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4th Edition coming October 2008

Reader reviews:

I always thought that the Pocket Sky Atlas was a great book, but it is an atlas, not an observing guide. If I want to know what the heck NGC1023 is, for example, I’d need to look it up in another reference. You solved that problem.

Alvin Huey
author of: Observing the Arp Peculiar Galaxies,
Hickson Observer's Guide and
Abell Planetary Observer's Guide
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I want to congratulate you on an excellent product. It is thorough and
an excellent reference for an observer of any level.
It is 'light years' better than the earlier edition which I purchased
several years ago.

Harry Lischer
Award-winning astronomy writer
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After using it I can say that I like working with this book. At first glance it might seem a bit pricey, but if you ever tried to make an observing list with all this data, you will know better. I can recommend this pocket size, easy to use book, to both the beginning and the casual observer.

Math Heijen
webmaster for Backyard-Astro.com
(click to read his full review)
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The more I use this book, the better I like it.
Some of the pocket guides you tend to out grow.
This one will always lead you to something interesting.
It's a "must have"!

Chris Reich
The Etna Astros
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So what's better (OITH or Pocket Sky Atlas)? For a pocket guide, I greatly prefer "Objects in the Heavens" by Peter Birren. His pocket guide is far more logically designed and contains much, much more information. I personally have purchased many of Peter's guides and given them as gifts to budding astronomers and each time they just seemed to know what to do with his book.

Chris Reich
The Etna Astros
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I've upgraded your rating on Amazon from four stars to five. I really do use it all the time. I pull it out every time I am searching for my "Urban List" objects and I have used it to have fun finding other celestial sights I might otherwise miss.

George Reynolds
Deputy Commander, Tidewater South Section Royal Rangers;
Solar System Ambassador for South Hampton Roads, Virginia;
Member, Back Bay Amateur Astronomers (BBAA)
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I always recommend this book. it stays PERMANENTLY with me in my eyepiece bag! I like it for:
– Arrangement by Constellation
– Small size and lays flat on table- heavy duty cover pages
– Black & white printing
– Brighter objects shown across the page from the Constellation map, with descriptions.

Personally I think this is the best field manual for a suburban observation site, and the best one for someone new to the Astronomy hobby.

Peter -- GREAT FIELD MANUAL! Thank you! In my opinion it IS the best book to use with a GOTO scope!

Joe Lalumia
Rockwall, Texas (on Cloudy Nights.com)
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I have 10,000 observing guides, but few list the information in such a handy form as yours.

Mark Cornell
UofTexas
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Well Peter... the mail man deposited your book in my mailbox a few hours ago...

First impression before even getting back to the house was that it definitely was not a book, more like a pamphlet...

Once I opened the package in the house I was delighted to see my initial impression go up like the proverbial puff of smoke... this "Pamphlet" just may very well be useful.

I just finished leafing thru your "work" (not a pamphlet) for a little over an hour and I gotta tell you I'm Impressed.

This baby is a keeper... and it did not take me long to discover that it's is going to end up in my eyepiece case (under the foam in the top of the case) so I will always have it at hands length never out of reach... no matter if I am viewing from inside my observatory or from the lawn or attending a Star Party.

Just wanted to let you know how first impressions can and sometimes are very misleading.

FIELDBOOK.... yep it's a FIELDBOOK...

My money was WELL SPENT... and I sincerely THANK YOU...

Bob Griffiths
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Went out last weekend to the darksite and started finding galaxies for the first time using your book and Sky Atlas 2000. Thanks again for a great book that still surprises and impresses me,

Eric Abbott
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Thank you so much for your most excellent guide. I took it out for a spin on Saturday to get myself prepped for a 3-day star party next weekend. Using your guide, I had the most rewarding viewing experience I've had since I purchased my telescope. This guide was a joy to use, and I am really looking forward to my upcoming star party now.

Heather S.
San Jose CA
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I want to let you know how satisfied I am with the purchase. This is by far the
best organized quick reference guide I have ever used.
It has become a permanent part of our observing gear.
Thanks for what I can only imagine was an enormous amount of work
putting such a great reference together!

Dave Wayne
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Most astro books sit on the shelves gathering dust,
but yours is a true hobbiest book.

Sergio Zoruba
astrophotographer
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I carry your book in my eyepiece case. It is a great resource to have. I use digital setting circles and your handbook is extremely handy for cruising through the constellations.

Gordon Garcia
Northwest Suburban Astronomers
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I really like the book!! I've been using it as a tool to decide what objects I may want to image with my modified Vesta. I've used a few "observing lists" in the past, but this book has a much larger selection of objects beyond the Messier Catalog.
Features that I really like: the indexes of Messier, NGC, Major Stars and Named Objects (indispensable)... having the sizes of objects listed really helps in determining what I might image and what configuration of reducer/barlow to use... the spiral binding that allows the book to lay flat.
I intend to show my Beginning Astronomy students the book and let them know that I think it is a great value for the $$.

Steve Barkes
College Astronomy Professor
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It has made all my previous pocket guides and tedious lists
pretty much obsolete.
I offer my congratulations for compiling it
and thanks for getting it published.

Dave Howes
Norfolk UK
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I love your book. Absolutely wonderful thing to add to the astronomy toolkit.

Gary Brown
Lisle IL
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Very much impressed. This little book has it all and is of use and benefit to any level star gazer.
Great job in the format and layout. I like the binocular symbol usage and the brief description or notable of each listed object with space for notes. In the back of book: Messier catalog along with listing by type, NGC list, info on stars and dates of meteor showers, plus charts!!!
Simple to use, well organized, easy to understand, everything needed right at your fingertips in portable size.
You have definitely filled a void and this book will be greatly appreciated in the hands of anyone wanting to expand their search of the heavens. This book is a "Must" for any interested astronomer of any degree.

Rockne Berge
Oregon
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Some people can be *very* wordy, so I really do appreciate the terseness in your efforts. I can always search for more details (books, internet), yet I often want *just* enough to help find things without the trouble of creating special viewing lists for each evening - it's less work and unexpected partial cloud banks are more easily accommodated using OITH.

Jim K.
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Having read your book I'm feeling motivated to get outside with my telescope and do some observing, weather permitting! I loved the page which shows declination and right ascension. It's an excellent explanation, especially with the images. You've done great with the star charts too. Very impressive.

Alistair Thomson
Nottingham, England
Webmaster for the 150mm_reflector site
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OITH gets better each time I use it.

Bernie Rusnock
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OITH is a great viewing companion.
I find it hard to use the large field atlases
at the telescope so this will fill a much needed void...
something you can hold in one hand.

Ray Fobes
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Several months ago, when you made a presentation about your book at a meeting, I was impressed. Later that evening at pizza, I asked if any of the fellows at one table had the book, and several of them said they did. Unanimously, they spoke highly of its usefulness. Thereafter, I have been pursuing its availability at a meeting we would both attend.
It's a terrific resource. You have blended so many essential elements for planning a night of observing in any season with your obvious hands-on experience as a dedicated observer, that the value is manifold. The way it's organized, and the information imparted in a manageable space is insightful.
Congratulations on making it happen. Cheery skies,

Jerry Chern
Northwest Suburban Astronomers
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I'm sorry, but my copy of Objects In the Heavens is going to be destroyed. I will wear this thing out by taking it with me on all of my observing sessions and using it until it falls apart.

Mike Lynch
Frankfort KY
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The mag 10 approach adds many objects to my viewing lists even though I use an 18" Dob as my primary viewing scope. Thanks for the effort which went into developing it.

Bob Polcyn
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I was preparing to research quite a few thicker books and compile such a collection of handy info for myself, now it looks like I can spend more time doing real observing.

Yi-Cheng Liu
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