars and small and medium telescopes. It employs 50 charts, displaying all stars down to 6th magnitude. It contains the usual narrative on how to use the charts, complete with graphics and diagrams like a B-V Color Index, and Apparent Magnitude and Distance Scales. There is also a good introductory lexicon, for terms such as precession and sidereal time. Each of the 50 charts is outlined and numbered on a complete sky map showing all the constellations. Go to the page with its corresponding chart number (easy to do) and you're presented with all the accouterments for visual reference of the area. The chart will be on the right. All the celestial objects of interest are listed on the left-facing page by object-type, and in order of right ascension. The chart page on the right shows several views of the featured area - an overall perspective of the constellation, and some "finder-charts" of various magnifications, i.e.: - a binocular view; a finder-scope view, etc. The extensive index on the left page lists objects by number (NGC, IC, Messier) or by common name. In the fourth column is a small coded square, which shows where the object can be found on the main chart, and/or any of the accompanying finder-charts. A clever and helpful idea. As with any book of this genre, there are some minor errors and typos, but none of any consequence. This little atlas is amazingly comprehensive, and very easy to use. If you need a good deep sky reference that's loaded with essential objects in a convenient format, then you can't go wrong with this one. NOTE: - A beginning novice may find initial exposure to an atlas of any level to be somewhat overbearing. However, with time and a little practice (as with any tool) it will indeed assume its rightful place within the realm of familiarity and usefulness. Thus, this book is perfectly suited for beginning amateurs, advanced observers, and casual stargazers, all of which are grown and graduated from the rank of "novice". Highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: Surprisingly comprehensive, with some interesting features.
Review: Some of us have a penchant for portability - a disposition for stuff that's easy-to-tote, whether it be accessories, maintenance items, or even the featured equipment itself. For star parties and "over-niters" I could care less if my bulk and baggage are busting at the seams. However, a walk on the boulevard with binoculars, or the occasional front yard setup for a hop through Cygnus, is much more enjoyable without having to juggle back and forth between the eyepiece and whatever I'm using as a reference - like a clumsy atlas. The Observer's Sky Atlas is a streamlined reference for use with binoculars and small and medium telescopes. It employs 50 charts, displaying all stars down to 6th magnitude. It contains the usual narrative on how to use the charts, complete with graphics and diagrams like a B-V Color Index, and Apparent Magnitude and Distance Scales. There is also a good introductory lexicon, for terms such as precession and sidereal time. Each of the 50 charts is outlined and numbered on a complete sky map showing all the constellations. Go to the page with its corresponding chart number (easy to do) and you're presented with all the accouterments for visual reference of the area. The chart will be on the right. All the celestial objects of interest are listed on the left-facing page by object-type, and in order of right ascension. The chart page on the right shows several views of the featured area - an overall perspective of the constellation, and some "finder-charts" of various magnifications, i.e.: - a binocular view; a finder-scope view, etc. The extensive index on the left page lists objects by number (NGC, IC, Messier) or by common name. In the fourth column is a small coded square, which shows where the object can be found on the main chart, and/or any of the accompanying finder-charts. A clever and helpful idea. As with any book of this genre, there are some minor errors and typos, but none of any consequence. This little atlas is amazingly comprehensive, and very easy to use. If you need a good deep sky reference that's loaded with essential objects in a convenient format, then you can't go wrong with this one. NOTE: - A beginning novice may find initial exposure to an atlas of any level to be somewhat overbearing. However, with time and a little practice (as with any tool) it will indeed assume its rightful place within the realm of familiarity and usefulness. Thus, this book is perfectly suited for beginning amateurs, advanced observers, and casual stargazers, all of which are grown and graduated from the rank of "novice". Highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: A must-have sky atlas for the small scope user
Review: Talk about complete information in a small package! This is it! I was amazed at the amount of GOOD, useful information packed between the 134 pages of this thin, almost-pocket-sized handbook. The black-and-white star charts to magnitude 6 are excellent, with magnified views to magnitude 9 as seen through a small telescope. Each chart covers a small, manageable area of the celestial sphere, with 24 charts (one for each hour of Right Ascension)for the Equatorial/Ecliptic region, 12 for the Northern sky, 12 for for the Southern sky, and one each for the poles. Vital, easy-to-read information on bright stars, variable stars, multiple stars, clusters, nebulae, and galaxies is included. The introduction is concise, but very thorough. I highly recommend this atlas for use in the field by any amateur astronomer. Added 10/23/2003: I Added thumb-index tabs to the three index pages; "Nebulae" (including Messier and NGC objects), "Stars" (by name), and "Constellations". I also tabbed each section, noting charts numbered N1, E1, E12, and S1 to help me flip quickly to the right page. It make the book more useful on a dark, cold, dewy night under the stars.
Rating:
Summary: A must-have sky atlas for the small scope user
Review: Talk about complete information in a small package! This is it! I was amazed at the amount of GOOD, useful information packed between the 134 pages of this thin, almost-pocket-sized handbook. The black-and-white star charts to magnitude 6 are excellent, with magnified views to magnitude 9 as seen through a small telescope. Each chart covers a small, manageable area of the celestial sphere, with 24 charts (one for each hour of Right Ascension)for the Equatorial/Ecliptic region, 12 for the Northern sky, 12 for for the Southern sky, and one each for the poles. Vital, easy-to-read information on bright stars, variable stars, multiple stars, clusters, nebulae, and galaxies is included. The introduction is concise, but very thorough. I highly recommend this atlas for use in the field by any amateur astronomer. Added 10/23/2003: I Added thumb-index tabs to the three index pages; "Nebulae" (including Messier and NGC objects), "Stars" (by name), and "Constellations". I also tabbed each section, noting charts numbered N1, E1, E12, and S1 to help me flip quickly to the right page. It make the book more useful on a dark, cold, dewy night under the stars.
Rating:
Summary: A real sleeper!
Review: This little book is packed with a ton of information. It is extremely handy especially for binocular viewing while lying on your back--no fumbling with an observing guide and an atlas. Just photocopy the relevant spreads and put them in non-glare clear page protectors. Your other hand holds the red flashlight. Easy as pie. This guide is not for rank beginners and is best used after planning your observing session with a more comprehensive binocular guide, eg. Crossen or Harrington. It is fine for small scope users too, but it's usually less of a problem to handle a more bulky atlas and guide at a scope. The book is well-translated from German for a change. No fancy color photos, just needed information.
Rating:
Summary: The most useful reference I have ever purchased!
Review: This little gem comes with me to every observing session. It is very easy to use it to star-hop and identify faint fuzzies with my 8" dob. The information and layout is extremely reader-friendly and has good visibility under a red light. The pages are organized so that it is easy to find the section of sky you are interested in very quickly. A lot of dew has formed and dried on its pages, and I hope to use it for years to come!
Rating:
Summary: The most useful reference I have ever purchased!
Review: This little gem comes with me to every observing session. It is very easy to use it to star-hop and identify faint fuzzies with my 8" dob. The information and layout is extremely reader-friendly and has good visibility under a red light. The pages are organized so that it is easy to find the section of sky you are interested in very quickly. A lot of dew has formed and dried on its pages, and I hope to use it for years to come!
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