Know where the stars are at any time of night
Over 700 stars and almost 250 celestial objects are marked on the map, with objects that are worth observing with binoculars or a telescope specially marked. The colours are designed for night-time lighting with a red torch so as not to disturb the eyes' adjustment to the darkness. Unlike most star charts, whose reference point is 50° north and 15° east outside the German-speaking area, the Oculum sky chart is designed for 10° east. A unique feature is a special correction scale that allows you to adjust the correction for the longitude of your observation location without having to calculate it.
The Rotating Sky Map is also a versatile celestial mechanics tool: sunrise and sunset times and twilight times are easy to determine.
The reverse side explains how to use the map and provides further tips for observation, data on selected celestial objects and a preview of important astronomical events. You will also find a link to the publisher's homepage on the reverse side. There, under the product Rotating Sky Map, you can view the current positions of the sun, moon and planets, as well as the current starry sky. With this addition, the sky map is timeless!
Our expert comment:
A good star chart for nature lovers and amateur astronomers
The new rotating star chart from Oculum Verlag is a good alternative or supplement to the well-known rotating star chart from Kosmos. It is a very good chart for amateurs who observe with a telescope. For example, this star chart includes Messier objects. This makes it easier to find these nebulae quickly, so you don't have to consult a star atlas for each object.
The time and month scales are very clear. Both CET and CEST are marked on the time scale. If you want a more precise setting, you can use the longitude correction scale. Depending on whether you are in Vienna or Cologne, the sunrise and sunset times are slightly different.
For planetary visibility, the ecliptic is marked on the star chart, but there is no planet pointer on the star chart, as is the case with the Kosmos rotating star chart. The map is also slightly less sturdy than the Kosmos rotating star chart. The distinction between binocular and telescope objects is nice, as binocular objects are marked in black and telescope objects in grey.
There is some valuable information on the back of the chart. For example, you can use a drawing of the constellation Ursa Minor to determine the limiting magnitude of the respective observation location.
(Marcus Schenk)
