The book you are now holding in your hands is the author’s answer to a longstanding need for a work devoted exclusively to the Herschel objects and their
observation by amateur astronomers, with emphasis on the 615 objects of Classes
I, IV, V, VI, VII, and VIII. We begin by examining something of Sir William’s
remarkable life and times (including a bit about his famous sister Caroline and son
Sir John), his many amazing astronomical discoveries, and his home-made metalmirrored reflectors ranging in size from around 6 inches in aperture all the way up
to 48 inches (the famed “40-Foot” – for a time the largest telescope in the world),
and take a look at his catalogs and his various Classes. Following a discussion on
observing techniques, we shall then profile some 165 selected showpieces from his
catalog suitable for viewing with backyard telescopes ranging from 2- to 14-inches