Messier's Nebulae and Star Clusters

Download or read book Messier's Nebulae and Star Clusters written by Kenneth Glyn Jones and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 1991-04-04 with total page 462 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Charles Messier's catalog of nebulae and star clusters, published in 1784, marked the start of a new era of deep-sky astronomy. Today, this tradition of observing galaxies and clusters is kept alive by dedicated amateur astronomers. Nearly all the objects are visible in a small telescope, and many, such as the Crab Nebula and the Andromeda galaxy, are among the most fascinating objects in the universe. Kenneth Glyn Jones has revised his definitive version of Messier's catalog. His own observations and drawings, together with maps and diagrams, make this a valuable introduction to deep-sky observing. Historical and astrophysical notes bring the science of these nebulae right up to date. This is a unique handbook, unlikely ever to be equaled in its completeness and importance to the telescope owner.