Once in a while, a great new book for amateur sky observers rolls off the presses. Such an event has just happened again, with the publication of Cosmic Challenge: The Ultimate Observing List for Amateurs. Written by Astronomy Contributing Editor Phil Harrington, the book (469 pp., hardcover, Cambridge University Press, New York, 2011, ISBN 978–0–521–89936–9, $45) is a veritable treasure-trove of observing info.
The book presents 187 challenging objects for observers of all types, whether they are using naked eyes alone, binoculars, or a telescope. It includes Phil’s difficulty rating for each object, an in-depth visual description, very nicely detailed finder charts, and numerous eyepiece drawings. The work presents some solar system coverage as well as many deep-sky objects.
I encourage you to check out this work. It is a major new addition to the literature of amateur astronomy. We can all be thankful Phil Harrington has taken the time to produce this voluminous work, which will be a cornerstone of many a future observer’s library.