This high quality and well written book will certainly join Burnhams three volume set as a long term classic, for those wanting to explore the sky with binocs. The numerous drawings and charts are priceless in locating interesting objects. It's a pity this excellent book is listed as "buy it used" by Amazon, with none shown as available used, since mine arrived spanking new in three days from Richmond to Maine via UPS in a highly professionally wrapped box for only a... handling fee and zero shipping charges from Willman-Bell the publisher. The inclusion of the outstanding Tirion Star Atlas is a huge plus, highly useful with only the naked eye, as well as with binocs and small telescopes. A Best Buy for anyones library. When you or the children in the family are ready to go beyond Rey's priceless "The Stars-A New Way to See Them", this book should come next.

This book is INCREDIBLE. It covers many deep sky objects for binoculars and also increases your understanding of our galaxy. The writer does not only explain deep sky objects for binoculars by season but also explains why some kinds of objects are very dense at some constellations and rare at some other part of sky. Also this book explains what actually happens in the objects that we look. Also this book includes Bright Star Atlas. So you don't need any other atlas to follow the book. This book is for both beginners and intermediate level observers.

I'm not a huge fan of binocular astronomy, but I bought this to learn more about it. I'm still not a huge fan of binocular astronomy--but this book has added very considerably to my telescope-based observing. The reason is that many of the targets discussed (beautifully) in this book are tough for binoculars esp. in suburban skies such as mine, but are easy and extremely rewarding through a small telescope (e.g. my 5 inch reflector). Yet these very rewarding objects are largely omitted from telescope gudebooks (perhaps since they're too easy!). Thus, this book provides a huge collection of great targets for a small scope. And it is far more than a mere list (though convenient lists are provided). The astronomical and astrophysical context of the objects described is provided very nicely--but learning this is optional, so the user of this book can create the desired balance between "theory" and pretty observations. There are only a few things I don't like about the book--no index (but the organizatin and table of contents are excellent, so essentially make up for this), no discussion of the moon, which is a great binocular object, and nothing about sketching your observations. Nevertheless it is a tour de force, filled with great information, organized well, and with very high production quality. I would strongly recommend this to all amateurs with telescopes (and maybe binoculars,too!).

I managed to get a translated copy in Swedish of this book, "Stjärnboken" in a used-books store in Stockholm. The charts by Wil Tirion are excellent. Clear and accurate but not overly simplified. Sanford's narration is very pleasant with a good balance between the different DSO's that are interesting for people with different equipment. What really impressed me even more are the full colour pictures of *every* constellation in the night-sky. A tremendous effort, which provides great help in learning the constelations and the relative positions of deep-sky objects. I can't understand why this book is out of print. Someone should buy the rights for this book and publish it again. If you find a used-copy, grab one for me too =).

It's truly amazing that this book is no longer in print. How is this possible? I have found it to be the best general constellation guide for naked eye, binocular or telescopic observing that I have seen. It provides very good star charts and photos of each constellation and summarises the most prominent objects (multiple and variable stars, deep sky objects, etc) in each constellation, providing locations (on star chart and coordinates), basic information and data on each object. I take it with me on every observation session. The book is well organised, easily understood and its setup/content caters for the beginner, intermediate and even more advanced observer. I believe it would take a long time for a beginner to "outgrow" (if it's even possible) the usefulness of this book. I believe it's a must have in the astronomical library. Again, I ask..."Why is this book no longer being published!?!"

David, Astronomy Enthusiast

Sanford's book is without doubt the best general observing guide to the constellations I have ever used, and I've used a lot of them. His star maps are excellent. He provides concise summaries of all the most interesting objects in each constellation, and he covers both hemispheres. I have been looking for additional copies of this wonderful, out-of-print book for a year.

This tiny book packs the only most useful information into the smallest usable size, small enough to fit in a shirt pocket. I keep mine in my binocular case. It has compact overview maps showing constellations and a few selected objects by season, then constellation by constellation maps with greater detail and many objects which can be seen in binoculars or a small telescope. On the page facing each map is short, well written text describing the most interesting stars and deep sky objects on the map.

Because of its small size, it is limited to only the brightest stars and objects, but there is plenty detail for star hopping to interesting objects with the aid of a pair of binoculars. It is not a substitute for a serious field guide and star atlas, but begginers will find plenty to look for with this and more experienced stargazers will appreciate its convenience.

This book is a good way to learn your way around the sky. Remember, it takes some practice to learn how to read a star map and mentally rotate and project it onto the curved night sky. You get better at this with practice. I also suggest you get a small flashlight with a red filter.

Beginners wishing to learn constellations may also wish to consult Levitt and Marshall's classic "Star Maps for Begginers", which has much less cartographic detail (perhaps an advantage for learning the constellations). This book is much more useful on an ongoing basis, however.

The Night Sky with text by Ian Ridpath and sky charts by Wil Tirion is easily the finest effort in dealing with this vast subject in a simplified way. All 88 constellations are covered in enough detail to be a challenge to the observer who wishes to use a telescope. The drawings are exquisite and enough detail is given without overwhelming the reader. The text by Ian Ridpath covers the essential details needed in a book of this kind also without causing the reader to plod through loads of details unnecessary to the purpose of this wonderful book. I am saddened that it is now out of print. Selwyn Malin

This was the book that got me started! I have looked through dozens of guidebooks that described the stars and what to see, but none like this one. The format of this book is perfect, in that it goes from constellation to constellation, showing what is significant in terms of Messier objects, NGC objects, double and variable stars, and so on. There is also other information included, such as brief descriptions of what it is you may be looking at (e.g. what is a globular cluster, or a nebula), and the mythology and history of each constellation. There is a wealth of information in here, and the maps are superb (of course!, they're made by Wil Tirion), though they perhaps should not have a black-sky background, since it makes it hard to see under a red light. Overall, the book is comprehensive (for the beginner- to intermediate-level astronomer) and well made.

After deciding to go into the Observational Astronomy hobby, I have been denying experts' advise for months. Although being almost a rookie, "start with a pair of binoculars", "plan your session ahead" and so on seemed trivial to me. This book helps the reader to solve which is probably the very first lesson to begin with: "learn the sky". In addition to that, it is dedicated to the Southern Hemisphere, trascendental for those who live "below" the equator. "A walk through the Southern Sky" easily and friendly explains how to reach minor constellations starting at the major ones. From Orion and Canis Major, precise highways are traced to reach Canis Minor, Cancer, Lepus and so on. From Crux and Centauri, to Vela and so on. I had started with a friend's computerized scope, and always thought that "starhopping" would be imposible for me under light-polluted skies. Probably one of the major goals of the authors is having proved me wrong. Again, if I could, anybody can!

Sky Map 2000 Deluxe is beautifuly done and an awesome resource. I have a technique to save my Sky Map from abuse in the field. To get the most out of your Sky Atlas, scan in those sections of the Sky Map that contain the objects you are looking for, onto your computer. You can print out the scans and take them into the field at night to hunt down those faint fuzzies. You can even use a graphics program to create white stars on a black background, blow up areas, and type in notes onto the scans. You don't need the whole Sky Map out in the field with you. This will save wear and tear on your Sky Map 2000 Deluxe.

jim mueller

As an amateur astronomer I cant say how much Im amazed by this book. This atlas covers upto 8th magnitude of stars, which will keep me engaged for several years to come. For very serious astronomers may be the Uranometria 2000.0 is more helpful, but that is also a bit expensive. The atlas also carries a transparent sheet to accurately measure the RA and Dec, using which I was able to find some faint stars from my lighted backyard. I would recommend a deluxe edition with color pages and a nice cover to avoid wear and tear in the wild. For [this price] you cant beat this atlas.

Been through several others - this is the definitive one.

The black background white stars are perfect for field usage. I hold my flace a suitable distance to make it the same scale as the sky. It actually works. If you dim your light (or squint your eyes), the lower magnitude stars disappear - instant recognition of what you can see through your finder.

It includes overlays for a Telrad (heads up bullseye 1x finder). Other overlays include co-ordinates to use with your setting circles (or DSC style counters/readouts, etc).

This is a must have, no matter what scope you use. I use this with my Meade LX90. Even if your scope is computer controlled (like my LX90), you will want and need a good star chart.

Believe it or not, this star chart is so good it inspired my wife, using only a pair of 16x50 binoculars.

The lamination is important. Nothing worse than the inevitable bug smears on a star chart. You can sponge these off.

Combined with a decent book like the Sky Atlas Companion you are armed for year round viewing. They are so beautiful and complete, on a cloudy night you can enjoy reading them and preparing a night's journey for clear skies.

Get this one - you will never regret it.

This review is for the softcover version. I feel almost bad to give this great guide 3 stars. The book contains a lot of very good information - more so than many books several times larger. As such, it's an excellent reference for beginner and more advanced user alike. However, the book fails miserably for field use, which, ironically, it is supposed to be designed for.

The cover frays and acquires "dog-ears" in a relatively short time of field use. In contrast, the Audubon field guides use a much more resilient plastic softcover. The pages smude easily from finger oils - remember, this is a guide you should be able to use for 8 years or so (until the next edition) so these are unacceptable shortcomings IMHO. By far the biggest gripe I have with this book, however, is the the choice of red to identify galaxies, star clusters etc in the atlas charts. These marks completely disappear under red light(!!!), making the charts useless for finding deep sky objects in the field. Finally, how are you supposed to operate equipment and keep the book open? Because it lacks spiral binding, the only way to use it hands-off is to put a weight on the page you're referencing.

If you're looking for a great reference to use at home, this guide is hard to beat - in fact, I highly recommend it. However, look elsewhere for more useful star charts with deep sky objects to use in the field.

First, its great monthly sky charts - for both the southern and northern hemispheres, and its many detailed charts and diagrams (all in colors) will help you find almost any visible star, galaxy, nebula, consolation or planet. For the planets there are charts and diagrams about their trajectories and positions in the sky that are valid till 2010.
But beyond that, there's plenty of valuable info about most of the "popular" objects and consolations, accompanied by excellent pictures. And there are some other astronomy related tips for newcomers, such as on purchasing a telescope or binocular, or photographing the stars. All in all, it's an enjoyable and valuable reading book in addition to it being a great field guide.

Very easy to understand, unlike almost all the others.

Great charts for finding stars. Thanks to this book I now understand how to find a star from a star chart. Great pictures, and again I cannot state how clearly they explain things.

Cambrigde Star Atlas fills a void for me. I have had Peterson's Field Guide for 15 years. Peterson's has lot's of interesting text info to go along with each chart, but charts are many and small. I recently got Sky Atlas Deluxe. It has great charts but no tables of info. Cambridge is a compromise. It does not show as many stars as either of the other two, but shows enough stars and a considerable number of deep sky objects, with tables accompanying each chart to show coordinates of the objects on that chart. It's not a pocket book like Peterson's, but is a good size to take outside while at the scope. Sky Atlas 2000 is to big to take outside, but is the charts I use at my desk. Cambridge will be the book that is on my little work table when I'm in a field with my scope late at night and just can't seem to find that deep sky object by star hopping. The tables provided with each chart don't list all the deep sky you want to see, but they list enough to keep you occupied.

This is the only Star Atlas I have, and I've been using it most nights I am out using the telescope or just studying the night sky. I havn't had the opportunity to compare it with Star Atlas 2000, but to date I have been relatively happy with the purchase. I can't say I have found the best way to physically handle the book when I'm outside, not wanting to damage it or get moisture on it from the dew. I think this would be a consideration next time I make a Star Atlas purchase. A laminated one would be excellent. I would be interested in hearing from people who have other publications, to provide some sort of comparison.

Having looked at all the alternatives, this is my favorite small star atlas. With each chart covering 4 hours of right ascension, this atlas lets you get oriented to the major features of a part of the sky in order to start a star-hop. It includes plenty of deep-sky objects to keep you busy.

It is *not* sufficient to show all the stars or objects you can see in a small scope - for that, you need Uranometria 2000 (also by Trion) or the Millenium Sky Atlas. But then you're talking a major investmant. In the field, I tend to use Cambridge and Uranometria - Cambridge for star-hopping in close, then Uranometria for nailing down the exact field.

By now, my copy is somewhat warped from absorbing so much dew over so many nights - but it still lies flat when opened.

As others have mentioned, the monthly charts are somewhat superfluous if you have a planisphere. Anyhow, as you learn the sky, a planisphere quickly becomes unnecessary.

I found this book to be interesting, but not in-depth enough for intermediate astronomers. The information on the planets is overly simplistic and for entertainment purposes. For example, instead of having a graph of basic information for every planet, sometimes it lists essential information (like orbital period) and sometimes it doesn't which makes it useless as a reference.

I suggest it for the younger prospective amateur, but for older users get the Peterson's Field Guide: Stars and Planets. Very sturdy build and good guide for charting the planets.

This is a nice, streamlined book. Logical layout, sharp photography, and a clean, crisp design. The first portion discusses the universe and stars (addressed below), and is followed by another section that provides a 2-4 page profile on each planet, including when and where in the sky it's visible until 2009. Following these sections, is a large section covering all the official constellations in alphabetical order with at least one interesting item to check out from each constellation. Obviously, some have more: Sagitarius, Scorpius, Orion, etc. A brief constellation history is provided, along with a small map depicting the constellation stars, surrounding stars, and objects of particular interest. These objects are coded with simple icons to denote "viewability": naked eye, bino, scope, etc. The last section of the book has monthly sky maps. I purchased the flex-cover edition, which is made of some quasi-vinyl material that's quite nice. The book itself seems well made and durable. Why only 4 stars? I have two issues. #1, I wish it were spiral bound. #2, it's not as forthright about its hypothetical aspects as it should be (planetary core composition, Big Bang mechanics, Oort Cloud (!), etc.) Other than that, the book is highly recommended and a pleasure to read/use.

If you own only one astronomy field guide, this should be it. The charts are accurate & easy to read, the text is informative but not overpowering, and the design is very reader friendly. The monthly star charts can be used from most latitudes - both northern and southern.
This is the third edition of this book. I've been a fan of it since it was first published in the mid 1980s.