Books

The "Praxishandbuch Deep-Sky" (in German) was published in 2004 by Kosmos-Verlag. As a handbook it covers in detail all aspects of visual deep-sky observation. Experts could be found as authors for different chapters. Some were written by me, and I also acted as the editor of the book. The "Vereinigung der Sternfreunde" (VdS) has supported the project.

My book "Galaxies and How to Observe Them" (Springer, London-New York) is on the market since Dec. 15, 2006. It covers all aspects about visual observing of galaxies, featuring astrophysics, instruments, observing techniques, objects, and much more.

Download an index of all objects (xls).

In April 2008 a German book on observatories was published by Oculum-Verlag. I'm responsible for the text, Stefan Binnewies and Jens Moser, both eminent astrophotographers, contributed large format pictures of instruments and sites. 95 places throughout the world are presented with their telescopes, history and astronomical work.

I have finished a comprehensive study (PhD thesis) on the history of the NGC, which was published on January 15, 2009 by "Books on Demand" (676 pages).
The extended English version - titled "Observing and Cataloguing Nebulae and Star Clusters - from Herschel to Dreyer's New General Catalogue" - will be pubished by Cambridge University Press. It is scheduled for mid-2010 (more details later).

Look here for an abstract of the book.

English Publications (since 1996)

Publication Magazine/Location Year
1 Catalogue of Bright Quasars and BL Lacertae Objects Internet 1998
2 Galaxies in Leo Minor - "The Amateur Deep Field" Mitteil. d. SFB, May-Aug 1998
3 Catalogue of Galaxy Groups Internet 1999
4 Observing list of Bright Quasars Internet 1999
5 Quasars, Active and Compact Galaxies Internet 1999
6 Extragalactic Objects Discovered as Variable Stars Internet 2000
7 Anonymous Galaxies in the NGC 999-Group Magellan 2, issue 1, p. 10 2000
8 Digital Deep-Sky Data, visual Observing and the NGC/IC Project VdS-Journal 1/2000, p. 49 2000
9 On True and False Double Quasars Internet 2000
10 "Superthin Galaxies" - Objects, Sharp as a Razor Blade VdS-Journal 2/2000, p. 71 2000
11 In Quest of "Deep-Sky Comets" [pdf] Internet 2001
12 Cygnus A - Observing an Exceptional Radio Galaxy interstellarum 18 2001
13 Deep Sky Catalogues, the New Uranometria and Other Stories [pdf] Internet 2002
14 Extragalactic Objects Discovered as Variable Stars Webb Deep Sky Society Publication 2002
15 NGC 6822 (Barnard's Galaxy) interstellarum 41, S. 22 2005
16 Object of the Season: NGC 7027 Deep Sky Observer 138, p. 17
2005
17 Object of the Season: NGC 6888 Deep Sky Observer 140, 9 2006
18 Object of the Season: NGC 891 Deep Sky Observer 141, 17-21 2006
19 Review: F. Watson, Stargazer - The Life and Times of the Telescope Deep Sky Observer 142, 27-28 2006

20

 M 81 and M 82 - A Nightmare for the Herschel Family [pdf] Internet 2006
21 NGC 4361. History, Data and Observational Results Deep Sky Observer 150, 4-6 2009