Books by Philip S. Harrington

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Touring the Universe Through Binoculars Chapter 7.   A Survey of the Night Sky

Topics covered

• A complete survey of the entire binocular sky, listing more than 1,100 objects visible through binoculars large and small.  Over 400 are described in detail.

Chapter 7 notes

• Page 99: Camelopardalis.  The asterism that I dubiously list as "Harrington 3" in the book is far better known as "Kemble's Cascade," after the later Father Lucian Kemble, who first happened upon it in the 1980's.  Father Kemble, a member of the Order of Franciscan Monks, was a talented amateur astronomer from Saskatchewan and a genuinely fine human being.  I had the great pleasure of corresponding with "Lamplighter," as he was known to friends, numerous times prior to his death in February 1999.

• Page 237: Taurus.  Under the discussion of the Pleiades (M45), the book notes that the surrounding reflection nebulosity is the leftover remains of the cloud that begat the stars themselves.  Subsequent studies, however, have concluded that these clouds are an independent phenomenon that just happens to be passing through the same area of space at this time.

• Page 258-259: Vulpecula.  For years, Collinder 399, more popularly known as the Coathanger, was considered a bona fide open star cluster.  It certainly appears that way.  Recent data gather by the European Space Agency's Hipparchos satellite, however, suggest that this is not a true cluster at all, but rather just a chance alignment of random stars that lie anywhere from 220 to 1,100 light years away.

Recommended reading

    Books

• Astronomy with an Opera Glass; Serviss, G.; D. Appleton & Company, 1888 (more recently, Chatham Press, 1961). Out of print.

• The Binocular Stargazer: A Beginner's Guide to Exploring the Sky; Peltier, L. Kalmbach, 1995; ISBN 0913135259.  Out of print.

• Celestial Harvest: 300-Plus Showpieces of the Heavens for Telescope Viewing and Contemplation; Mullaney, J.  Dover, 2002; ISBN 0486425541.

• The Deep Sky: An Introduction (Sky & Telescope Observer's Guides); Harrington, P.; Sky Pub Corp, 1997; ISBN: 0933346808.

• Deep-Sky Wonders; Houston, W. and O'Meara, S.; Sky Publishing, 1998; ISBN 093334693X.

• Night Sky Observer's Guide, volume 1 (Autumn/Winter) and volume 2 (Spring/Summer); Kepple, G. and Sanner, G.; Willmann-Bell, 1998; ISBN 0943396581.

• Sky Atlas for Small Telescopes and Binoculars; Chandler, D.; David Chandler Co., 1995; ISBN: 0961320729.

• Star-Hopping : Your Visa to Viewing the Universe; Garfinkle, R.; Cambridge Univ Pr (Trd), 1997; ISBN: 0521598893.

• Turn Left at Orion; Cosmolmagno, G. & Davis, D.; Cambridge Univ Pr (Trd), 2000; ISBN 0521781906.

• Year-Round Messier Marathon Field Guide; Pennington, H.; Willmann-Bell, 1998; ISBN 0943396549.

    Web sites

• American Association of Variable Star Observers

  • The world's largest and foremost organization devoted to observing variable stars.  Web site also has dozens of star charts that can be downloaded and printed for outdoor use.

• Astronomical League Binocular Messier Club
  • Observing award program for viewing 50 or more Messier objects through binoculars.
• Astronomical League Deep Sky Binocular Club
  • Observing award program for viewing 60 selected non-Messier deep-sky objects.
• Astronomical League Southern Skies Binocular Club
  • Observing award program for viewing 50 of 73 selected deep-sky objects, all of which are located south of about declination -30°.

• Clear Sky Clock Home page

  • Interesting site that graphically shows when the skies will be clearest (and cloudiest) over a number of selected locations throughout North America.

• Comprehensive listing of deep-sky catalogs

  • Includes complete listings of Messier, Herschel, NGC, and other deep-sky catalogs.

• Dark-Sky Site Directory

  • Directory of publicly accessible observing sites throughout the United States and Canada.

• The Deep-Sky Database

  • An excellent site and tool for deep-sky observers. The site uses a web-based version of the Saguaro Astronomy Club's database, which consists of more than 10,000 records.

• International Dark Sky Association

  • The parent organization heading up the effort against excessive, poorly designed lighting.

• Light Pollution Awareness Web Site

  • Great resource for the fight against light pollution.

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