Books

Books & Atlases

I use all kind of different books ranging from observing handbooks to astronomy textbooks and from star atlases to star catalogues. At the moment I'm using over 60 different titles. I will not list them all, but if you're interested in the observing and study of stars and star clusters, then here are the ones I use most and can highly recommend.

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Pocket Sky Atlas

My favorite atlas for using at the telescope. The size is just right, very compact and complete. and there is no better sky atlas for outdoor use! And what I like very much about this atlas, is that the constellations
Uranometria 2000 Deep Sky Atlas (3 vol.)

This is my favorite indoor deepsky atlas. There are two atlasses for the northern and southern sky, and volume 3, the deepsky field guide, is a smashing collection of data. The atlasses are very well indexed, so it's a piece of cake to find an object.
The Millenium Star Atlas ( 3 vol.)

This atlas goes very deep, down to magnitude 11. It is the most comprehensive and complete atlas ever made. I use it a lot, in combination with the Uranometria, which has a much better index for finding objects within the atlas itself.
Herald-Bobroff Astroatlas

A very different approach in this Star Atlas. You start with large overview maps, and go deeper and deeper into detailed charts. There are standard symbols for the objects and their most important properties like size, visibility etc. I only use this one outdoors every now and again.
The Cambridge Atlas of Double Stars

A smashing atlas of double stars with more than 2000 celestial gems. I use this one outdoors but also indoors. Great for locating double stars when sitting at the telescope. Large, very good maps. Good value for money.
Praxishandbuch Deep Sky

A german textbook on deepsky observing. To be honest, the best I have ever read. Very high quality, lots of interesting tips and suggestions for interesting projects, very good bibliography. A real good handbook for the deepsky observer.
Atlas of the Messier Objects

This is the best book on Messier objects. The heart of this book lies in the seperate chapters for each object with paragraphs on history, observing and the latest scientific data. Wonderful images and sketches. Very well written, very high quality!
Deep-Sky Companions: The Caldwell Objects

Very well written book on the 109 Caldwell Objects by Stephen James O'Meara. A lot of extra information on the objects and very nice sketches. There are about three pages for every object.
Deep-Sky Companions: Hidden Treasures

My favorite book from Stephen James O'Meara about109 not so well-known objects. More than 500 pages of history, recent scientific data, sketches and observing notes. For every object five pages of info.
The Night Sky Observers Guide ( 2 Vol.)

This is my 2-volume observing bible which I always have around, indoors and outdoors. Observing reports with different telescopes and binoculars for thousends of double stars and deepsky objects. Many sketches and images. A must-have!
Burnham's Celestial Handbook (3 Vol.)

This three-volume work is packed with information on all types of deepsky objects including single stars, variable stars and double stars. Although some of the info is a bit out of date, I use these books as a reference regularly.
Sky Vistas, Astronomy for Binoculars and Richest-Field Telescopes

This is my only observing guide that give's a lot of information on stellar Associations.
StarList 2000
Sky Catalogue 2000 Vol. 1
Sky Catalogue 2000 Vol. 2
Double Stars for Small Telescopes
Star Clusters and how to observe them
Star Clusters
Webb Society Deep-Sky Observer's Handbook Vol 3. (Open and Globular Clusters)
Die offenen Sternhaufen unserer Galaxis
Sterne und Sternhaufen
The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Stars
An Introduction to the Sun and Stars
Observer's Guide to Stellar Evolution
A spectroscopic Atlas of Bright Stars
Extreme Stars
The birth of Stars and Planets
Handbook of Star Forming Regions: The Northern Sky
Die Milchstrasse
Observing Variable Stars
Understanding Variable Stars
Observing Variable Stars, Novae and Supernovae
Cosmic Catastrophes
The Backyard Astronomers Guide

Books & Atlases

My favorite atlas for using at the telescope. The size is just right, very compact and complete. and there is no better sky atlas for outdoor use! And what I like very much about this atlas, is that the constellations

This is my favorite indoor deepsky atlas. There are two atlasses for the northern and southern sky, and volume 3, the deepsky field guide, is a smashing collection of data. The atlasses are very well indexed, so it's a piece of cake to find an object.

This atlas goes very deep, down to magnitude 11. It is the most comprehensive and complete atlas ever made. I use it a lot, in combination with the Uranometria, which has a much better index for finding objects within the atlas itself.

A very different approach in this Star Atlas. You start with large overview maps, and go deeper and deeper into detailed charts. There are standard symbols for the objects and their most important properties like size, visibility etc. I only use this one outdoors every now and again.

A smashing atlas of double stars with more than 2000 celestial gems. I use this one outdoors but also indoors. Great for locating double stars when sitting at the telescope. Large, very good maps. Good value for money.

A german textbook on deepsky observing. To be honest, the best I have ever read. Very high quality, lots of interesting tips and suggestions for interesting projects, very good bibliography. A real good handbook for the deepsky observer.

This is the best book on Messier objects. The heart of this book lies in the seperate chapters for each object with paragraphs on history, observing and the latest scientific data. Wonderful images and sketches. Very well written, very high quality!

Very well written book on the 109 Caldwell Objects by Stephen James O'Meara. A lot of extra information on the objects and very nice sketches. There are about three pages for every object.

My favorite book from Stephen James O'Meara about109 not so well-known objects. More than 500 pages of history, recent scientific data, sketches and observing notes. For every object five pages of info.

This is my 2-volume observing bible which I always have around, indoors and outdoors. Observing reports with different telescopes and binoculars for thousends of double stars and deepsky objects. Many sketches and images. A must-have!

This three-volume work is packed with information on all types of deepsky objects including single stars, variable stars and double stars. Although some of the info is a bit out of date, I use these books as a reference regularly.

This is my only observing guide that give's a lot of information on stellar Associations.