| Deep-Sky Companions: The Messier Objects is subtitled “A New Look at the Most Famous Deep-Sky Wonders in the Heavens,” which accurately sums up the book. It was written by Stephen James O'Meara, a contributing editor to Sky and Telescope magazine and has a foreword by David Levy. Published in December of 1998, this hardback contains 318 pages, 110 halftone photos, and 220 line diagrams. The Messier Catalog, compiled by Charles Messier, the famous comet hunter in the late 1700s, is the best-known list of deep sky wonders available. While Messier listed the objects to keep from confusing them with the comets he sought so avidly (did he consider them the pests of the sky, always getting in his way while he searched for comets?), the galaxies, star clusters, and nebulas he cataloged are still the most widely observed celestial wonders in the heavens, They are the favorite targets of amateur astronomers, with such rich variety and detail that they never cease to fascinate. This book provides both new and experienced observers with a fresh perspective on the Messier objects. The author has prepared a visual feast for the observer. Using the finest optical telescopes available for amateur work, he describes and sketches the view in the telescope eyepiece as never before. There are new drawings, improved finder charts, and new astronomical data on each object, including findings from the Hubble Space Telescope. You can expand your universe and test your viewing skills with this truly modern Messier Guide. It is a must for budding night watchers, both as a guide at the telescope and as a fascinating read when the skies are cloudy.
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