Product Description

A guidebook for beginning amateur astronomers, Turn Left at Orion provides all the information you need to observe the Moon, the planets and a whole host of celestial objects. Large format diagrams show these objects exactly as they appear in a small telescope and for each object there is information on the current state of our astronomical knowledge. Revised and updated, this new edition contains a chapter describing spectacular deep sky objects visible from the southern hemisphere, and tips on observing the upcoming transits of Venus. It also includes a discussion of Dobsonian telescopes, with hints on using personal computers and the internet as aids for planning an observing session. Unlike many guides to the night sky, this book is specifically written for observers using small telescopes. Clear and easy-to-use, this fascinating book will appeal to skywatchers of all ages and backgrounds. No previous knowledge of astronomy is needed.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1100 in Books
• Published on: 2000-11-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 224 pages

Review
‘Wonderful … it is one of those books about which you say, ‘If only I had something like this when I was a beginner‘.’ Journal of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific

‘This is a GREAT BOOK! … This book is unique, with easy, clear directions on how to find these celestial objects, the best conditions, and what you will see. Consolmagno and Davis do a terrific job.’ Colin Haig, Event Horizon, Hamilton (Ontario) Amateur Astronomers Newsletter

‘No telescope owner should be without this classic (now updated) amateur astronomy manual.’ Jamie Love, Science Explained

‘Turn Left at Orion has all the qualifications of a good beginner’s guidebook. It makes observing deep-sky objects easier, and most of the objects listed can be seen from the city. More importantly, it makes observing FUN!’ Kathy Anderson, The Reflector, The Astronomical League Newsletter

‘Turn Left at Orion is the most user friendly field guide I have ever come across.’ The Eyepiece, Neville (Wisconsin) Public Museum Astronomical Society

‘When and if you buy that first telescope, you should get Turn Left at Orion’ . Battle Point Astronomical Association, Bainbridge Island, Washington

‘If you have difficulty finding objects, perhaps the person who gave you the telescope forgot to give you a good set of star maps. I’d recommend Turn Left at Orion. With it and a telescope of practically any size, you'll find plenty to see.’ Tom Burns, Columbus (Ohio)

‘This book is really a must have!’ Bob Martino, Perkins Observatory, Ohio Wesleyan University

‘This book is an ideal catalog of just the kinds of wonders in the sky that we like to show the public in any of the telescopes at our AAAA public star parties…’ Newsletter of the Ames (Iowa) Area Amateur Astronomers

‘Should be packaged with every first telescope …’ Chet Raymo, Sky and Telescope

‘Stars all look pretty much the same, but this book tells you how to find unusual, deep-sky objects, such as the ring Nebula, which looks like a perfect smoke ring. Other guides simply don’t provide this. Part of the excitement of astronomy is finding things; this book is invaluable.’ Tom Parker, The Times

About the Author
Guy Consolmagno is a Jesuit brother at the Specola Vaticana (Vatican Observatory) dividing his time between Tucson, Arizona and Castel Gandolfo, Italy. He studied the origin and evolution of moons and asteroids in our solar system. His telescope is a 3.5” catadioptic.

Dan M. Davis is a professor of geophysics in the Department of Earth and Space Sciences at the State University of New York at Stony Brook. His research concerns the formation of mountain belts on Earth. Most of his observations for this book were made with a 2.5” refractor.

Customer Reviews

Excellent beginners guide
This is the best book I have found for people like myself who have bought a telescope and then dumped it in the cupboard due to being swamped with too much information. It is well laid out, the information is upto date and the instructions for amateurs are simple, 'Turn Left at Orion says' it all. Good explations on how stars and planets move across our sky, how to find them and when without needing a degree in astromathmatics

An excellent scope-side companion
This must be the most frequently recommended book I've come across in amateur astronomy - and for good reason!

Turn Left at Orion provides exactly what us unashamedly keen but frustratingly inexperienced star gazers need - well presented pearls of wisdom from experts telling us what to look for, when to see it, where to see it, and as the title suggests, how to get there.

A hundred and sixty odd pages present 100 night sky objects (double and variable stars, star clusters, nebulae and galaxies) visible in each season, and provide a ranking for each one based upon effort of finding, and reward for finding it. The ranks range from 1 "telescope" out of 5 (for the 'completist observer', e.g. M4 and M80 globular star cluster in Scorpius) to 5 telescopes out of 5, awarded to "breathtaking" objects such as the Orion nebulae, for example. Personally, I use these ratings to plan my night's viewing (5/5 objects first, then 4/5 objects, etc.), so find them very useful (and accurate).

For each night sky object there are 3 maps - a local star map, a view as seen in the view finder (upside-down and left-to-right) and a telescope view (left-to-right and mirrored) which assumes that your telescope has a star diagonal (basically an 'extra' mirror). My Newtonian reflector doesn't, so I have to think a bit! Another word of warning...the local star maps are very local, so some beginners may benefit from an additional star map which shows where the main constellations are to get you in the right part of the sky.

Descriptions accompanying the maps are excellent, and are split into 6 sections:

Where to look
In the finder scope
In the telescope
Comments
What you're looking at
Also in the neighbourhood

There are also suggestions on which magnification to use, and under whish sort of sky conditions are best for observation.

Being hardback, this book is especially good for taking outside since the pages stay open where you open them, and the maps are large and clear, showing not all, but the 'important' stars.

Turn Left at Orion is the cheapest 'accessory' I have bought for my telescope, and at around £12 from Amazon is money well spent.

Happy observing!

Beyond Superlatives.
This is the book that I would buy for any first-time telescopic stargazer. It has received five stars from every reviewer here, and with good reason. Consolmagno and Davis have put together something simple, basic, and brilliant and like so many brilliant works, it has become legendary. This is the book that I take out every night when I go to the telescope. This is the book I pour over on cloudy nights when I'm planning what to look at, or remembering previous delights I've seen. This is the book I have seen most in other people's hands when I go stargazing. I love the way the authors tell you ( practically ORDER you!) to go out there and get the book dirty and dewy and covered with grass stains. This is a great practical guide, which every astronomer should have. Buy it and never regret it.