Deep-Sky Companions: The Caldwell Objects

The Caldwell Catalogue, compiled by the late Sir Patrick Moore (1923–2012), has delighted amateur astronomers worldwide since its publication in 1995. Twenty years on, Stephen James O'Meara revisits his guide to these 109 deep-sky delights, breathing new life into them and the 20 additional observing targets included as an appendix.

• Covers the most up-to-date information on each object's history, astrophysical information, and visual telescopic impressions
• Provides expert advice on how to find each object, and explains in a conversational manner how to observe the objects
• Includes detailed telescopic descriptions, drawings, and original finder charts

This second edition retains O'Meara's detailed visual descriptions and sketches, accompanied by stunning new images taken by amateur photographer Mario Motta and observations by Magda Streicher. The astrophysical descriptions have been updated to account for the many advances in our understanding of the objects, not least due to an armada of space-borne observatories and the new technologies used in large ground-based telescopes.

Ideal for observers who have completed the Messier objects and are looking for their next challenge, Deep-Sky Companions: The Caldwell Objects is a fitting tribute from a renowned visual observer to one of astronomy's most famous personalities.

The author Stephen James O'Meara spent much of his early career on the editorial staff of Sky and Telescope before joining Astronomy magazine as its Secret Sky columnist and a contributing editor. An award-winning visual observer, he was the first person to sight Halley's Comet on its return in 1985 and the first to determine visually the rotation period of Uranus.