Planisphere (Astronomy) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I'm very happy with this item. Very good quality versus price. It's a good start point for the beginner astronomer.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Planisphere (Astronomy)

An essential item of equipment for beginners and experienced observers, Philip's Planisphere enables the user to locate stars, constellations and planets, and work out sunrise and sunset times for every day of the year. Simply turn the oval panel to the required date and time to reveal the whole sky visible from your location. This brand new edition of the Philip's Southern Planisphere is larger, clearer and easier to use, while remaining lightweight and portable. The new map, drawn by renowned celestial cartographer Wil Tirion, shows stars down to magnitude 4 (stars visible with the naked eye), as well as many deep-sky objects. On the back of the planisphere are tables giving the positions of the four visible planets - Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn - for every month until 2012. The Southern 35[degrees] Planisphere is suitable for use in Australia, New Zealand, southern Africa and Southern America.

Click here for more information about Planisphere (Astronomy)

Read More...

The Night Sky 20°-30°N (Large) Star Finder Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)It is very detailed. As it says, it's very similar to the stars you actually see in the sky.
It works as follows: there is an outter dial with the days of the year, and an inner dial with the hours of day. By aligning them, it is easy to see the stars that are on the sky at any day (night) and hour.
One side faces North and the other side faces South. It has the star coordinate system (the one in hours and degrees), so you can find planets, if you have a table that tells you where to look.
I think you should complement this with a book, such as "40 Nights to Knowing the Sky", in order to know what you are seeing.

Click Here to see more reviews about: The Night Sky 20°-30°N (Large) Star Finder

The Night Sky is a rotating star finder - or planisphere that allows the user to recognize the constellations for any time of night, any day of the year. The sky appears to rotate (due to the rotation and orbital motion of the earth), so to be successful recognizing the constellations a beginner needs to know which stars are above the horizon at any time. This is the full-sized version of The Night Sky suitable for the 20Â-30Â latitude zone (Florida, Caribbean, S.Texas, Hawaii). THere are versions for the following latitude zones: 50Â-60Â, 40Â-50Â, 30Â-40Â, 20Â-30Â, and the Southern Hemisphere. There are also pocket-sized versions available for the same latitude zones.

Click here for more information about The Night Sky 20°-30°N (Large) Star Finder

Read More...

A Field Guide to Stars and Planets (Peterson Field Guides) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This review is for the softcover version. I feel almost bad to give this great guide 3 stars. The book contains a lot of very good information - more so than many books several times larger. As such, it's an excellent reference for beginner and more advanced user alike. However, the book fails miserably for field use, which, ironically, it is supposed to be designed for.
The cover frays and acquires "dog-ears" in a relatively short time of field use. In contrast, the Audubon field guides use a much more resilient plastic softcover. The pages smude easily from finger oils - remember, this is a guide you should be able to use for 8 years or so (until the next edition) so these are unacceptable shortcomings IMHO. By far the biggest gripe I have with this book, however, is the the choice of red to identify galaxies, star clusters etc in the atlas charts. These marks completely disappear under red light(!!!), making the charts useless for finding deep sky objects in the field. Finally, how are you supposed to operate equipment and keep the book open? Because it lacks spiral binding, the only way to use it hands-off is to put a weight on the page you're referencing.
If you're looking for a great reference to use at home, this guide is hard to beat - in fact, I highly recommend it. However, look elsewhere for more useful star charts with deep sky objects to use in the field.

Click Here to see more reviews about: A Field Guide to Stars and Planets (Peterson Field Guides)

The fourth edition of this best-selling field guide has been completely revised and updated to include the latest information from leading astronomical sources. All the time-sensitive material is new and valid through 2017: solar eclipses, phases of the moon, positions of the planets, and more. Twenty-four Monthly Sky Maps, all newly revised and in color, show exactly what you'll see when facing north or south in the night sky. Fifty-two Atlas Charts, also revised and in color, cover the entire sky, including close-ups of areas of special interest such as the Pleiades and the Orion Nebula. The hundreds of thousands of devoted users of the previous editions of this guide have been eagerly awaiting this new volume so they can continue to enjoy their hobby in the coming decades.

Click here for more information about A Field Guide to Stars and Planets (Peterson Field Guides)

Read More...

The Night Sky 20°-30° (Small) Star Finder Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)A must have for all Astronomers, choice the 'small' to fit in your pocket or go for the large!

Click Here to see more reviews about: The Night Sky 20°-30° (Small) Star Finder

The Night Sky is a rotating star finder (planisphere) that allows the user to recognize the constellations for any time of night, any day of the year. The sky appears to rotate (due to the rotation and orbital motion of the earth), so to be successful recognizing the constellations a beginner needs to know which stars are above the horizon at any time. This is the pocket-sized version of The Night Sky suitable for Florida, the Caribbean, Southern Texas, Hawaii. There are versions for the following latitude zones: 50Â-60Â, 40Â-50Â, 30Â-40Â, 20Â-30Â, and the Southern Hemisphere. There are also full-sized versions available for the same latitude zones.

Click here for more information about The Night Sky 20°-30° (Small) Star Finder

Read More...

Guide to the Stars Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)For the beginning amateur astronomer there is no better aid to learning the stars and constellations than a planisphere - and I think David Levy's new rendition of this old device is as good as they come.
Basically a planisphere is starmap printed on one of two plastic disks which are joined together in the center and free to rotate. Around the edge of one disk are the days of the year while the other disk has the hours of the day. By setting the time, on one disk, opposite the date on the other, it is possible for you to see the sky, through a window in the top disk, as it would appear at that particular day and time.
There are several thing about David Levy's planisphere that recommend it. To begin with it is BIG, 16 inches in diameter to be precise, and the printing is large and easy to read. Secondly, it is a good representation of the sky showing only those stars visible to the unaided eye. Finally, the reverse side contains information about the Moon, planets, meteor showers and a listing of interesting galaxies and star clusters visible in binoculars or a small telescope. If you are a beginning "Stargazer", or thinking about becoming one, this should be your first acquisition.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Guide to the Stars

This star chart was specifically designed and priced for children ages 5 to 15. It can be used for any night of the year and anywhere in the United States (latitudes 30 to 50 degrees North). It is made of sturdy card-type paper that resists moisture and printed in color. Note: Although this star chart was designed for kids, an adult will most likely have to assist younger children in identifying the constellations and stars. This star chart consists of an outer, dark-blue sleeve that contains a ''star wheel.'' The star wheel cannot fall out of the sleeve. The ''heart'' of this star chart is the ''star wheel'' and it is rotated to your observing day and time. The stars that appear in the oval are the stars that will be in the night sky. The days of the month are indicated along the circumference of the star wheel and the observing times of 7 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. are indicated on the front sleeve. The star wheel indicates 70 Constellations, the Names of 55 Stars, the Milky Way Band, the Ecliptic (which is the path of the Sun, Moon and Planets), 12 easy binocular objects and favorite star patterns including the Great Square of Pegasus, the Sickle of Leo, the Northern Cross of Cygnus and others. This star wheel is not ''cutesy'' or ''dumbed down'' for kids. It is an accurate plotting and representation of the constellations and stars. The front of the sleeve has easy-to-follow instructions. The back of the sleeve has additional instructions for those first starting to find the stars, a table of the yearly meteor showers, the phases of the Moon, a short history of space and a description of the 12 binoculars objects that are indicated on the star wheel. Although the primary audience for this star chart is kids in the U.S., this chart can also be used to find the constellations in England, Europe, Northern China and Japan. PLANET NOTE. Most star charts, like this one, do not indicate, on the star wheel, the position of the Planets or Moon because these objects move through the constellations of the zodiac, along a path in the sky called the Ecliptic (indicated on the star wheel). The Moon moves at a rate of one Moon diameter per hour against the background stars. The visible Planets move much slower but movement can normally be seen over several days. Website support is provided to identify the planets that are visible in the sky. There are two adult versions of this star chart. Both are made of plastic and can be ''dialed-in'' to observe the constellations for any hour of the day and any day of the year. The 11-inch diameter star chart (ISBN ISBN 1-928771-03-3) is similar in size to the kid's star chart. The larger, 16-inch diameter star chart, which is about the size of a large pizza, is easier to read and thus ideal for families, teachers and seniors (ISBN 1-928771-01-7). The larger size also has more astronomy information on the back.

Click here for more information about Guide to the Stars

Read More...

The Night Sky 30°-40° (Large; North Latitude) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)A rotating starfinder like this one (often referred to as a "Planisphere") effectively shows how the night sky looks at any given time on any night of the year. For instance, if it's 10 p.m. on April 30th, just line up April 30th on the outer wheel with 10 p.m. on the inner wheel. The starfinder will thus display the position and orientation of the constellations that are visible to you at that time. As time passes, celestial objects "drift" from east to west due to the Earth's rotation. Occasional adjustment (rotating the planisphere's inner wheel to keep up with passing time) will sustain an accurate representation. As with any night-time observing aid, it should be viewed with red light.
Planispheres are generally manufactured in incremental versions to accommodate various bandwidths of latitudes from which to use them. For northern latitudes they are most commonly offered in 20/30; 30/40; and 40/50-degree versions. The Night Sky "30-40" matches latitudes from 30 to 40 degrees North, i.e.: - the mid-southern United States. You should select the one that brackets your particular latitude.
Classic boundaries of the constellations are highlighted with lines connecting principal stars down to 5th magnitude. A few of the more significant celestial objects are represent as well, i.e.: - M31. Right Ascension and Declination scales are provided. The front side shows the sky as you face north. Turning the planisphere over (from front to back) shows the sky as it looks facing south - and without distortion.
A good starfinder is a useful tool, and Chandler's Night Sky planisphere has become my personal favorite. It makes for a good learning device as well, and is the planisphere of choice for Terrence Dickinson ("The Backyard Astronomer's Guide"). It is plastic coated, weatherproof, and very durable. Mine has suffered some clumsy mishaps on a concrete observing pad and endured countless hundreds of dew-polluted evenings, but still looks and functions quite well.
Whatever the venue - binocular, telescope, or just plain naked-eye stargazing, I highly recommend Chandler's Night Sky planisphere. I believe it to be the best choice available.

Click Here to see more reviews about: The Night Sky 30°-40° (Large; North Latitude)

The Night Sky is a rotating star finder (planisphere) that allows the user to recognize the constellations for any time of night, any day of the year. The sky appears to rotate (due to the rotation and orbital motion of the earth), so to be successful recognizing the constellations a beginner needs to know which stars are above the horizon at any time. This is the full-sized version of The Night Sky suitable for the 30Â-40Â latitude zone (southern half of the US, North Africa, Middle East, etc.). There are editions for the following latitude zones: 50Â-60Â, 40Â-50Â, 30Â-40Â, 20Â-30Â, and the Southern Hemisphere. There are also pocket-sized versions available for the same latitude zones.

Click here for more information about The Night Sky 30°-40° (Large; North Latitude)

Read More...

Uranometria 2000.0: Deep Sky Atlas, Vol. 1: The Northern Hemisphere to -6 Degrees Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)In 1987 and 1988, the two-volume Uranometria became the first star atlas to go deep--showing about a quarter of a million stars to magnitude 9.5. It included thousands of deep-sky objects for owners of the large scopes that were coming onto the market. The second edition (2001) goes a bit further--to magnitude 9.75, but its real improvement is elsewhere:
Imagine opening a road atlas to a two-page spread of, say, the State of Montana and finding the eastern and western halves reversed. In place of one state, you have two disjointed halves.
Ridiculous, you say?
Of course. But, believe it or not, that's the way the first edition presented its two-page chart spreads. Also, the page to page seqencing was utterly counterintuitive. The problems come from the sequencing of the charts in order of ascending right ascension (for more details, see my review of the previous edition).
When the second edition of Uranometria came out in 2001, the compilers were wise enough to correct the fault and sequence in descending right ascension. Uranometria is, finally, a practical work for advanced astronomers with large telescopes. The first edition? Don't even take it as a gift.
Uranometria vs the Millennium? You would not go wrong with either one. The paperback Millennium shows four times as many stars to magnitude 11, but some reviewers have commented that it shows fewer deep-sky objects. Whether true or not, the added precision of Millennium is definitely attractive, especially considering the small price difference between the two: $116 vs $100. Let's see if Uranometria answers with a softcover edition.
Uranometria, like Millennium, works nicely in combination with Sky & Telescope's Pocket Sky Atlas. Use the Pocket for quick basic finding and Uranometria for going deep in pursuit of the challenging stuff.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Uranometria 2000.0: Deep Sky Atlas, Vol. 1: The Northern Hemisphere to -6 Degrees

Click here for more information about Uranometria 2000.0: Deep Sky Atlas, Vol. 1: The Northern Hemisphere to -6 Degrees

Read More...

Uranometria 2000.0, Vol. 2: The Southern Hemisphere to Plus 6 Degrees Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)In 1987 and 1988, the two-volume 9.5 magnitude Uranometria became the first star atlas to go deep. It included thousands of deep-sky objects for owners of the large scopes that were coming onto the market. But the first edition had a flaw that made it a nightmare to use.
Imagine opening a road atlas to a two-page spread of, say, the State of Montana and finding the eastern and western halves reversed. In place of one state, you have two disjointed halves.
Ridiculous, you say?
Of course. But, believe it or not, that's the way the first edition presented its two-page chart spreads.
How could any cartographer be so colossally stupid? It comes from following tradition without thinking for oneself. All previous star atlases had ordered their charts in ascending right ascension, presumably so the user would move forward through the book as the sky rotated. But what does this mean for users? With north at the top of the chart, users reach the right edge of a chart, have to stifle the instinct to continue right to the next page, force themselves to reverse direction, and turn--of all places--to the previous page instead. Many users unconsciously learned to live with the inconvenience and even got used to it.
The compilers of Uranometria, like everyone before them, applied this tradition to their new atlas, which had charts on both sides of the page. It wasn't until their atlas reached the field that the magnitude of their blunder became apparent. Users definitely did not appreciate the reversed two-page spreads.
The compilers of the Millennium Star Atlas took note of the fiasco and brought out the first atlas sequenced in order of descending right ascension. Besides correcting the page-spread reversal, it made page flipping intuitive: from the right edge of a chart rightward to the next page and from the left edge leftward to the previous page.
When the second edition of Uranometria came out in 2001, the compilers were wise enough to correct the fault; the Second Edition of Uranometria also sequences charts in descending right ascension. Uranometria is, finally, a practical work for advanced astronomers with large telescopes.
Uranometria vs the Millennium? The paperback Millennium shows over four times as many stars to magnitude 11, but some reviewers remark that it shows fewer objects. Whether true or not, the added precision of Millennium is certainly an asset, especially considering the small difference in price: Millennium is listed at $150 and available for as low as $116 plus shipping to Uranometria's $100. Will Uranometria answer with a softcover edition?
Whether you choose the Millennium or the second edition of Uranometria, you will not go wrong. The first edition? Don't even take it as a gift.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Uranometria 2000.0, Vol. 2: The Southern Hemisphere to Plus 6 Degrees

Click here for more information about Uranometria 2000.0, Vol. 2: The Southern Hemisphere to Plus 6 Degrees

Read More...

Firefly Planisphere: Latitude 42 Degrees North Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)My husband loves astronomy and I got him a telescope for Christmas and needed a planisphere so both of us could learn more about the stars. He is a lot more advanced that I am, but he loves this chart and I have no trouble reading it. I highly recommend this to anyone looking for some celestial reference. I did expect there to be more to it, (like more pages) but I am the novice -so what do I know?- and my husband was very pleased.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Firefly Planisphere: Latitude 42 Degrees North


A valuable tool for novice and advanced stargazers.

The 11 3/8 inch Firefly Planisphere is an affordable, practical tool for accurately locating night sky phenomena in the Northern Hemisphere at any time of the year -- and is now updated to include planetary tables from 2007 up to and including 2014

Charted by the month, day, hour and minute, it gives quick help on locating celestial wonders such as:

Planets
Stars
Constellations
Globular clusters
Nebulae
Galaxies

The easy to use Firefly Planisphere features:

Icons that describe star magnitudes from O to 1 (large) to 4(small). The larger the symbol, the brighter the star -making it easy to locate specific stars.
Updated planetary tables with at-a-glance coordinates for locating the brightest objects in the sky until 2014.
Times of sunrise and sunset for each day.

An easy-to-read instructional guide describes how to use the planisphere. Both the planisphere and the guide are packaged in a protective plastic envelope.

Get 25% OFF

Click here for more information about Firefly Planisphere: Latitude 42 Degrees North

Read More...

Uranometria 2000.0 Volume 1 - The Northern Hemisphere to Minus 6 Degrees Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews).
Stargazers residing in the Earth's northern hemisphere who are contemplating purchase of this (Northern) volume should be aware the title refers to the CELESTIAL hemisphere, not Earth's. What's the difference, you ask? Well let me tell you....
Basically, the sky atlas covers only the area from Polaris ('North Star') down to about Orion's Belt - everything south of there is contained in the 'Southern' book. Indeed, it doesn't even include the entire Orionus - cutting him off at the knees, in effect. So instead of obtaining sky maps that disclude everything south of Earth's equator (which 'uppers' normally would have little use for), this division discludes half the desired viewable sky!
The opposite is of course true for denizens of the lower-half of our dear blue vehicle.
The 'bottom line' is that to have an EFFECTIVE atlas, you're gonna have to spring for BOTH volumes - so be prepared for the extra expense.
One plus is the scale; larger even than the infamous Sky Atlas 2000.0 with its unwieldy poster-size maps of ~17×22" (add another 12" to the required footprint for an opened book; ergo 17 tall by 34" wide - a factor no one seems to consider) which pretty much relegates it (Sky Atlas) to an indoor reference, unless you have a sizeable reading table available at your viewing site!
But I digress....
The increased scale allows for finer detail, of course, and corresponds to the inclusion of stars down to magnitude 9.5 (Star Atlas limits to 8.5) with a better 'spread' for comparison to telescopic view. This greater scale with smaller pages does translate to more charts (about 260 in this one volume, ~vs~ Sky Chart's 26), but this is no complaint - the detail IS appreciated by the more studious ..of us astro-freaks. Another nicety is the generous overlap of the borders, which minimize somewhat the necessity of having to go to another page when referencing a particular area. Probably one of the 'handiest' features is inclusion in the margins of index-reference numbers to adjoining charts (sorely lacking in the Sky Atlas), which makes up somewhat for that maddening right-left reversal of borders on adjoining opened pages - the necessity of which absolutely escapes me, but for which I've seen hints of correction in the soon-forthcoming new issue.
Another plus is the textual introduction and Uranography sections preceeding the charts. Do yourself a favor and read them first - it might help you avoid the extra expense of the 'Field Guide' to better understand the valuable resource you already hold.
But as said - you need both Northern & Southern volumes to have an effective tool. So heads up!
.
*ôô*

Click Here to see more reviews about: Uranometria 2000.0 Volume 1 - The Northern Hemisphere to Minus 6 Degrees

Click here for more information about Uranometria 2000.0 Volume 1 - The Northern Hemisphere to Minus 6 Degrees

Read More...