Nebulae, star clusters, and galaxies are outside our solar system. They belong to the 'deep sky' and lead the observer to great distances and at the same time the view goes far into the past. The light of the most distant galaxies took billions of years to reach us. No less fascinating is our home galaxy, the Milky Way, offering many bright nebulae and star clusters. The book covers three important topics related to deep-sky objects: history, astrophysics, and observation. When beginners observe an object visually, not knowing anything about it, they will only perceive a faint spot of light - nothing really exciting. So, to get the right 'cosmic' feeling, the view should be enriched with stories about the object's discovery, distance, physical nature, or evolution. Supplied with this kind of information, deep-sky observing becomes a fascinating activity - braving the cold and darkness. Over time, advanced fields such as observation techniques or astrophotography come into play. The book informs the reader about all these topics and offers a comprehensive collection of interesting targets.

Charles Messier's catalog of nebulae and star clusters, published in 1784, marked the start of a new era of deep-sky astronomy. Today, this tradition of observing galaxies and clusters is kept alive by dedicated amateur astronomers. Nearly all the objects are visible in a small telescope, and many, such as the Crab Nebula and the Andromeda galaxy, are among the most fascinating objects in the universe. Kenneth Glyn Jones has revised his definitive version of Messier's catalog. His own observations and drawings, together with maps and diagrams, make this a valuable introduction to deep-sky observing. Historical and astrophysical notes bring the science of these nebulae right up to date. This is a unique handbook, unlikely ever to be equaled in its completeness and importance to the telescope owner.

The Sun is merely one of some 200 billion stars that make up the Milky Way--and the Milky Way is only one of a billion galaxies in the known universe. Packed with fascinating facts and stunning photography, this book examines the Galaxy humans call home and travels light years away, to the domain of phenomena such as the Oort cloud.

Providing the first comprehensive historical study of the New General Catalogue, this book is an important resource to all those interested in the history of modern astronomy and visual deep-sky observing. It covers the people, observatories, instruments and methods involved in nineteenth-century visual deep-sky observing, as well as prominent deep-sky objects.

Describes stars and groups of stars and explains how they are formed, why they shine, and how to find them in the sky.

The 110 galaxies, star clusters and nebulae catalogued by the comet hunter Charles Messier in the late 1700s are still the most widely observed celestial wonders in the heavens. They are the favourite targets of amateur astronomers, with such rich variety and detail that they never cease to fascinate. This book provides new and experienced observers with a fresh perspective on the Messier objects. Stephen James O'Meara has prepared a visual feast for the observer. Using the finest optical telescopes available for amateur work, superior eyepieces and the darkest site on Earth, he describes and sketches the view from the telescope as never before. There are new drawings, improved finder charts, and new astronomical data on each object, including findings from the Hubble Space Telescope. This is truly the Messier Guide for the modern age.

Here is a unique and fascinating reference book for every serious deep-sky observer! Entries for each of more than 500 deep-sky objects provide far more than the usual astronomical data – they also detail, in every case, the most interesting facts. Physical factors, astrophysical information, evolution, unusual features, the list is endless. The objects are all listed in NGC order. Astronomers can now get an insight into exactly what they are looking at, to add a new level of insight and enjoyment to deep-sky observing.