Deep-Sky Companions: The Caldwell Objects - Tapa dura

Review of the first edition: 'Deep-Sky Companions: The Caldwell Objects is a beautifully written, personal guide for observing 109 of the most beautiful objects in the night sky, plus twenty more personally chosen deep-sky treasures. Coupled with O'Meara's own meticulous observations, the rich observational history and current scientific knowledge of each object bring this book to life, and the depth of O'Meara's writing makes it a real gem.' David H. Levy, co-discoverer of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9

Review of the first edition: 'Stephen James O'Meara's Deep-Sky Companions: The Caldwell Objects is an indispensable guide for anyone who observes the night sky with a quality amateur telescope from a reasonably dark place. Here are tips for viewing - and understanding - more than one hundred entrancing galaxies, star clusters and nebulae available to the backyard enthusiast. With its wealth of scientific and historical information, and its poetic sensibility, the book gave me immense pleasure even before I left my easy chair.' Chet Raymo, author of 365 Starry Nights and An Intimate Look at the Night Sky

'The author has gone to great lengths to research the discovery and history of the Caldwell objects, and the pertinent information is supplied for each, eg., discoverer, coordinates, magnitude, size, and the original description by the discoverer ... Information garnered by modern professional telescopes and satellites is included, along with an image and finder chart. The authors personally observed the Caldwell objects with a 'backyard' telescope, and a sketch is included with each. Twenty objects not noted by Messier or Moore, but worthy of observation, are then described by the author ... If you have an interest in hunting down celestial goodies and have exhausted the Messier list, this book is for you; even if you have not, this will complement your search ... I found this book a fascinating read and would thoroughly recommend it.' Malcolm Gough, The Observatory

'The claim of a wealth of information in this book not found anywhere else in popular astronomy is well justified ... history, astrophysics and latest research findings of each object - it comes with. If the interest is simply in observing, [then] the non-colour photo, basic data, finder chart and sketch by the author are more than enough to get the readers started ... Despite the recommendation that it is to be used together with Deep-Sky Companions: The Messier Objects ... this book can actually stand alone ... Under a dark sky condition, the objects are all observable with at least a 4-inch telescope, binoculars or even just the naked eye.' B. Ishak, Contemporary Physics

The Caldwell Catalogue, compiled by the late Sir Patrick Moore (1923–2012), has delighted amateur astronomers worldwide since its publication in 1995. Twenty years on, Stephen James O'Meara revisits his guide to these 109 deep-sky delights, breathing new life into them and the 20 additional observing targets included as an appendix. This second edition retains O'Meara's detailed visual descriptions and sketches, accompanied by stunning new images taken by amateur photographer Mario Motta and observations by Magda Streicher. The astrophysical descriptions have been updated to account for the many advances in our understanding of the objects, not least due to an armada of space-borne observatories and the new technologies used in large ground-based telescopes. Ideal for observers who have completed the Messier objects and are looking for their next challenge, Deep-Sky Companions: The Caldwell Objects is a fitting tribute from a renowned visual observer to one of astronomy's most famous personalities.