Product Description

For more than two centuries, amateur astronomers have earned their stripes by observing the 109 star clusters, nebulae, and galaxies cataloged by French comet hunter Charles Messier. Sir Patrick Moore has compiled a new list of 109 deep-sky delights, the Caldwell Catalog, which covers the entire celestial sphere. Stephen James O'Meara has observed all 109 Caldwell objects and Deep Sky Companions presents his beautiful sketches and detailed visual descriptions and discusses each object's rich history and astrophysical significance. The latest fundamental data on each object are tabulated, and the book's star charts will lead observers to each object's precise location. Stephen James O'Meara is known worldwide for his precise drawings of astronomical objects as seen through the telescope. Among his many astronomical achievements, he was the first to sight Halley's Comet on its 1985 return; he noticed the dark spokes in Saturn's B ring before the Voyager 1 spacecraft imaged them; and he was the first person to determine the rotation period of the distant planet Uranus. The International Astronomical Union named asteroid 3637 O'Meara in his honor. He is also the author of Deep Sky Companions: The Messier Objects (Cambridge, 1998) and co-author with his wife, Donna Donovan O'Meara, of Volcanoes: Passion and Fury (Sky Publishing, 1994).

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #418483 in Books
• Published on: 2003-02-03
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 500 pages

Review
"...a great read" Bob Casgrain, Stardust

"The production values of the book are superb...The Caldwell Objects is strongly recommended to collections with an emphasis on amateur astronomy, and would certainly be appropriate for academic collections supporting astronomy programs that offer courses in deep sky observation." E-STREAMS

"After his brilliant Deep-Sky Companions: The Messier Objects, Steve O'Meara has done it again. Deep-Sky Companions: The Caldwell Objects is a beautifully written, personal guide for observing 109 of the most beautiful objects in the night sky, plus 20 more personally chosen deep-sky treasures. Coupled with O'Meara's own meticulous observations, the rich observational history and current scientific knowledge of each object bring this book to life, and the depth of O'Meara's writing makes it a real gem." David H. Levy, Parade Science Editor and Codiscoverer of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9

"Stephen O'Neara's Deep-Sky Companions: The Caldwell Objects is an indispensable guide for anyone who observes the night sky with a quality amateur telescope from a reasonably dark place. Here are tips for viewing - and understanding! - more than one hundred entrancing galaxies, star clusters and nebulae available to the backyard enthusiast. With its wealth of scientific and historical information, and its poetic sensibility, the book gave me immense pleasure even before I left my easy chair." Chet Raymo, Author, 365 Starry Nights and an Intimate Look at the Night Sky

"I think this series will long survive as a great set of observing books." Planetarian, Karl von Ahnen, De Anza College

About the Author
The author of the celebrated 1998 book Deep-Sky Companions: The Messier Objects, O'Meara has spent much of his career on the editorial staff of Sky & Telescope magazine.

Customer Reviews

An Observers Delight
Stephan James O'Meara has done it again! In the fashion of his book on Mesier Objects, he has again produced a book that will guide and inform the lover of the night sky armed with a telescope. In chapter one he begins with a story involving an old man and Arcturus which deeply moved me, and later my wife when I read it to her, and which lead naturally into why we observe the nght sky so passionately. The bulk of the text, however, is in the second chapter where the author describes each of the 109 Caldwell objects in detail. Each object has a astrophotograph, his eyepeice impression drawing, a finder chart and visual description done in such elegance that everytime I read it I am awed all the more by what I am observing. In addition, Stephan has included interesting historical and astrophysical information about each of the objects. As I observe firsthand these objects with his book on my lap I am amazed at what I can see that I would not have seen without Stephan's guidance. This is a masterpeice for the avid observer! Thanks, Stephan.

"Armchair Astronomers" will love this book!
When Sir Patrick Caldwell-Moore had his list of interesting objects , 109 in all , published in the December , 1995 issue of Sky and Telescope magazine , it became an instant "hit" with the amateur astronomical community. The list "mirrors" the list of Messier objects in number , and offers a real challenge to neophyte "deep sky" observers.

The list compiled by Sir Patrick covers a wide variety of objects , as well as a range of difficulty that makes observation of all items on the list a problematic. Many of the objects are found in the skies of the Southern Hemisphere , adding some spice to the already great challenge. Included are some very attractive star clusters , really awesome bright nebulae , distant galaxies , and many "planetary" nebulae.

Author O'Meara has done an excellent job with this second volume of Deep Sky Companions , better that the first ; many of the objects will probably never be seen by many amateur astronomers unwilling or unable to travel to Australia or South America to see the South Circimpolar Caldwell objects , hence my title to this review!

As in the previous volume on the Messier objects , each entry includes a photograph , a sky chart (too small a scale!) , a sketch made by the author at the eyepiece, and an excellent textual description and astrophysical analysis.

This book is definitely a "must own" for every serious backyard observer. It is not without a few flaws : i.e. the scale of the charts being next to useless , and the somewhat over optimistic description of what the average observer might be able to see.
Still worthy of a strong 4 stars. Recommended!

Deep-Sky Companions: The Caldwell Objects
Perfect addition to my reference library for developing a comprehensive viewing list. A must have for beginners and seasoned observers alike. Add this book and be completely prepared Deep Sky Companions: The Messier Objects (Deep-Sky Companions)