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Share RASC OBSERVER'S HANDBOOK 2013 -Tom Trusock Dec 2012 If you’re looking for a must have astronomical reference for the upcoming year, look no further than the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada’s Observer’s Handbook.   Now in it’s 105th year of publication (yeah, you read that right), it’s long been regarded as the standard annual sky reference. Wondering when twilight ends? Astronomical, Civilian or Nautical?  Curious as to when the moon will set next Thursday?  What to know what eclipses and transits are coming up?  What constellation to look for Ceres in?  Hint – it’s visible in the first part of this year.  When the best meteor showers of the year are going to be (and specific times and moon phases for each?), got a hankering to know where IO is tonight?  Or just want to know what events are happening this month?  You’ll find this data, and much much more inside. Don’t think that it’s only good for one year though – the book is really a bookshelf reference for both time variate and invariate data.  Featuring articles from Jay Anderson on the Frequency of Nighttime Cloud Cover (unfortunately only for April/May and July/August) to Alan Whitman on Southern Hemisphere Splendors, you’ll find topics ranging through nearly every aspect of amateur astronomy, along with basic moon and sky maps.   While the nature of the book tends to mean that these are not in-depth end all explanation for topics like astrophotography, these short informative articles provide a good starting point often with follow up references. It’s also of great assistance to those of us who like working through observing lists. A sampling shows that Alan Dyer provides a couple of great references for the Messiers (like a seasonal listing) and his article The Finest NGC Objects is a great jumping off point for those who have already finished the Messiers, and are looking for something just a little different.  If you’re looking for a real challenge, you might try Dyer and Ling’s Deep-Sky Challenge Objects.   While they recommend a minimum aperture telescope, they also encourage observers to try with a smaller one.  Paul Gray contributes a list of Dark Nebulae, Chris Beckett some Wide-Field Wonders, and David Levy a list of 154 Deep-Sky Gems. You’ll also find moon rise and set times, occultation maps, as well as a map of North American impact sites. Honestly it’s impossible to detail the level of data available in this book.   In the age of smartphones, there’s a tendency to assume we already have this information at our fingertips (via apps or the internet), and while we do have a lot of it there for the calling (um, so to speak), there are some major advantages to having it all compiled into a handy printed reference.  Books never run out of battery, and they don’t tend to ruin your night vision like an electric device.  Oh, and all the books I’ve had over the years I have yet to experience one that randomly crashes or reboots.  On the other hand, there are some advantages to e-book, and it would be wonderful to have a copy of this on my phone.  Perhaps next year. Perfect for your bathroom, study the observatory or just to store in the center console of your truck, the Observer’s Handbook is a one of a kind resource that every amateur should have at their fingertips.   My recommendation?  Just get it.  And sooner rather than later.