Telescope Reviews: Pocket Sky Atlas object list

Mike...

I may have mis-spoke. SkyTools 3 will generate a list of deep sky objects found in Pocket Sky Atlas. However, you will have to enter each item separately (roughly 15 seconds of time per object), or enter some kind of global search parameters such as "galaxies > or < (some parameter, such as magnitude, surface brightness, type of object, constellation, size, or catalog)". And then go and delete the objects not in PSA (about 5 sec per deleted object). Unfortunately, SkyTools 3 does not recognize the object lists in the back of Pocket Sky Atlas as a catalog. If it did then the list creation would go quicker.

Since the Pocket Sky Atlas and Sky Atlas 2000.0 are similar, you could use the Sky Atlas Companion, which gives a complete list of the 2700 deep sky objects on the SkyAtlas 2000 atlas. SAC includes the following for each entry.

The objects are listed alphabetically in the main portion of the SAC, and by chart number (without descriptive paragraph) in the back matter of SAC. You could cross reference the object lists in the back of PSA with the object lists in SAC, by making some kind of mark on the SAC list as to whether the object is located in PSA.

Of course, as you said, you could do the same with any deep sky observing guide that provides the magnitude and size information in the entry.

Or purchase a copy of The Cambridge Atlas of Herschel Objects, which includes magnitude and size in the 2500-object list in the back matter of the atlas. In the 2500-object list in the back, objects are generally listed sequentially by NGC number. Here are the fields of the entries in the 2500-object list.

And since the scale and page size is larger with CAHO (but not as large as SA2000), you may find that you will prefer it over the PSA after a few nights out in the field.

Another option I have pursued is to remove the charts from the SkyAtlas 2000 and use them individually with the Sky Atlas Companion. This is a good option since one of the lists in the back of SAC is an object list by SA2000 chart number.

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Bob's Ruminations
Lots of options. PSA is the most convenient atlas around. However, a detailed object list in the back matter of PSA would have been such a good step forward--convenience and observing detail in one easy to hold package. I am sure there are observers who can fly with the PSA after learning what objects to view and where to look for them. But PSA doesn't help that much for those who are wanting to learn more and go to the next step. At some point, I think serious observers leave PSA on the shelf and reach for something more.