Sue French's elegant, informative monthly columns in Sky and Telescope magazine have won this astronomy writer a passionate following among astronomy enthusiasts. In 2005, French published 60 of these columns in Celestial Sampler, a book that garnered rave reviews and earned bestseller sales.
Deep-Sky Wonders is a welcome expansion of that winning format. A new collection of the best of French's Deep-Sky Wonders columns, the book is organized by season and subdivided into months, offering readers a total of 100 in-depth tours of the deep sky with enduring relevance.
Deep-Sky Wonders includes:
- Full-color photographs and detailed sketches of each tour
- Descriptions of double and variable stars, star clusters, nebulae, galaxies and exotics
- Historical and scientific background of particular interest
- A tabular listing of the deep-sky sights
- Color charts showing the position of each target in the night sky
- An index to all of the deep-sky objects covered.
Deep-Sky Wonders also features a variety of challenging objects that encourage observers to test the limits of their equipment and skills. Fragments of poetry and prose enliven the text, while each tour illuminates little-known seasonal wonders that lie off the beaten path. From a January journey down the celestial river Eridanus to an autumnal visit to the den of Vulpecula, the Little Fox, French brings the wonders of the sky to life.
Suitable for beginning and intermediate small-scope astronomers as well as large-scope viewers and astrophotographers, Deep-Sky Wonders will be greeted enthusiastically by all Sky and Telescope readers, especially French's many fans. It is also an outstanding introduction to deep-sky viewing for novice observers.
Sue French has been an avid deep-sky observer for 32 years and has worked as a planetarium educator for 18 years. She sets up her telescope in her backyard but travels regularly to enjoy the deep sky from different vantage points.
"A very good guide by an experienced observer and planetarium teacher. Although the book can be used as a reference for beginners, its primary audience is likely to be midlevel and advanced observers. Recommended for all readers who want to take a look at the night sky."
- Jack W. Weigel, Library Journal Xpress Reviews 2012-01-06
"A very good guide by an experienced observer and planetarium teacher. Although the book can be used as a reference for beginners, its primary audience is likely to be midlevel and advanced observers. Recommended for all readers who want to take a look at the night sky."
- Jack W. Weigel, Ann Arbor, MI, Library Journal 2012-02-01
"Book reviews are rarely included in Mercury, but some books call out to be an exception to this rule. Sue French's Deep-Sky Wonders is one such volume [...] The quality of the deep-sky images is outstanding – a tribute to the various photographers as well as the book's printer. But it's the written word that will make or break a book like this, and Sue's writing is superb. [...] If you're looking for a gift for someone who is an occasional stargazer, a serious observer, or anyone in between, you won't go wrong with Deep-Sky Wonders. This is a great introduction to deep-sky stargazing for novice and experienced amateur astronomers alike."
- Paul Deans, Mercury 2011-09-01
"French's crisp and conversational writing that makes the process of picking distant nebulae out of the heavens seem simple. Like a science-minded Martha Stewart, she spices up the conversation with tidbits of history (who discovered what and when) to keep readers motivated. Most important, she has a museum curator's eye for detail', helping readers to fully appreciate those tiny flecks of light once they find them."
- Aaron Leitko, Washington Post 2011-12-06
"[Sue French's] extensive knowledge of the subject is showcased in these 100 detailed tours, including color photographs, descriptions of objects such as stars and clusters and galaxies, historical and scientific background, color charts, and more. The detailed but very readable content is organized by seasons and then by month [...] Obscure but interesting astronomical tidbits [...] are presented with instructions on how to locate the object [...] Star maps, a list of additional resources, and an index round out this outstanding book, which is of use to students, both those new to astronomy as well as experienced observers."
- Denise A. Garofalo, American Reference Books Annual 2012, 2012-04-01
"Highly recommended for anyone interested in deep sky astronomy – it makes for a beautiful and informative read."
- Astronomy Now 2012-04-01
"French [...] is well regarded for having extensive knowledge on the subject [and] conveying this in a very readable and easy-to-understand way."
- Nicky Gutridge, Astronomy Now 2012-10-01
"[French] conveys her enthusiasm for viewing planetary nebulae, constellations, stars, the Milky Way, and galaxies beyond our home"
- Book News 2012-12-01