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With this very complete book, you learn where and how to find some famous deep sky objects, including the Orion and Crab Nebulas, globular cluster M13 in Hercules, and the Andromeda Galaxy. Then the book helps you seek out more challenging targets, such as close binary stars, faint planetary nebulas, and elusive supernova remnants. Neil Bone, the author, shares his enthusiasm for deep sky observing and provides invaluable practical advice gathered from years spent at the eyepiece of a wide variety of telescopes.

The Deep Sky Observer's Guide introduces the basics of observing and explains what equipment is required and what accessories would be useful. A chapter is devoted to each type of deep sky target – galaxies, globular clusters, diffuse nebulas, open clusters, double stars, planetary nebulas, and supernova remnants. Each chapter starts with some basic information about the type of objects covered in the chapter, and then discusses selected objects. There are more than 200 different deep space objects featured in the seven chapters, with 126 illustrations (many in color) and finder charts to help you locate the objects. Each object’s discussion contains interesting facts and science about the object, history of the object’s discovery, eyepiece impressions through different aperture scopes (3.1” and 4” refractors, and reflectors from 4.5” to 6”), observing tips, and more. There are also 8 simplified sky maps covering the entire northern sky down to -50° declination. A brief history of deep sky observing is included, as are listings of the objects covered in the book arranged by constellation, magnitude, and season to help you plan your observing sessions. A list of all Messier objects is also included.

The softbound book contains 224 5” x 7.75” pages, a bibliography, index, and list of resources that the amateur astronomer can use to delve more deeply into deep space. All sky maps and finder charts are by Wil Tirion, today’s best-known stellar cartographer.