Annals of the Deep Sky - Vol 11

By Jeff Kanipe 

Product information: Softbound, 6 by 9 inches, 432 pages, first published 2024, colour.

Annals of the Deep Sky is a comprehensive reference that guides amateur and semipro astronomers into every mind-boggling corner of the observational universe. Each volume presents extensive descriptions of prominent stars and deep-sky objects. No other popular work in astronomy provides the comprehensive historical background and astrophysical appraisals of prominent stars and celestial objects.

In Volume 11, we delve into the celestial smorgasbord found in the constellations Gemini, Grus, Hercules, Horologium, and Hydra. Featured objects include the open cluster M35 in Gemini, as well as the strange case of NGC 2371-72, one of the most unusual examples of a planetary nebula. The southern constellation Grus contains IC 5148, a large planetary nebula with an unusual inner-tube-like morphology, as well as the grand design, multi-armed spiral galaxy NGC 7424, which contains a number of enigmatic radio and X-ray sources. Hercules hosts the great globular clusters M13 and M92, of course, and imagers will want to target Abell 2151, the rich Hercules Cluster that links up with the Great Wall of galaxies. Horologium contains the remarkable star Gliese 1061, a solar neighbour harbouring a planetary system. And don’t forget to check out the globular cluster NGC 1261 and the stunning Seyfert galaxy NGC 1433. Finally, Hydra’s showcase object is the Southern Pinwheel Galaxy, M83; other attractions include the face-on multiarm spiral galaxy NGC 2835 and the spectacular pair NGC 3314A and B — two entwined galaxies with different orientations.