Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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67 of 67 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wouldn't want to go out with out it, August 22, 2006
There are two small atlases I consider to be absolutely indispensable. Sky and Telescope's Pocket Sky Atlas is one of them. The charts in this atlas were well chosen. Each covers just the right amount of sky to give both a good perspective of the area you are looking at, and enough detail for star hopping with binoculars or finder scope, (stars are shown down to magnitude 7.6). Stick figures highlight the constellations to provide an easy and intuitive reference for what part of the sky the chart covers. An all sky view key of the charts is provided at the back of the book so that charts are easily located. The charts are well organized and very easy to navigate.
The charts are printed in color and are works of art in their own right. Not only is the atlas useful in the field, but it is a pleasure to browse through anytime.
The construction of the atlas is also very well done. It is spiral bound so that the charts open flat, making them easy to view. The charts are printed on good quality paper that looks as though it will stand up well even on nights when dew is challenging your ability to view.
Although it may seem like a small thing, a nice feature of the Atlas is a scale on the front cover from which one can construct a set of circles based on the field of view of each instrument you observe with. There is even a template showing the circles of a Telrad finder. It would have been even better if a clear plastic template with field of view circles had already been included, but it was easy enough to create my own set of circles.
Overall, this is an outstanding atlas for taking into the field, and I would certainly recommend it. As I said, I consider it to be indispensable; however, unlike others, I do not consider it to be the only quality pocket atlas out there. Another outstanding atlas is The Observer's Sky Atlas by E. Karkoschka. It is a nice compliment to Sky & Telescope's Pocket Sky Atlas. I like the Pocket Sky Atlas for its big broad views of the sky and it's stunning charts. I like the Observer's Sky Atlas because it has some additional detail (see my review of that book) not available in the Pocket Sky Atlas. Both are ideal as field atlases, and I keep them both very close at hand when I've observing.
I hope you're not in a position where you can only buy one. Choosing between the two would be difficult. As I said, I keep both with me when I'm observing. But if you do have to choose, I would suggest the following. If you want the nicest looking atlas, go with the Pocket Sky Atlas. If you want a bit more detail and you don't mind giving up the glossy color pages and spiral binding, go with the Observers's Sky Atlas. But honestly, you really can't go wrong with either one.
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53 of 54 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Very Usable and Practical Atlas, May 7, 2006
Roger Sinnott's Pocket Sky Atlas fills a big void and vital niche- one that emphasises portability, usability and practicality. Everything in this little volume is extremely well thought out- from the quality of the book, the practical spiral bound layout, the scale of the star maps, clear and readable printing, intelligent and helpful labelling of stars and deep sky objects (you will appreciate the use of popular names for some DSO's), to a pure user friendly feel. There is even a helpful Telrad target scale and angular distance for quick estimations. Eminently suitable for the field, this is also a great planning atlas for astrophotographers and visual observers alike. For visual observation, this atlas shines when partenered with a Telrad finder (I really hate the flimisier Riger finder!).
The only place I think this atlas comes up short is if you are doing serious star hopping under the telescope. This is understandable given the scale of the atlas. I recommend Uranometria or similar atlases if you are a serious star-hopper.
Sept 2008 Update: I now have 3 copies of this Atlas! One I leave in my car and read it at restaurants during lunch break. The other is in my observing bag and yet one is one my desk at home. I love this atlas. This is perfect for astrophotography and weeknight quick sessions with my TV-85.
This little book stands out well to repeated field use. Mine is looking great after a year of extensive (and rough) use- no pages fallen off, no fade, no issues.
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24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Pocket Sky Atlas, November 6, 2006
This atlas is thoughtfully laid out for use at the telescope in the field. The paper is a heavy dull-white stock that does not show reflection under a red light. Because the book is spiral bound, the pages lay flat freeing up your hands. No more trying to find a heavy object to keep the pages from turning.
Inside the front cover you will find printed a sample double page chart layout with a legend. Also printed is an angular distance scale and a Telrad bull's eye. I made a clear transparency copy of this page using an 8 ½" x 11"sheet of overhead projector film by running it through a copy machine. I cut out the angular scale and then I cut the Telrad bull's eye in a long rectangle about 1" x 3" leaving the bull's eye at one end and using the other end as a handle to move the finder around the map. I put these in a small envelope and tucked it inside the atlas.
The contents page lists the best months to view the objects by R.A. range during evening, midnight and mourning and on which chart to find them. Towards the end of the atlas, there are four close-up charts of some of the most observed regions of the sky. The index is broken down by star name, galaxies, open and globular clusters, bright, dark and planetary nebulae. The Caldwell and Messier catalogs are listed separately. The back cover has the chart key for both north and south hemispheres. There are 80 main charts containing 30,796 stars to magnitude 7.6.
The introduction explains in easy to understand detail how the charts are labeled and arranged. The same chart legend appears on the first page of each chart as well as the R.A. range and best time and month for viewing. All the charts are printed in color on a white background for easy reading under a red light. A location guide to constellations and what the Greek star letters mean is also included.
Each page has the same basic layout as any good star atlas. The lines for the R.A and Declination are clearly marked. You will notice that a small blue triangle with a number inside is located on three sides of each page. These triangles point to the adjoining charts that make up more of that part of the sky. The number in the triangle indicate which chart.
There are two printing errors in the atlas on page 55 and on the close-up Chart C. You can download the printable corrected color pages from the Sky and Telescope website.
You can the cut and paste the corrected pages directly over the page in the book. I used spray adhesive.
Bottom line, this is a very compact and easy to use atlas you'll ever come across. It is very user friendly and a must have to "grab and go" with your favorite telescope or binoculars.
Book reviewed by Jack Fox, Richmond Astronomical Society
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by David S. Chandler
