Jim Curry
member
Reged: 10/29/07
Posts: 75
Loc: Maine
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I normally use the 2.000 Tirion and Uranometria atlas's. I'd like to hear what other folks consider their favorite atlas(s).
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HellsKitchen
member
Reged: 09/05/08
Posts: 95
Loc: Australia
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Millenium
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S 38º 00' E 145º20'
Custom 12" F/4.6 dob
10" GSO dob
4.5" Meade Newtonian
Set of Vixen LVWs + TV barlows + powermates
Astronomik 0III, UHC, H-beta filters
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stevecoe
Reged: 04/24/04
Posts: 2130
Loc: Arizona, USA
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Uranometria for me. When I had a Telrad and 11X80 finder that set of charts matched what I saw in the finder perfectly. I liked the one degree squares so I could see what size the field was supposed to be. I rarely felt lost while star hopping with that set up.
Clear skies;
Steve Coe
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150mm 6" f/8 Celestron Refractor on Sirius Mount
80mmED 3" f/7.5 Orion Refractor
Author "Deep Sky Observing" Springer-Verlag
Author "Nebulae and How to Observe Them" Springer
New Canon Xt astrocamera with Hutech modification
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AlanK
super member
Reged: 01/26/07
Posts: 130
Loc: Auckland, New Zealand
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Uranometria is my favourite but I also like the most detailed set of Tri Atlas charts. With their stars down to 12th mag, star hopping with a low power eyepiece becomes easy and significantly narrows down the search area for very faint small targets.
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Clear skies!
12.5 inch f5.4 reflector
18 inch f4.5 Obsession #1637
Auckland NZ
6,116 deep sky objects incl 4,268 ngcs
If it's up there, I'll look for it!
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Silicon Owl
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 11/25/05
Posts: 944
Loc: Waimea, Hawaii
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Eric Karkoschka's Observer's Sky Atlas is a nice alternative to the big atlases when doing some quick stargazing or traveling. A great guide when all you have room for in the luggage is binos and the one atlas. The most info packed in a small package, very nice detail charts of all the Messiers and selected NGC and IC, perfect for starhopping. My copy is well thumbed and has seen many nights under a dark sky.
I have glanced through the newer S&T Pocket Sky Atlas and really need to consider getting a copy. Small, compact and well detailed, enough objects to keep you happy with binos or small telescope.
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Andrew Cooper
Personal Website and CN Gallery
Handmade 18" Dob / NS11GPS / 6" RFT / 90mm APO / TV-76 ...and a twin 10m
"I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night." --Sarah Williams
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HfxObserver
professor emeritus
Reged: 11/12/04
Posts: 624
Loc: Waterloo ON, Canada
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The S&T Pocket Atlas is fantastic, with any luck I'll be bringing mine to Hawaii in 2 months 
Has anyone tried the Webb Society Star Atlas written by Mike Swan?
-Chris
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Chris
7X50 Vixen,22X100 Antares
80mm William Optics Megrez II ED
Santel MK6
Borg 125SD f6 (Pentax/Oasis version)
Tak-Lapides
Pentax XW's 40,20,14,10,3.5 3.8XP, Speers 5-8, 30mm Widescan III
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bper
member
Reged: 02/22/08
Posts: 42
Loc: Yakima Washington
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I also use SA2000 (updated laminated version) and keep Uranometria handy if I need more detail. I keep these handy in the observatory.
Beyond that I have Skymap Pro on the computer that I can print out charts, especially of any Comets, Planets or other events that that I want to look at. It is also good for getting down to the fine stuff as it has the Hubble Guide Star catalog built in, along with many of the deep sky catalogs.
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Bruce Perrault
The Cowiche Astronomer
Yakima Astronomical Society
Goldendale Observatory State Park
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zee
super member
Reged: 07/04/07
Posts: 135
Loc: Arizona (varies)
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For my size scope, S&T Pocket is appropriate, and for my limited-space lifestyle, it's even moreso. I like being able to hang on to it with the hand that's not focusing or moving the scope. I wear my flashlight around my neck, and my eyepieces in a belt pack, so I can get by without a table if I'm feeling too lazy to set one up.
A bigger/better atlas sounds like fun, though, to study and learn from--but without the scope to justify it, I'll probably never own one.
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8" Orion classic dob
15x70 Celestron Skymaster
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Southerner
sage
Reged: 08/15/07
Posts: 235
Loc: North Alabama
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I want to pick up the uranometria, but currently the pocket star Atlas by sky and telescope gets a lot of use at my house. I almost never have trouble finding objects with this.
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http://theskywasbruised.blogspot.com/
Canon Rebel dslr
Celestron c80 ED
Orion 8 inch xt
Orion 12 inch xt
Atlas Mount
One Half Breed Hound Dog
Phillips SPC900 WebCam
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tigerroach
sage
Reged: 08/13/08
Posts: 318
Loc: Houston, TX
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Uranometria.
Recently I finally updated the old stained ones I bought 15 years ago with the new edition.
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Brian
TeleVue TV-102, Gibralter alt-az mount
Webster 14.5" f/4.3 truss dob *under construction*
Canon 10x30 IS binocs
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Jeff Morgan
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 09/28/03
Posts: 1534
Loc: Prescott, AZ
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U2000, second edition. I also like Sky Atlas 2000 and bought it as a supplement because the larger scale helps with orientation. But the new edition of Uranometria has a set of "mid-range" charts that solves that problem nicely. Now my SA2000 collects dust. Guess I should list it for sale.
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Jeff Morgan
Prescott, AZ
Wile E. Coyote School of Telescope Making
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Jim Curry
member
Reged: 10/29/07
Posts: 75
Loc: Maine
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Many thanks for the feedback guys. Jeff: I wasn't aware of a material difference between the 2 U2000 editions, I'm still using my first set.
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140 refractor
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Mr Q
sage
Reged: 02/25/08
Posts: 351
Loc: N Central New Mexico
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I use the Trion Sky Atlas 2000 and still use my original copy from 1986. If I need any more detailed charts with fainter stars shown, I use the resources on the web.
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What goes around, comes around, eventually.
Meade DS-10(10" newt)
10x50, 10x70 binos
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Jeff Morgan
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 09/28/03
Posts: 1534
Loc: Prescott, AZ
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Quote:
Many thanks for the feedback guys. Jeff: I wasn't aware of a material difference between the 2 U2000 editions, I'm still using my first set.
They made a number of small but useful changes. As mentioned, they have a "mid-range" set of constellation charts so that you can get oriented a little faster for star hopping. Also, the star symbols are sized more directly to magnitude. That is, a 7.5 magnitude star is noticeably smaller than a 6.6 magnitude star. (In the old version they are binned into the same symbol size.) Consecutive charts now run west to east. That is, when you go off the east (left) edge of chart 48, you turn to chart 47 to pick up where you left off. Crowded areas (ie, Virgo Cluster, M11 region) have larger scale charts that go deeper in magnitude. Off the top of my head I think there are 24 such charts.
There are other changes too, corrections of data, etc. First edition is still a great reference, but second edition is worthwhile.
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Jeff Morgan
Prescott, AZ
Wile E. Coyote School of Telescope Making
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Fiske
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 03/14/04
Posts: 2057
Loc: Missouri / United States
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My two most used are a laminated white stars on black background Sky Atlas 2000 2nd ed. and the Uranometria 2nd edition. I especially like the Uranometria because there is plenty of margin space for notes about objects, etc. I also have a Herald-Bobroff, but don't use it as much. It is good, though. The Karkoschka guide mentioned above is phenomenal for a pocket-sized atlas.
The SA2K or Uranometria fit perfectly on standard black metal music stands. In fact, you can put both of them on the stand at the same time (one in front of the other) and alternate between the two. I've even stacked a Night Sky Observer's Guide with both atlases on the stand, but that is pushing things.  Add two Quik Handy clamps and you have what is basically a wind-proof chart holder good for most size scopes. Absolutely perfect for moderately sized Dobs in the 8-10 inch range, enabling the chart to be positioned right by the eyepiece and finder scope.
I also use custom charts generated with Mega Star 5.0.
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Fiske Miles
Nikon 8x42 LX / 12x50 SE Binos
Mini Borg 60ED, TV-101, AT80Ach, XT-8, C11/CI-700, 22-Inch Dob
Way too many Nagler eyepieces
http://www.fiskemiles.blogspot.com/
www.fiskemiles.com
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Mojo.LA
member
Reged: 03/29/08
Posts: 41
Loc: Monrovia CA
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I LOVE using the Millenium Star Atlas in the field. It's sad that it's no longer in print. Beautiful set of volumes too.
Mojo
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--
Morris Jones
mojo@whiteoaks.com
Old Town Astronomers http://www.otastro.org
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Dave Mitsky
Postmaster
Reged: 04/08/02
Posts: 6300
Loc: Pennsylvania, USA
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I primarily use the Sky Atlas 2000.0 Deluxe second edition and the Uranometria 2000.0 second edition, along with the Sky & Telescope Pocket Atlas and/or the Bright Star Atlas 2000.0.
Dave Mitsky
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Chance favors the prepared mind.
De gustibus non est disputandum.
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Tony Flanders
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 05/18/06
Posts: 2109
Loc: Cambridge, MA, USA
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Quote:
For my size scope, S&T Pocket is appropriate
As far as I'm concerned, the size of your scope is barely relevant to what atlas is right for you. What really matters is how ambitious your observing program is.
I love my Pocket Sky Atlas, and use it frequently, but it's really only useful for locating objects that are pretty easy to spot through whatever instrument I'm using in whatever level of light pollution I'm dealing with. Essentially, it's just serving as a mnemonic to remind me where stuff is, but give me relatively little assistance in actually finding things. That's fine as long as the object is recognizable as soon as it enters the field of view.
When I'm really trying to work hard, the PSA isn't even adequate for my 10x50 binoculars, much less bigger instruments. It simply doesn't show enough stars to orient myself properly.
I find Sky Atlas 2000.0 ideal for my 10x50 binoculars, and adequate for my 15x70s. Uranometria shows just enough stars (barely) to find difficult subjects through my 70-mm scope, but only the Millennium Star Atlas is genuinely satisfactory for tricky star-hopping with my 7-inch Dob.
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Tony Flanders
eyeglasses
6x15 and 8x32 monoculars
8x25, 7x35, 10x30 IS, 10x50, and 15x70 binoculars
70mm and 100mm achromatic refractors
4.5", 7", and 12.5" Dobs
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Tony Flanders
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 05/18/06
Posts: 2109
Loc: Cambridge, MA, USA
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Quote:
Many thanks for the feedback guys. Jeff: I wasn't aware of a material difference between the 2 U2000 editions, I'm still using my first set.
They are two completely different atlases published in the same format. The second has slightly fewer stars, but plotted to a much more consistent limit. It has vastly more deep-sky objects, and a whole new set of intermediate-scale charts.
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Tony Flanders
eyeglasses
6x15 and 8x32 monoculars
8x25, 7x35, 10x30 IS, 10x50, and 15x70 binoculars
70mm and 100mm achromatic refractors
4.5", 7", and 12.5" Dobs
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tigerroach
sage
Reged: 08/13/08
Posts: 318
Loc: Houston, TX
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Quote:
Quote:
Many thanks for the feedback guys. Jeff: I wasn't aware of a material difference between the 2 U2000 editions, I'm still using my first set.
They are two completely different atlases published in the same format. The second has slightly fewer stars, but plotted to a much more consistent limit. It has vastly more deep-sky objects, and a whole new set of intermediate-scale charts.
Also in the new version of U2000 the charts span two facing pages each, instead of each page being an individual chart, and they are numbered left-to-right. Hallelujah! 
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Brian
TeleVue TV-102, Gibralter alt-az mount
Webster 14.5" f/4.3 truss dob *under construction*
Canon 10x30 IS binocs
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