Doink posted:

What's the BEST most comphrehensive set of charts---out to at least Mag 10,
on paper that will survive dew, and readable with a small red light...

I'm leaning toward: Herald-Bobroff AstroAtlas

I have Sky Atlas 2000---it seems more like a coffee table book. It's
beautiful, but not useable.

Are there others that are better? Why

Well, if you feel that S.A. 2000 is "not usable" then most of the other
Atlases you might run into might seem that way as well. For beginners
to intermediate amateurs, it isn't a bad start with stars plotted that
are visible in a finderscope and over 2000 Deep-sky objects. However,
if you want to go deeper with a lot more objects plotted, you are pretty
much limited to either Uranometria 2000 (a 3-volume atlas + reference
book) or the Herald-Bobroff atlas. I found the H.B. atlas a little too
clutered in places, with some rather bizarre symbology, so I stayed with
Uranometria, although the H.B. Atlas is definitely more portable. If
you are *really* serious about "going deep", then you probably will have
to go with software atlases and either print out your finder charts
before you observe, or use a laptop with the software out while you are
observing. The software method is definitely more flexable, and I
rarely go back to any of my print atlases anymore. Clear skies to you.
--
David W. Knisely
Prairie Astronomy Club: http://www.prairieastronomyclub.org
Hyde Memorial Observatory: http://www.hydeobservatory.info/

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