Resources

Here are some astronomy related books, magazines or web sites I found especially useful or interesting. The list is not complete - I am adding more all the time, so please check here from time to time.

I have created two astronomy-related resources myself (in addition to this web site ):

  • Light pollution map Originally in 2009 I have created a Mashup map using MapCruncher for Microsoft Virtual Earth with light pollution image from The World Atlas of the Artificial Night Sky Brightness centered on Ithaca and covering Upstate NY and northern Pennsylvania. This map also contained my own measurements taken in the area with Sky Quality Meter. Since then the original Microsoft Virtual Earth transitioned to Live Maps and instead of redeveloping this page I just transferred measurements into  www.lightpollutionmap.info .
     

  • Web page with information about expected cloud coverage for Ithaca, NY (based on NOAA) with Sun and Moon data (from U.S. Naval Observatory).
     

  • Moon calendar for Ithaca, NY with Sun and Moon data (from U.S. Naval Observatory).

  • Southern Skies observing lists in Sky Safari format, as well as PDF, MS Word and tab-separated text. These lists cover objects below 0 deg declination and are divided into constellations, separate lists group "Best of" objects and stars. 1,388 objects.

  • Northern Skies observing lists in Sky Safari format, as well as PDF, MS Word and tab-separated text. These lists cover objects above -35 deg declination and are divided into constellations, separate lists group "Best of" objects and stars.1,930 objects.
     

  • My observing lists to print on index cards: spring (MS Word) (pdf), summer (MS Word) (pdf), fall (MS Word) (pdf), winter (MS Word) (pdf). The lists were created for my observing pleasure and they were initially attuned to my CGE1400 telescope  and my observing site at my backyard in Ithaca, NY. Since my backyard was surrounded by trees there were few objects south of declination -28º, and not many south of -18º. I have redone the lists after building the observatory, now they are written for my Obsession 18" with a declination limit -40º (anything below -30º is marked blue). The lists are divided into four seasons, each a separate MS Word or pdf file, inside the files the objects are grouped by constellation, and ordered by RA inside constellation. They are formatted to print on large index cards (5x8 inch), which are easy to use at the telescope. I used many resources to create them: books, articles, web sites, essentially anything I found observable and interesting from anywhere. Please let me know your opinion, and of course about any errors that I made. I have also compiled two extra lists ion the same format: Messier objects (MS Word) (pdf) and Caldwell objects (MS Word) (pdf).

I have put together lists of useful books and websites with short descriptions. They are divided into two categories: printed (books, magazines) and Internet, and then subdivided as necessary.