Miller 5.5" 40 Degree Mini-Planisphere for 35-45 degrees North

Simply dial in the time of the day and the day of the year on this handy rotating disc star chart and its sky window will show you exactly how the sky will appear overhead at that particular moment. It works for any hour, of any day, of any year. You can use it to learn the constellations, or to easily and quickly determine when a particular part of the sky will be visible from your observing site, so you can plan your observing sessions in advance. This 5.5" diameter Mini-Planisphere shows more than 500 stars (down to fainter than 4th magnitude). It shows light stars on a dark background, and shows the Milky Way, constellation outlines, and stellar magnitudes. The Miller Mini-Planisphere is made of heavy-duty washable plastic and is unaffected by dew and moisture, so it will remain readable and useful for years to come. Being waterproof, it's ideal for backpacking, camping, sailing, etc. It's complete with a protective plastic slipcase. This 40 degree North Mini-Planisphere is for use at observing sites from 35 degrees north to 45 degrees north, which covers the northeast, north central, and northwest United States (cities such as New York, Chicago, Boise, Sacramento, etc.)

For a more detailed Planisphere, you might want to move up to the 10.5" version. It includes more than 1000 stars, many star names, all of the Messier objects visible to the unaided eye from a dark sky site, some additional minor constellations, and a list of the constellations in which the major planets will appear over the next few years. Its only drawback is a considerably larger size which is not as well suited to "put it in your pocket and go" backpacking as this 5.5" model.