09873 Atlas™ 8 EQ Reflector In Stock  $1,099.00 NEW! Indulge Your Passions for Observing and Astrophotography Orion Atlas™ 8 EQ Reflector  Even if you had zero interest in taking pictures of NGC galaxies and Messier nebulas, the Atlas 8 would exceed your every expectation for purely visual study of such wonders. And why not. It’s a synthesis of superb 8" f/5 diffraction-limited parabolic optics and the mightiest mount to come along in years.  But if deep-sky astrophotography does intrigue you, then there couldn’t be a sweeter setup for indulging your interest. Just add our optional 80mm Guide Scope package and you’ll be set to capture images of magazine-cover magnificence. And you won’t have to spend a fortune to do it, either. The optical tube is equipped with a 2" collimatable focuser with focus lock and comes with a camera adapter; all you need is a c amera and T-ring. The Atlas mount has a built-in polar-alignment scope and dual electronic drives. Slewing at 4x and 16x and fine guiding at 2x sidereal rate are executed with the included hand controller, which also has R.A. and Dec. reverse switches. Power is supplied by eight D cells (not included) or by an optional 12-volt DC field battery. Power up to the “picture-perfect” Atlas 8 EQ for adventure that will last a lifetime! Orion Telescopes and Binoculars P.O. Box 1815, Santa Cruz, CA 95061.  800-447-1001 For more information:       Orion Telescope

2.    CELESTIAL SPHERE
 

Canterbury Armillary  Code: VM-3853  Price:  $179.10  (free ground shipping) Description: Armillary Sphere, ancient astronomical instrument that shows the principal divisions of the heavens and the motion of celestial bodies.  Crafted by Virginia Metalcrafters. By appointment to Our Nation's Finest Museums and Restorations.  The Canterbury Armillary has a highly ornate, cast bronze meridian band and an aluminium time band with a representation of the sun and the orbit of the earth. Solid copper hemisphere band and cast brass arrowhead and feathers. Must see how all of these metal come together! The quotation on the time band "The sky rejoices at the morning's birth" is from Wordsworth.  Usually leaves warehouse in 2 business days. Free shipping! Height 15.00" Width 9.25" Fine Garden Products 3740 Wieuca Road, Atlanta, GA 30342  888-949-2499 For more information:   Fine Garden Products

3.  STAR ATLAS

                 "It's intuitive, it's easy to use and
                 unbelievably powerful!"

                 Supercharge your telescope with the best intergrated database available
                 today. MegaStar5 interfaces with LX2000, Sky Commander,
                 NGC-MAX, Sky Vector, Advanced AstroMaster, Sky Wizard 3,
                 AstroPhysics GTO, Sky Wizard CTI, MicroGuider III, Bbox, Celestron
                 NexStar/GPS.

                 MegaStar runs on a 486 PC or better, Win95, 98, ME, NT, 2000 XP,
                 40 Mb hard disk space and a CD-ROM drive. (1 lb. 2 ozs. ship wt.)
                 Only $129.95 Shipments of Version 5 start June 29, 2002. Order Early.
                 Shipments will be made in the order received.

                 Features

                      An extremely intuitive, user-friendly interface. MegaStar was
                      created by an avid amateur astronomer who was an observer long
                      before he ever sat down before a computer. The result is software
                      that works like an observer works and not like a computer
                      programmer thinks it ought to work.
                      Deep sky objects are plotted to scale, galaxies are rotated to
                      show their position angle. When you observe, it is a lot easier to
                      find things if you have an idea of what to look for. Knowing how
                      large an object is and how it is oriented can make all the difference
                      in the world. No other computer atlas is as good at this as
                      MegaStar, simply because only MegaStar has a database that has
                      been checked directly against the Digital Sky Survey by Larry
                      Mitchell and Emil Bonanno. Literally tens of thousands of sizes,
                      positions and position angles have been improved in MegaStarís
                      database.
                      Selectable field size from 180 degrees to 1 arc-minute, selectable
                      to the nearest arc-second. The 180 degree field includes your
                      horizon line and creates a ìplanetariumî view of the sky.
                      Field center selectable to the nearest arc-second.
                      Options for filtering stars and deep sky objects by magnitude,
                      type, and catalog. Also includes NGC/IC, Herschel and Messier
                      filters. Once you determine your telescopeís limiting magnitude you
                      can filter out all objects too faint to be seen.
                      On-chart labeling of objects.
                      Inverted and/or mirror-image views. Plus the field can be rotated
                      to orient the sky as you see it through your telescope or finder
                      scope.
                      Zoom in or out.
                      Adjustable field panning.
                      Night vision mode for use at your observing site.
                      Selectable fonts, colors object symbols and cursor styles
                      Save and restore multiple configurations. With this feature you can
                      plan out an observing run step-by-step and return to all or part of
                      it without having to setup all the parameters.
                      Coordinate readout of cursor position, and distance/p.a. readout
                      between two points
                      Status Bar readout of field size, constellation, Uranometria 2000.0
                      chart number (both first and second editions), altitude and azimuth
                      Quickly locate deep sky objects by designation or common name
                      Quickly locate stars by SAO/HD/GSC/Flamsteed number, Bayer
                      letter, or common name
                      Click on an object to display information about that object.
                      MegaStarís database is fully intergrated to not only include such
                      things as size, magnitude, type, etc. but designations from other
                      catalogs and much other useful data.
                      Display eyepiece field of view for up to 20 customizable eyepieces
                      Movable, rotatable image framer for CCD or film. Will also show
                      the position of off-axis guider frames, to help you select guide
                      stars.
                      Telrad and finder scope field of view overlays
                      Built-in Database Utility to generate filtered list of objects or add
                      new objects
                      Plot tracks of comets, asteroids and planets. Create ephemerides.
                      Show moon phases.
                      Add new comet, asteroid elements or modify existing elements.
                      Element data files can be downloaded from Lowell Observatory
                      and Minor Planet Center.
                      Print professional-quality charts with any Windows-compatible
                      printer. MegaStar is renowned for its chart making
                      capabilitiesósee examples on facing page.
                      Numerous chart-printing options, such as selectable fonts, colors,
                      star symbol sizes, legends, etc.
                      Copy charts to the Windows Clipboard for importing into
                      documents
                      Telescope interfaces for LX2000, Sky Commander, NGC-MAX,
                      Sky Vector, Advanced AstroMaster, Sky Wizard 3, AstroPhysics
                      GTO, Sky Wizard CTI, MicroGuider III, BBox, Celestron
                      NexStar 5/8. GPS.
                      User-definable hot keys and context menus add power and
                      versatility to the user interface.
                      Stars can be displayed in color according to their spectral class.
                      78,800 objects displayed have accompanying photographs.

                 Databases

                      More than 208,000 deep sky objects with data: up to 13 alternate
                      designations per object, type, size, magnitude, classification, radial
                      velocity, position angle, etc.
                      189,500 Galaxies
                      5,250 Galaxy Clusters
                      580 Globular Clusters
                      1,420 Open Clusters
                      1,140 Planetary Nebulae
                      370 Bright Nebulae (225 displayed as contours)
                      270 Dark Nebulae
                      7,300 Quasars
                      2,200 "Unknown/Non-Existent" NGC/IC entries
                      Thousands of corrections to positions and position angles have
                      been incorporated into the MegaStar database, the result of an
                      extensive project of comparing the catalogs against the Palomar
                      Sky Survey. These corrections are available only in MegaStar.
                      Hubble Guide Star Catalog (over 15 million stars to magnitude
                      15.5)
                      Hipparcos Catalog (118,200 stars)
                      Tycho 1 and Tycho 2 Catalogs (2,558,000 stars)
                      45,800 Variable Stars (GCVS & Suspected Variables Catalogs)
                      81,800 Double Stars (Washington Catalog).
 
 

                 Click below for information about MegaStar:

                      Price and Ordering Information
                      System Requirements
                      Sample Screen Captures
                      Version 5 Program Updates and Bug Fixes
                      Version 4 Program Updates and Bug Fixes

                 Please download the free trial version of MegaStar 5 for a "hands-on"
                 evaluation.
 
 

                 If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please call/write to:

                      Willmann-Bell, Inc.
                      P.O. Box 35025, Richmond, Virginia 23235 USA
                      Voice: (804)320-7016 Fax: (804)272-5920
 
 

                                Clear skies and good observing!

  Contact Us

                                       General Contact Information

  By Mail

  Sky Publishing Corporation
  49 Bay State Road
  Cambridge, MA 02138-1200 U.S.A.

  By Phone

  800-253-0245 (U.S.A., Canada)
  +1 617-864-7360 (International)

  Our offices are open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern Time.

  By Fax

  +1 617-864-6117

  By E-mail

  info@SkyandTelescope.com

The Great Atlas of the Stars Serge Brunier Featuring breathtaking constellation views by Sky & Telescope contributing photographer Akira Fujii, this coffee-table masterpiece highlights 30 major star patterns, along with the treasures each contains. Instructive overlays label the most notable objects in each field. Show your friends the beauty of the heavens without leaving your living room. 96106  $49.95  Product Info: spiralbound 112 pages 11¼ by 14¼ inches

The Compact NASA Atlas of the Solar System Ronald Greeley and Raymond Batson                      This new, compact version of the venerable                      NASA atlas has been updated to include                      planetary information gleaned by many recent                      spacecraft including Mars Global Surveyor,                      Galileo, Cassini, and NEAR-Shoemaker. Revised                      diagrams, surface maps, appendixes, and                      additional color images make this reference even                      more appealing. 0633X  $64.95  Product Info: hardcover 408 pages 9¼ BY 13½ inches

The Hatfield  Photographic Lunar Atlas Edited by Jeremy Cook Long regarded as one of the finest photographic lunar atlases ever made, this book is back in print in a completely revised and updated edition. At its heart is a collection of 88 superb black-and-white photographs of the Moon taken by amateur astronomer Henry Hatfield in the mid-1960s through his 12-inch custom-built reflector. Accompanying the photographs are 16 full-scale maps that have been extensively updated with current feature names and measurements. The Moon's surface is shown for various Sun angles, and there are inset keys that show the effects of optical libration. Also included is a complete location index of named formations and photographic information about the plates. 3018X  $44.95  Product Info: hardcover 126 pages  9 by 11 inches

The Photographic Atlas of the Stars H.J.P. Arnold, Paul Doherty, and Patrick Moore                      This beautiful atlas pairs 45 glorious wide-field                      astrophotos taken from the Northern and                      Southern Hemispheres with detailed maps of                      well-known stars and deep-sky objects. You                      won’t find an English-language atlas that does a                      better job at showing how the sky really looks                      to the unaided eye or in binoculars!                      35313  $59.95                       Sale Price: $49.95                       Product Info:                          hardcover                          224 pages                          11½ by 8¼ inches

Norton's Star Atlas and Reference Handbook, 19th Edition                      Edited by Ian Ridpath                      This newly updated and expanded 19th edition                      continues the Norton's tradition as one of the                      leading star maps and reference works for                      astronomers. Includes new developments in                      observational astronomy and boasts a gold mine                      of data, celestial phenomena, and snippets of                      history. Practical star maps each cover about                      one-fifth of the sky down to 6th magnitude.                      Many of today's amateur astronomers started                      with this venerable book.                      35655  $31.95                       Product Info:                          softcover                          192 pages                          9½ by 12¾ inches

Skygazer’s Almanac 2003 Wall Chart                      Need a quick guide to what’s happening in the                      sky on any given night? Our colorful,                      easy-to-use Skygazer’s Almanac (which appears                      in Sky & Telescope every January) is perfect for                      the job. Pick a date along the edge and then                      scan horizontally to instantly discover when                      twilight ends, which planets are visible, when the                      Moon rises or sets, and much more. Simple                      instructions tell how to obtain event times                      accurate to within a few minutes.                       Available November 2002                      SGA03W  $14.95                       Product Info:                          22 by 30 inches

Sky Atlas 2000.0, 2nd Edition, Unlaminated Versions Wil Tirion & Roger W. Sinnott The standard against which all other star atlases are measured, this best-selling atlas has been completely revised and updated! Each version of Sky Atlas 2000.0 contains 26 charts covering the whole sky and showing 81,312 single, multiple, and variable stars of magnitude 8.5 and brighter and 2,700 deep-sky objects. Includes close-up charts of such areas as the celestial poles and the Virgo-Coma galaxy region, as well as an acetate coordinate-grid overlay for determining accurate positions. A must for any stargazer!  Deluxe Version: Stars are black, while deep-sky objects are color-coded by type for easy identification. Fold out charts in a 12 by 16 inch book (charts unfold to 21 by 16 inches), spiralbound. Click on the version you want and click Buy. You may choose more than one version. Field Version: Stars and deep sky objects are white on a black background. Unbound and printed on heavy paper.  Desk Version: Stars and deep sky objects are black on a white background. Unbound and  printed on heavy paper. 46875 Deluxe $49.95 46891 Field $29.95 46883 Desk $29.95

Desktop Universe                      The magic of space is only a click away once                      you install Desktop Universe. This amazing                      product combines an all-sky, full-color CCD                      map of the heavens with a robust planetarium                      software package. Compiled from more than                      20,000 individual CCD images, the sky map                      includes star images down to 14th magnitude,                      more than 23,000 deep-sky objects, and stellar                      data from the Hipparcos and Tycho catalogs.                      Fully compatible with MaxIm DL imaging                      software, too.                      Requirements: Pentium 500 MHz or higher (1                      GHz recommended), 256 MB RAM, 1 GB                      hard-disk space CD-ROM.                      DTOPU  $298.95

4.    TOPOGRAPHIC QUADRANGLES
 

3.  Topographic quadrangles
TopoUSA runs under Windows 95 or 98. It consists of four CDs covering all 50 states; maps on the CD labels show one for each the Northeast, Northwest, Southeast, and Southwest. It is produced by Delorme (the entire company name) of Yarmouth, Maine 04096. The phone number is (207)846-7000. On-line help may be reached at (207)846-8900, and by e-mail at support@delorme.com, although, on one trial, they replied with lists of FAQ's on other Delorme products. Call early in the morning, or you will be on hold at your expense.

TopoUSA requires an Intel Pentium 60 or higher processor, 16MB of RAM, 30MB of available hard disk space, a CD drive, and a mouse. In the Display' settings of the start menu, the color palette must be set for High Color (16 bit). Otherwise, the brown contour lines will appear gray, and will be invisible in the green forested areas, which will also appear gray.

None of the local superstores list TopoUSA among their available programs. It is a specialty item. However, it is available on-line from www.mdwin.com for $84.

TopoUSA can be loaded and run from any of the four CDs. InstallShield is used for loading; there are no special problems. For running, select the CD containing the area to be examined at a high magnification. This avoids shutting down the program to change a CD. All the CDs will zoom from Magnification 4, which covers the entire U.S., to 9, which produces maps at 8 miles to the inch on a 15-inch monitor. Each magnification represents a step of two. To zoom in further, to magnification 16, it is necessary to have the CD representing the proper quadrant in the drive. Magnification 16, the highest, shows maps on a scale of 1:4000, or about 300 feet to the inch. For comparison, the U.S. Geological Survey's paper topographic quadrangles have a scale of 1:24000.

On a topographic map, the works of humanity, roads and names, are shown in black. This is available elsewhere, but the Delorme presentation is as good or better. Delorme is particularly strong in showing unimproved back roads. True, Delorme does not attempt to show, as the Survey does, each individual rural building as a small black block. But then, you can't zoom a paper Survey map by clicking on an icon. Also, the Survey provides no 'Print' button. TopoUSA prints superbly.

Both Delorme and the Survey show, in blue, every mappable watercourse; their data is comparable, and better than anyone else's. Both show forested areas and orchards in green. But the distinguishing features of these maps are the brown contour lines. Each of these represents the location of the shoreline if the ocean were raised a certain, given number of feet. The altitude of each location can be determined directly; the slope, the direction of the slope, and the general contour of the land can also be determined. Topographic maps are absolutely essential for off-road activities of all sorts, sports and otherwise; also, for many engineering applications, and for environmental management.

To move to a location, click on its name in a scrolling window after typing the first few letters. Further adjustments may be made by re-centering the map. Place the cursor at the desired center and click. Input from a Global Positioning System receiver may also be used to position the cursor at your present location.

Perhaps the most important way in which the Delorme maps fall short of the Survey's is the fact that only 50 and 100-foot intervals are used for the contour lines, with 200 in Alaska. In a flat state like Florida, with the highest elevation falling below 400 feet, there are very few contour lines. One would think that Floridians need not be concerned about elevation; but they are. They have floods and hurricane surges, and the placement of shelters might be a matter of life and death. In the Everglades, the slope, and the direction of the slope, even at one foot per mile, determines the flow in the River of Grass, and which of those sugar fields the phosphate is coming from. Geological Survey contour intervals can range down to five feet, or in special cases, two.

A serious tool for serious people, these four CD's contain much of the material in thousands of 18"x23" U.S Geological Survey topographic quadrangles. Do they fully substitute for them? Not quite; but they may be all that you need.

30-Day Guarantee Secure Shopping Information Privacy Policy  The Most Versatile & Detailed Mapping Software Available Complete U.S. coverage on 7 CD-ROMs or one DVD-ROM Automatic trail or street routing—a DeLorme exclusive  Add your own routable roads and trails Split-screen 2-D and 3-D side-by-side map viewing Instant elevation profiles of routes, roads, trails, and other feature. Complete printing capabilities including poster-size mural-map printing using an everyday printer. Now also print 11" x 17" Includes updated vector-based topographic maps that provide more recent information and versatility than products that simply scan raster maps. Over 300,000 miles of updated trails including national parks and ranger districts. Track your position in real time using DeLorme Earthmate GPS Receiver connected to a laptop on both 2-D and 3-D maps. You can even track in 3-D using the satellite imagery, available separately. Compatible with Garmin, Magellan, Brunton and other GPS receivers Compatible with recent satellite imagery and other DeLorme map datasets using new split-screen viewing. *Includes FREE NetLink Download of Recent 10-meter Color Satellite. Imagery! Available only via software’s NetLink tab. Explore side-by-side view for a whole new perspective of your area of interest.  The SAT 10 free imagery download allows you to select for download a 10km by 10km area of your choice within the U.S. Also available is a free download of our raster-topo map product line, 3-D TopoQuads, available in 5km by 5km sections. Topo USA shows the bumps. A very slick user interface shows the maps in two dimensions on the right and three on the left. Moving the cursor in the right screen causes a red cone-shaped object to mirror the movement on the left screen.  The level of detail provided is impressive. Starting out with a view of the entire northeast United States, it took me only a few mouse movements to zero in near my house in Summit, N.J., and to discover that section of Tulip Street is 404 feet above sea level.  Other checks of favorite hiking trails showed them very accurately and the birds-eye 3-D view suggested new route that might reward the dog with some unmarked trees.  Besides looking at the maps on screen, you can print them to a size as large as 3 feet by 3 feet on an ordinary printer (you then assemble the pieces). And, if you're a trailblazer and find a trail or road that doesn't exist in the database, there's a feature that lets you draw it in appropriately. For the really high-tech hiker, there's even a connection to display location from a Global Positioning System (GPS).  Delorme 2 Delorme Drive Yarmouth Maine 04096 1-207-846-7000

5.  MINERALS AND ROCKS.   Great South Rocks and Minerals

6.    30 videos from Teachers video.  1 free for every 4 paid.  Pay for 24, 6 will be free.  For more information:
Teachers video

7.    Weather Measuring Equipment   Gadegts4Sure.com
 

L89-117 Wall Hanging Station   Forecasts weaher, measures temperature and humidity. The water barometer, or storm glass, is of the tryp used since the 17th century to demonstrate variations in atmospheric pressure quickly and reliably.   The thermometer/hygrometer measures temperature and humidity.  \ This international weather station features glassware from Taiwan and instrumentation from Germany mounted on a cherry finished ash stand made in Minnesota. Actual size 17.5"H x 5.5"W x 4.5"D This product ships via FedEx 3-Day Air FREE shipping offer! Price:  $69.95

910-101 Globe Weatherball Forecasts the weather using atmospheric pressure.  Has a globe print on the surface. Renaissance scientists discovered weather was influenced by variations in atmospheric pressure.  Toricelli (1608-1647) devised the first barometer, proving that air pressure was subject to change.  Goethe, the famous German playwright, developed this simple but effective barometer using the principle established by Torricelli. The weatherball quickly indicates any variations in atmospheric pressure.   Price:  $45.95

Brunton Nomad Digital Compass Actual Size:  4.1 x 2.5 x 1" (3.6 oz.) Features: Backlit digital display 1 degree resolution Bubble level system for increased accuracy Forward bearing with off course indicator Interchangeable wrist/neck lanyard Low battery indicator One CR2032 3V lithium battery included Shipped via FedEx 3-Day Air  FREE shipping offer Price: $69.95

Rainwise Wireless Rain Guage (Dual Counter) One of the most accurate and reliable rain gauge.  Meets NWS specifications for statistical accuracy.  Features wireless rane upto 100 feet and 8" diameter self empty rain bucket. Features: Measures rain in 100th of an inch increments Made in the USA Dual counter remote display shows current rainfall with capacity of 9.99 inches until reset. Also displays rain accumulation with capacity of up to 99.9 inches until reset. Included rain bucket has lifetime waranty and self empties. Display has one year warranty. Operates on one nine volt battery for rain bucket, and 3 "C" batteries for display. Ships via FedEx 3-Day Air.  FREE shipping offer Price:  $149.95