Observing the Messier Objects with a Small Telescope In the Footstep
Observing the Messier Objects with a Small Telescope lets the reader follow in Charles Messier's footsteps by observing the Messier objects more or less as the great man saw them himself! This book contains descriptions and photographs of his 110 ca
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Observing the Messier Objects with a Small Telescope In the Footsteps of a Great Observer Philip Pugh
Philip Pugh Wiltshire, UK
ISBN 978-0-387-85356-7 e-ISBN 978-0-387-85357-4 DOI 10.1007/978-0-387-85357-4 Springer New York Dordrecht Heidelberg London Library of Congress Control Number: 2011935454 © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2012 All rights reserved. This work may not be translated or copied in whole or in part without the written permission of the publisher (Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, 233 Spring Street, New York, NY 10013, USA), except for brief excerpts in connection with reviews or scholarly analysis. Use in connection with any form of information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed is forbidden. The use in this publication of trade names, trademarks, service marks, and similar terms, even if they are not identified as such, is not to be taken as an expression of opinion as to whether or not they are subject to proprietary rights. Printed on acid-free paper Springer is part of Springer Science+Business Media (www.springer.com)
This book is dedicated to the great loves in my life: my wife, Helga and daughter, Marcela. They will be in my heart always and forever.
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Preface
It is rather strange that Charles Messier’s list of objects to avoid when hunting for comets became the first of many definitive lists of deep sky objects to view. He did, indeed, discover eleven comets, yet it is his “catalogue” that is his main claim to fame. Many would argue that the Messier Catalogue has little relevance today, with many amateur astronomers owning telescopes far larger than he had. Indeed, many advanced amateurs prefer to list objects from the New General Catalogue (NGC), which covers fainter objects and those not visible from Europe. I like the Messier Catalogue because I am familiar with many of its objects, some of which can be enjoyed with modest instruments from less than ideal viewing sites. In fact, my inspiration for the book came from my own ideas for a comet hunt. One night, I was looking around the Lyra/Hercules/Draco region with binoculars, mostly to look at the area’s many double stars. I came across a bright object that looked like a comet. Fortunately, I knew better than to go e-mailing the globe with claims of a new discovery. My “comet” was none other than the globular star cluster M92! I already knew of M92 but, as it was an exceptionally clear night and, as I’d never seen it so bright before, I didn’t recognize it immediately. Cursing more that I didn’t have any suitable imaging equipment, rather than it wasn’t a new discovery, I took the opportunity to have a closer look with my 127 mm MaksutovCassegrain, known as a “Maksutov” for short. This book is a personal voyage of discovery. Although many of the “Usual Suspects” (list of deep sky objects that are easily visible to binocu
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