Cosmic Challenge: The Ultimate Observing List for Amateurs

Description

Listing more than 500 sky targets, both near and far, in 187 challenges, this observing guide will test novice astronomers and advanced veterans alike. Its unique mix of Solar System and deep-sky targets will have observers hunting for the Apollo lunar landing sites, searching for satellites orbiting the outermost planets, and exploring hundreds of star clusters, nebulae, distant galaxies, and quasars. Each target object is accompanied by a rating indicating how difficult the object is to find, an in-depth visual description, an illustration showing how the object realistically looks, and a detailed finder chart to help you find each challenge quickly and effectively. This guide introduces objects often overlooked in other observing guides and challenges are provided for the naked eye, through binoculars, to the largest backyard telescopes. This paperback edition has updated charts and data tables to challenge observers for many years to come.

Philip S. Harrington is the author of eight previous books for the amateur astronomer, including Touring the Universe through Binoculars (1990), Star Ware (2007), and Star Watch (2003). He is also a contributing editor for Astronomy magazine, where he has authored the magazine's monthly 'Binocular Universe' column and 'Phil Harrington's Challenge Objects', a quarterly online column on Astronomy.com. He is an Adjunct Professor at Dowling College, New York, where he teaches courses in stellar and planetary astronomy.

Review of Hardback: 'Philip S. Harrington is one of the rare individuals who knows the sky and can write about it in an engaging manner. Cosmic Challenge features nearly 200 celestial hunts that will challenge you no matter how many days or years you've logged looking through a telescope. In writing this book, Harrington has produced a work of enduring value, one that should be on every observer's shelf.' Michael E. Bakich, Senior Editor, Astronomy magazine Review of Hardback: 'From noted astronomy writer Phil Harrington comes this welcome one-of-a-kind guidebook. Harrington provides page after page of observing challenges that encourage the reader to test his or her observing skills with naked eye, binocular, or telescope. With its blend of clear, descriptive narrative and detailed finder charts, this book is a pleasure to use. Cosmic Challenge belongs on the bookshelf of every serious amateur astronomer.' Glenn Chaple, contributing writer, Astronomy magazine Review of Hardback: 'Phil Harrington is a well-known astronomy writer and has published a lot of material about deep sky observing. Cosmic Challenge is his latest and probably best work to date ... All-in-all this is an excellent observing guide, with something for everyone whether you observe with your unaided eyes or you have a 20 inch light bucket. It's both very readable and a proper observing guide suitable for use during an observing session. Highly recommended.' FJAstronomy.com Review of Hardback: '... an excellent addition to the collection of deep-sky books and should be on every amateur's bookshelf.' The Observatory Review of Hardback: '... an interesting and attractive book that will keep most purchasers happy and which may, eventually, become very popular indeed.' Astronomy Now