Messier Observer's Planisphere Map – January 1, 2015

Best planisphere I own. It is huge, so not easy to pack into a bag, but it's gorgeous, like a work of art. So much great information. If you can snag one, get it since I believe they are no longer in production.

I love the large size which makes it excellent to locate bright stars, identify constellation stars and for finding each of the 110 Messier objects. Wish I had found this sooner.

If you've read the other reviews you know this is a large planisphere, much larger than the typical ones used for basic star location with a few objects thrown in for general interest. Obviously that is why you are buying such a specialized tool, but I have to admit I was still shocked by the size. I find several aspects noteworthy and useful. The background is quite legible under red light. The large scale is incredibly helpful when you cross a certain age threshold and wear progressive lenses or bifocals. The surrounding smaller charts for groups like the Leo clusters, the Andromeda group and particularly the Virgo cluster on the reverse will be invaluable for first timers and for those wishing to use time efficiently, say during a marathon. The chart will be a great companion to a book like Pennington's Messier Marathon since it will help the viewer locate the objects in their required order as long as one has some fundamental familiarity with the night sky (and not too much light pollution). Unlike a planetarium program on a phone or computer there are no batteries that can fail.My only small complaint is that it's strength is also it's weakness. There is no getting around the fact that it can't easily be shoved in a small eyepiece case or inside a smaller map. It is ruggedly made though, and should last a long time, plus the folks at Celestial Teapot ship it well packaged and quickly. Bravo!

Excellent product. Plastic, so dew and damp have no effect. Very large and clear. So big that I have half a mind to put a nail in the wall and hang it up as an artwork when it's not in use! I remember my old "Guide to the Stars" planisphere from boyhood, when the skies over Long Island were really beautiful. This one is a logical step up, albeit delayed many years! And I doubt I'll need another.Bear in mind that this planisphere is optimized for Messier objects, with several well-printed "locator charts" to help home in on the desired object.The reverse also contains a large map dedicated to the target-rich field in Virgo--plus the M catalog, a selection of NGC items, even March Marathon ordering. If you are not interested in this specific (Messier) aspect of amateur astronomy, you could choose a simpler (and smaller) planisphere if you wish. The device is easy to learn and use. It will teach you a lot if you take time to study it and work with it. As with all planispheres, it's a good companion on cloudy nights.If I had one wish, I'd make the celestial equator a tad thicker and easier to find--the color difference is slight to my eyes, and I have normal color vision. (The colors are optimized for red light, but my handy red flashlight doesn't seem to help me much. Maybe I'm just getting old.)Lastly, on a personal note: "Celestial Teapot" alludes to my own sun sign of Sagittarius. You may consider this product Sagittarius Tested and Approved!

I enjoy sitting in the dark and searching for Messier objects with binoculars and this planisphere, (which I use in conjunction with Harvard Pennington's superb "The Year-Round Messier Marathon") is a great aid in locating and identifying them. When not actively under a dark sky, it's satisfying to study Krzywonski's new planisphere. I personally like to go over it after a viewing session, kind of like reviewing the songs from your favorite band's set after returning from a concert.There are two ways a planisphere can fail -- too much detail, and too little. Krzywonski has hit the happy medium, giving less detail in the overview map which makes up most of the Messier Planisphere's face, but then within nine locator charts offering much more detail, as would be seen through binoculars or a telescope. So, you get into the general neighborhood using the bigger part of the chart, and then once there, compare your bino view to the more detailed chart.I do a fair amount of stargazing from light-polluted skies (just like Messier himself, who situated his 4" reflecting telescope in Paris's Hôtel de Cluny!) and many objects that cannot be seen with the naked eye can be easily picked out with binoculars if you know where to look. This gives just enough detail for such starhopping.One surprise: The Messier Observer's Planisphere is HUGE, much bigger than any other planisphere I've seen, about the size of an extra-large pizza. (Most other planispheres are between the size of a pancake and a dinner plate.) I neglected to check the dimensions before ordering; because it's so reasonably priced -- about the same as an ordinary planisphere -- but it's gigantic.

It's lightweight and laminated with the lazy Susan center allowing for hourly calculations. I showed this on my TikTok and with a 30s demonstration people understood how it worked and where to look. Thank you

Amateur Astronomer over 50 years.Every one that likes astronomy should have one of these LARGE format planispheres!Well-made and loaded with information.Simply a great tool for looking at the night sky with or without a telescope.CW