Expert: Tom Whiting - 12/11/2005

Question
Tom   I am thinking of buying the Excaliber Night Navigator-cost about $100.00 Do you recommend this or a better alternate.

Thanks

Answer
Don,
I don't even know what that is....I had to Google it to find out....
seems it's just an electronic glorified star chart, from what
I can see.
So why not just purchase a good star atlas,  (book form) like
Cambridge 2000.0 Star Atlas, for about $30 USD,
or a copy of Norton's star Atlas and Reference Handbook
for about $40?  And that way, save a little on a good star chart and atlas?
All those atlases, you can easily find what page corresponds
to the date, time of night, and the night sky that's currently
visible to you.  (Of course, it will be up to you to draw in
the constellations, or better yet, get in touch with an experienced amateur to help you out on that task).
(Saves on batteries too)...plus, if you also purchase a
red flashlight, then you won't be night blinding yourself
trying to switch from the Navigator to the night sky.

Also depends on what size scope you are using too....
If you're over 10 or 11 inches, then I would invest in a 2 volume copy of Uranometria which is good down to 9.5 magnitude stars (that's the one I use with my 30 inch portable scope).  You didn't say your size of scope, or your experience level, so I can only recommend what I do.
Remember, the entire purpose of all these charts is to just
aid you in learning and memorizing the night sky, which
you are going to want to do anyway, eventually.
Just like when you go to work, go to grocery store, post office,  travel to adjoining towns to your home town,
etc. without a map....you'll want to do the same for the night sky,  eventually.  And using your star charts only when
you absolutely have to....for newer and dimmer objects that
you want to find.

And if you are a novice when it comes to observational
astronomy, I also suggest you punch on our club website,
and punch on Tom Whiting's Sound Advice for the Novice.
At
http://www.velocity.net/~bwhiting

And also take a look at the picts of my new 30 inch portable
Truss-DOB scope while you are there.
Hope all this helps,
Clear Skies,
Tom Whiting
Erie, PA
bwhiting@velocity.net for any further questions.