I recently received a copy of @Charles Bracken wonderful book The Astrophotographer’s Universe as a very kind present from one on my AB friends.
After 2*pi years, I had thought they had pretty much come full circle in the hobby. However this book has reignited my passion for imaging. The book is simply brilliant.
Comprehensive coverage, really helpful images and text, combined with a list of 342 “best targets” at the end of the book.
Indeed, is this largely unassuming list that has predominately provided the inspiration for me. I will now embark on a “Bracken bagging” tour of the Universe over the coming years, covering those remaining objects in 342 accessible to me from my backyard location. [Taken from the sport of “Munro bagging”*, but with the difference that all the Brackens are interesting.]
This list is much more representative of the “high points” in our hobby than the Caldwell list - not least with the emergence of technology bringing many more wonderful DSOs within our reach. As such, I think it should be recognised with its own name as fitting recognition for the scholarly work done in this book.
I would be interested to hear if any of my other AB friends we thinking of doing the same and/or formalising the list. Most importantly, would @Charles Bracken approve? Arguably we don’t need another list, but I consider this to be the most definitive list - albeit subjective - directly relevant to our craft.
*Munro: Scottish mountain over 3000ft. Initially catalogued by Sir Hugh Munro in 1891.
Munro bagging: Climbing all of the above. There are 282, following various geodetic reviews/corrections to the original list.
