What is OITH?
Why buy OITH?
Reader reviews
OITH in the News
Full Size Cover
(105K)
Sample inside spreads
Full Size (151k)
Constellation groupings
How to Order
Reader reviews:
Hi, Pete, Went out last weekend to the darksite and met (ham) scanners Dave / Chuck and Dave KC9KPQ. Started finding galaxies for the first time using your book and Sky Atlas 2000.0. I did not know at the time that your book referrenced SA2K nor did Chuck untill I was poking around today. I am very pleased with this as I have been unsucessful in finding a copy of the SA2K companion book.
I called Chuck to let him know as we have been bantering about the usefulness of various charts and books. A very nice "easter egg" for me today. If you mentioned that SA2K cross referrence in O.I.T.H. I missed it.
Thanks again for a great book that still surprises and impresses me,Eric Abbott KC9MDO
May 2, 2008
---Thank you so much for your most excellent guide. I took it out for a spin on Saturday to get myself prepped for a 3-day star party next weekend. Using your guide, I had the most rewarding viewing experience I've had since I purchased my telescope. (I'm new to the hobby, and got my Orion XT8 earlier this summer.) It was wonderful to set my sights on a constellation and nose around to find the items on your list. This guide was a joy to use, and I am really looking forward to my upcoming star party now.
Heather S.
San Jose CA
October 2007
---After using it I can say that I like working with this book. At first glance it might seem a bit pricey, but if you ever tried to make an observing list with all this data, you will know better. I can recommend this pocket size, easy to use book, to both the beginning and the casual observer.
Math Heijen
webmaster for Backyard-Astro.com
(click to read his full review)
---I want to let you know how satisfied I am with the purchase. This is by far the best organized quick reference guide I have ever used. It has become a permanent part of our observing gear. Thanks for what I can only imagine was an enormous amount of work putting such a great reference together!
Dave Wayne
---Most astro books sit on the shelves gathering dust, but yours is a true hobbiest book.
Sergio Zoruba
astrophotographer
---I carry your book in my eyepiece case. It is a great resource to have. I use digital setting circles and your handbook is extremely handy for cruising through the constellations.
Gordon Garcia
Northwest Suburban Astronomers
Septembert 2006
---I want to congratulate you on an excellent product. It is thorough and an excellent reference for an observer of any level. It is 'light years' better than the earlier edition which I purchased several years ago.
Harry Lischer
Award-winning astronomy writer
---I really like the book!! I've been using it as a tool to decide what objects I may want to image with my modified Vesta. I've used a few "observing lists" in the past, but this book has a much larger selection of objects beyond the Messier Catalog.
Features that I really like: the indexes of Messier, NGC, Major Stars and Named Objects (indispensable)... having the sizes of objects listed really helps in determining what I might image and what configuration of reducer/barlow to use... the spiral binding that allows the book to lay flat.
I intend to show my Beginning Astronomy students the book and let them know that I think it is a great value for the $$.Steve Barkes
---It has made all my previous pocket guides and tedious lists pretty much obsolete. I offer my congratulations for compiling it and thanks for getting it published.
Dave Howes
Norfolk UK
---I've upgraded your rating on Amazon from four stars to five. I really do use it all the time. I pull it out every time I am searching for my "Urban List" objects and I have used it to have fun finding other celestial sights I might otherwise miss.
George Reynolds
Deputy Commander, Tidewater South Section Royal Rangers;
Solar System Ambassador for South Hampton Roads, Virginia;
Member, Back Bay Amateur Astronomers (BBAA)
---The more I use this book, the better I like it.
Some of the pocket guides you tend to out grow.
This one will always lead you to something interesting.
It's a "must have"!Chris Reich
The Etna Astros
---I love your book. Absolutely wonderful thing to add to the astronomy toolkit.
Gary Brown
Lisle IL
---Your book is wonderful. This is the kind of thing which should sell well. The Messier checklist is always welcome, particularly among amateurs, and the way you have organized things makes it very practical.
Gary Osoba
Kansas
Amateur planet watcher and holder of numerous sailplane records
---Upon receipt of your book and going through it front to back, must say very much impressed. This little book has it all and is of use and benefit to any level star gazer.
You did a great job in the format and layout. I like the binocular symbol usage and the brief description or notable of each listed object with space for notes. In the back of book: Messier catalog along with listing by type, NGC list, info on stars and dates of meteor showers, plus charts!!!
Simple to use, well organized, easy to understand, everything needed right at your fingertips in portable size.
You have definitely filled a void and this book will be greatly appreciated in the hands of anyone wanting to expand their search of the heavens. My opinion: this book is a "Must" for any interested astronomer of any degree.
Rockne Berge
Oregon
---I saw a copy of your book at a recent meeting of our local club, the Kamloops Astronomical Society, and thought it would be a good one to help me find and plan targets for my viewing. I'm a beginner and making the transition from the moon and planets to the stars, nebulas, and galaxies. It looks like your book is a good reference to use to plan observing nights and to assist in using deep sky charts.
Pete S.
Septembert 2006
---Some people can be *very* wordy, so I really do appreciate the terseness in your efforts. I can always search for more details (books, internet), yet I often want *just* enough to help find things without the trouble of creating special viewing lists for each evening - it's less work and unexpected partial cloud banks are more easily accommodated using OITH.
Jim K.
---"Friggin' Awesome" ... (actually, he wrote something a little different, but you get the idea)
Tim Meehan,
Denver CO Magazine Art Director
---Having read your book I'm feeling motivated to get outside with my telescope and do some observing, weather permitting! I loved the page which shows declination and right ascension. It's an excellent explanation, especially with the images. You've done great with the star charts too. Very impressive.
Alistair Thomson
Nottingham, England
Webmaster for the 150mm_reflector site
---I have 10,000 observing guides, but few list the information needed in such a handy form as yours.
Mark Cornell
UofTexas
---OITHv3 gets better each time I use it. Clear skies,
Bernie Rusnock
August 2006
---OITHv3 is a great viewing companion. I find it hard to use the large field atlases at the telescope so this will fill a much needed void... something you can hold in one hand.
Ray Fobes
---Several months ago, when you made a presentation about your book at a meeting, I was impressed. Later that evening at pizza, I asked if any of the fellows at one table had the book, and several of them said they did. Unanimously, they spoke highly of its usefulness. Thereafter, I have been pursuing its availability at a meeting we would both attend.
Last night, after having bought your book at the meeting, I went through it at home in enough depth to evaluate it for my purposes. I came away with the impression that it's a terrific resource. You have blended so many essential elements for planning a night of observing in any season with your obvious hands-on experience as a dedicated observer, that the value is manifold. The way it's organized, and the information imparted in a manageable space is insightful.
Congratulations on making it happen. Cheery skies,
Jerry Chern
Northwest Suburban Astronomers
---I'm sorry, but my copy of Objects In the Heavens is going to be destroyed. I will wear this thing out by taking it with me on all of my observing sessions and using it until it falls apart.
Gotcha! ;^)Mike Lynch
Frankfort KY
---The mag 10 approach adds many objects to my viewing lists even though I use an 18" Dob as my primary viewing scope. Thanks for the effort which went into developing it.
Bob Polcyn
---I was preparing to research quite a few thicker books and compile such a collection of handy info for myself, now it looks like I can spend more time doing real observing.
Yi-Cheng Liu
Illinois
---... been enjoying the view and Saturn is quite something next to the Beehive! Great view in binocs and 2" 35mm Pantoptic. Also been going thru objects in OITH... nice guide. Even though the moon has been out, I have been able to find some of these fun clusters. One of my favs this year is right off the feet (or is it the nose) of Canis major: NGC 2362, one bright star surrounded by what looks like rose petals, circular in fashion, very small and compact. The 17mm is the best eyepiece view. Clear tonight, so gonna go out!
Tim Conrardy
February 2006
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Copyright
© 2005 Peter Birren
This page last updated
May 3, 2008