Customer Reviews:
Binocular fun.......2007-09-24
I have been using Binocular Highlights for about three months. It is exactly what I have been looking for!
Where I live, Western Washington State, star gazing is often thwarted by clouds and rain. So using a telescope is often more trouble that it is worth. But, a quick venture into the mist with binoculars; now this made sense to me. However, I needed advice on which binoculars would be good to use and a manageable list of things to look for with binoculars. This is when, like a stroke of good luck, this neat, well written and very handy booklet, Binocular Highlights, was placed into my hands. I used the author, Gary Seronik's recommendation and bought a pair of Canon Image Stabilized binoculars. And have had a great time going through the pages of his book and successfully finding most of the objects listed. I am thoroughly pleased.
I can recommend this book to anyone with a general interest in astronomy or for someone who is just looking for something easier to use than a full blown telescope.
This book opened up a whole new world of astronomy to me.......2007-07-04
It was late one night a couple of weeks ago. I had been observing Jupiter and four of her moons with my Orion 90 mm refractor for several minutes when I felt the stiffness arch up my back into my neck. I'm in good shape for a guy in his early 40s, but still I'm more prone to aches and pains than when I was a younger man. Then I brushed against the scope tube and spent several minutes finding the planet once more. The cost was sore muscles along my spine and that inevitable thought: "there has to be a better way to do astronomy than this!"
Anyone who has ever used a telescope for any length of time at all can relate to the story above. That is why I am so happy to have discovered this book.
Don't know anything about binoculars? No problem. Seronik tells you how they work and what kind are best for astronomy. In fact, I must caution you now to NOT BUY A PAIR OF BINOCULARS FOR ASTRONOMY UNTIL YOU READ THIS BOOK. The insights it gives kept me from making a very expensive mistake!
I had a pair of Meade 12x50s stashed away in a closet which turned out to be more than up to the job.
After covering how binoculars work and what kind to use for stargazing, Seronik takes the reader on a tour of many splendid deep sky objects perfect for the binocular user. Believe it or not, there is plenty of stuff up there that looks incredible when seen through their wide field of view and low magnification.
This book is user friendly from cover to cover. It's not padded with needless fluff or technical details incomprehensible to the average person. However, it is written in an engaging, friendly style that makes it a delight to read.
All in all I am very satisfied with this book and recommend it enthusiastically to everyone interested in stargazing.
Binocular highlights.......2007-05-13
I am very satisfied with the book. It has the information I was looking for.
Great Book.......2007-05-13
This is an excellent book for both beginner and veteran observer alike. Charts are well marked and use actual star photos and not drawings as some books. The advice given on the best choice of binoculars to use is especially helpful to those just starting out. The selection of targets is varied and will in some cases prove a real challenge especially to the new observer but persistance will pay off in many enjoyable hours under the stars. Highly recommended !
Great Binocular Primer.......2007-03-09
For those unfamiliar with astronomical use of binoculars, this is the guide for you.
Book Description
This comprehensive work takes you on a personal tour of the universe using nothing more than a pair of binoculars. More comprehensive than any book currently available, it starts with Earth's nearest neighbor, the moon, and then goes on to explore each planet in the solar system, asteroids, meteors, comets and the sun. Following this, the reader is whisked away into deep space to explore celestial bodies including stars that are known and many sights less familiar. The final chapter includes a detailed atlas of deep-sky objects visible through binoculars. The appendices include guidance on how to buy, care for and maintain astronomical binoculars, tips and hints on using them, and detailed information on several home-made binocular mounts.
Customer Reviews:
Is this the best book on Binocular astronomy?.......2006-02-20
This book was a bit of a disappointment after hearing all the glowing reviews. After wading through 6 chapters with terrible photo reproductions of telescopic (not binocular) views, where many sky objects are described as not suitable for binoculars, we arrive a chapter 7 which is the reference list of binocular objects. This consumes half the book and is a complete reference list ordered by constellation with a paragraph description of most. But you will need another reference to find them since there are no maps here.
The book is 15 years old and shows it. The author's comments about roof prism binoculars are dated and of course no discussion of image stabilized binoculars. Surprised not to even see discussions of the different ways to hand hold binoculars with illustrations.
It excels as a reference list of binocular objects but is not the type of book to excite the interest of those not already so inclined.
If you have large binos, don't miss this book.......2000-06-14
This book covers +1000 deep sky objects plus solar system objects for binoculars. It includes many faint objects that can be seen with ordinary binos under very favourable conditions so the observers with large binoculars can use this book better. Although there are +1000 objects given in the book, most of them are not explained but rather their basic data like coordinates and magnitude are given. It does not have maps so you need an atlas with this book. However; this book is very useful with its tabulated data and constellation-based organisation. You cannot find any other complete and well prepared list and data of objects visible in binoculars. The author also groups Messier objects into 4 difficulty groups which is helpful for inexperienced observers.
A Classic Reference and Observing Guide.......1999-10-16
Touring the Universe Through Binoculars remains the single most authoritative source for people who want to view the night sky with binoculars. Sure, there are other books on the subject, but Touring the Universe stands apart for its thorough survey of the binocular sky. This book lists objects that the other books miss entirely (and that the authors probably don't even know exist!).
But readers should keep in mind that Touring the Universe is really aimed more toward seasoned amateur astronomers. Those new to astronomy may find some of the discussion a little beyond them, at least at this point. But you will certainly grow into the book if you stick with the hobby. And thanks to the flowing words from the author, that's an enjoyable task.
Readers should also be aware that the book does not have any star charts. That means you will need to get either a star atlas like Sky Atlas 2000 or the author's companion CD-ROM (which Amazon does not offer, but Sky Publishing and Orion Telescope Center do). It's great software even without the book!
poor organization makes it hard to find doable observations.......1999-03-18
The first problem with this book is that for the urban or suburban observer with less than giant binoculars, it is too hard to find objects that you will really have any luck with. You have to sort through long lists of 9th-magnitude star clusters to find anything that would really be visible. The second problem is that a large percentage of the objects listed are pretty dim and crummy open clusters, and in most cases it is extremely hard to tell whether you are seeing the cluster or not. The photos are no help, because they are all long photographic exposures taken through telescopes, nothing like what you actually see through binox.
A terrific book now even better with new star atlas CD-ROM.......1999-01-27
I have used this book since it first came out almost ten years ago, and have always found it a big help when planning an observing session with my binoculars. It talks about sky objects that are ignored by just about every other book out there, but that are *easily* visible through binoculars! Guess none of the other binoculars books bothered to really research the topic.
But now, the book has gotten even better with the new Touring the Universe Through Binoculars Atlas CD-ROM. A great value for the price too! I first looked for it on Amazon.com, but I guess they don't sell it. (hey, Amazon! hint hint). I ended up buying it right through Harrington's home page. Together, the book and CD are the most complete survey of the binocular sky ever created! My advice is to buy the book here and get the CD separately. If you like binocular observing as much as I do, they make a great team.
Book Description
This clear easy-to-understand book helps "new" amateur astronomers by answering the most frequently asked questions. The idea is to quickly take the reader to a level of expertise significantly higher than that provided by general books. Each chapter is on a different subject, from what to buy through to how to use it and what to look at. The tips and techniques are applicable to all telescope users.
Customer Reviews:
Highly concentrated facts.......2002-03-30
Fantastic!! Just the book that I've been looking for - it has an enormous amount of information concentrated into relatively few pages. The format, similar to an internet FAQ, makes it easy to navigate. Whilst nothing is covered in great depth, the book serves its purpose of giving enough information to get a new astronomer up and running. I refer to this book a lot and expect to keep doing so.
Book Description
Both beginning/novice amateur astronomers (at the level of Astronomy and Night Sky magazine readers), as well as more advanced amateur astronomers (level of Sky & Telescope) will find this book invaluable and fascinating.
Amateur astronomers are always contemplating the "next telescope up" and this will point the way to the most suitable instrument to which they should aspire. Similarly, those who are buying their first telescope – and these days not necessarily a low-cost one – will be able to compare and contrast different types and makes.
Jim Mullaney is an astronomy writer, lecturer and consultant who has published more than 500 articles and five books: he has also been an editor for Sky & Telescope, Astronomy, and Star & Sky magazines. One of the contributors to Carl Sagan’s award-winning Cosmos PBS-Television series, his work has received recognition from such notables as Sir Arthur Clarke, Johnny Carson, Ray Bradbury, Dr. Wernher von Braun, and one of his former students – NASA scientist/astronaut Dr. Jay Apt. He is probably the ideal person to write this book, containing as it does a directory of instruments offered by all the major manufacturers.
This exciting, upbeat new guide provides an extensive overview of binoculars and telescopes. It includes detailed up-to-date information on sources, selection and use of virtually every major type, brand and model of such instruments on today’s market – truly an invaluable treasure-trove of information and helpful advice for all amateur astronomers. Also includes details on the the latest released telescope lines, e.g., the 10-, 12-, 14- and 16-inch aperture models of the Meade LX-R series.
Book Description
The world of telescopes, spotting scopes, and binoculars can be quite daunting to the uninitiated. Part buyer's guide, part instruction manual, this one-of-a-kind reference sorts out all the essential details. Not only will readers receive a foundation in such basics as telescope types, accessories, adjustments, and maintenance, they'll also discover tested techniques for successful viewing at sporting events, viewing landscapes and terrain, as well as basic star gazing. Finally, star charts and other astronomy references show readers how to navigate around the heavens and photograph specific objects in the night sky.
Customer Reviews:
Great layout, photos, diagrams -- Organized well.......2006-12-03
This thin book is chock full of useful information for the person getting started with their first telescope.
It is very well designed and organized, with tons of photos and diagrams, making it a fun read.
I went to the bookstore looking for Star Ware when I found this book. Star Ware had absolutely no photos and had pages upon pages of technical jargon, whereas this book explained in interesting and simple terms the basics of telescopes, both in purchasing, setting up and using.
I purchased the book and will keep it as a reference / guide now that I've read it.
Recommended.
Book Description
The advantages of using both eyes for astronomical observing are many and considerable, largely because of the way the human brain processes visual information.
Binoculars – the usual kinds – are incredibly useful for wide-field observing, but "binocular astronomy" is much more than that, including binocular eyepieces that can be fitted to normal astronomical telescopes, and even giant binocular telescopes that are effectively two astronomical telescopes working in tandem.
Here is everything an astronomer needs to know about binocular observing. The book takes an in-depth look at the instruments themselves, and has sections on evaluating and buying binoculars and binocular telescopes, their care, mounting, and accessories. In addition there is a selection of fine objects to be seen with 50mm and 100mm binoculars.
Customer Reviews:
an outstanding resource for the binocular observer.......2007-06-22
I wrote this review in 2002 for a very well known astronomy website. In my opinion, this is an outstanding resource for the binocular observer. It is not a stand alone book/atlas. Few astronomy references are stand alone. In fact, in my original review I also stated, " The intermediate amateur not only uses a good set of star charts but also might own a deep sky object reference book. The charts are the road maps to the sky but the object references are the library in which we discover the meanings of the objects we view. No one reference seems to have it all. Where one reference book is found, usually another is not far away." Binocular Astronomy is one such object reference. A bonus is that it also provides a quick use atlas in the back of the book. However, the person wishing to become an avid observer will own and use a set of star charts along with this outstanding reference.
Ed Zarenski, CN Binocular Forum Moderator
from 2002
Binocular Astronomy, by Crossen and Tirion, $24.95, $30 to $60 used, 182 pgs. 8.5x11 hard. Organized by season. Lists about 250 objects visible in binoculars. Has a ten-page set of mag 6.5 star charts, The Bright Star Atlas, in the back of the book, nice for the binocular enthusiast who might not have a separate atlas. Chart scale is 29mm per 10 degrees. This book includes a data table to chart reference for every item identified in the text of the book. Larger size detail charts are included in each seasonal section. A great strength of the book is the outstanding sky photos with deep sky objects identified, making this a great choice for the beginner or avid novice. Some of these sky photos look exactly like the views thru my 10x50s and 15x70s. This can definitely be usable as more than a binocular guidebook and could easily be recommended for the avid novice telescope user. A great reference. Highly Recommended!
Good guidebook, bad atlas.......2007-03-05
Binocular Astronomy is an excellent introduction to the underappreciated art of exploring the night sky with binoculars. The book is first rate for small telescopes as well.
The text gives the sense of an observer who has spent many nights with binoculars. The lists of objects is exhaustive and the descriptions are useful. One of his great contributions to binocular observing is his recommendation of 10x50 binoculars, refuting the myth that "7x50s are ideal for astronomy." As he rightly points out, the sky background is darker in 10x50s, making for more contrast and ferreting out dimmer objects.
Be aware that to see all the objects Crossen lists, you will need a very dark sky and lots of experience. These lists go far beyond what a novice will see under a suburban sky.
The only real problem is the unfortunate inclusion of Tirion's Bright Star Atlas. It is not on a par with the rest of the book. The charts have annoying distortion near their top and bottom, their edges have no information to direct the user efficiently to adjoining charts (i.e.: "Continues on Chart 5"), and, worst of all, they are arranged in reverse order, which makes for ridiculous two-page spreads. Imagine opening a road atlas to a two-page spread of, say, the State of Montana and finding the eastern and western halves reversed. In place of one state, you have two disjointed halves. How could any cartographer be so colossally stupid?
Fortunately, there is a simple solution: when you buy this book, add Sky and Telescope's Pocket Sky Atlas for a mere $15 more. It is far, far better designed and goes a magnitude and a half deeper, showing three times as many stars, all of which will show up in your binoculars. It will greatly enhance your experience in the field.
The combination of Binocular Astronomy and Pocket Sky Atlas is unbeatable. Beginners, forget those department-store telescopes and get binoculars, along with these two books.
A must have for the amateur astronomer.......2006-07-03
This is a must have book for the amateur astronomer. It has in-depth coverage of deep space objects. It lacks detailed charts, however, this is not the authors purpose. It rates a 5 on the strength of its meaty content. If you need a chart, buy one to accompany this book. A star wheel will also be useful.
brilliantly written and self-contained.......2006-03-30
This is the only binoculars-specific astronomy book I own, but it is a beauty. Craig Crossen is a wonderful writer, one who makes you want to run out with your binos and check out the things he describes. He also manages to cram an entire mini-course on the structure of the Milky Way into his Binocular Astronomy book, and includes a good serving of the famous E. E. Barnard photographs of Milky Way starfields. Add to this the fact that the book ends with a reprint of Tirion and Crossen's Bright Star Atlas, and you are ready to go out and observe (provided you've remembered to bring your binoculars!). ALL amateur astronomy books should be this good, this complete and this inspiring.
A Classic for Amateurs.......2002-01-08
This high quality and well written book will certainly join Burnhams three volume set as a long term classic, for those wanting to explore the sky with binocs. The numerous drawings and charts are priceless in locating interesting objects. It's a pity this excellent book is listed as "buy it used" by Amazon, with none shown as available used, since mine arrived spanking new in three days from Richmond to Maine via UPS in a highly professionally wrapped box for only a... handling fee and zero shipping charges from Willman-Bell the publisher. The inclusion of the outstanding Tirion Star Atlas is a huge plus, highly useful with only the naked eye, as well as with binocs and small telescopes. A Best Buy for anyones library. When you or the children in the family are ready to go beyond Rey's priceless "The Stars-A New Way to See Them", this book should come next.
Book Description
Star-gazing with binoculars is rewarding and, for many, a lifelong passion! Patrick Moore has painstakingly researched Exploring the Night Sky with Binoculars to describe the optimal use of binoculars for astronomical observation. He explains basic astronomy and the selection of binoculars, then goes on to discuss the stars, clusters, nebulae and galaxies that await the observer. He charts the sky seen from the northern and southern hemispheres season by season, providing detailed maps of all the constellations. In addition, the reader can also observe the Sun, Moon, planets, comets and meteors. New to this Fourth Edition are: An improved presentation of all star maps, rendering a clear impression of what the night sky really looks like; planetary data through 2010; and advice on eclipse watching, including total eclipses of the sun. With many beautiful illustrations, this handbook will be helpful and encouraging to casual observers and those cultivating a more serious interest. The enjoyment of amateur astronomy is now available to everybody!
Customer Reviews:
Unnecessary detail.......2006-06-11
If you are looking for a beginner book with a goal of recognizing the constellations, there are better choices (consider "The Stars, a new way to see them" by HA Ray). Moore's comprehensive description of each star in a constellation tends to drag, and details go well beyond the beginner level. A lot of the data will repeat what should be contained in a good star atlas. On the other hand I liked his viewing perspective, mostly aimed from northern latitudes ca 50 deg. I liked his easy literary style, and he does have an enviable lifetime of experience. He uses D-shaped star maps, that work well for stars near the horizon, but these maps aren't so good for stars overhead. Some of the introductory chapters are simple overviews of astronomy facts that are better covered in my university textbooks. Ultimately the superficial details aren't useful once you are beyond that beginner stage. I could still see holding onto a copy of this, or it's cousin "Stargazing", if only as a supplementary reference to a star atlas. However, for it's stated description as a beginner's guide to the sky, it falls short.
An Average Book. Some good details, at times tedious........1998-10-21
A lot of the information is given in metric system. Pricing information is given in the British Pound. Much of the information given is very good and the advise he gives is sound in regards to binocular size. There are many instances when the subject mater drags and I found myself drifting off or jumping ahead.
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Astronomy
| Astronomy
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
Patterns in the Sky: An Introduction to Stargazing (Night Sky Astronomy for Everybody)
Sky & Telescope's Pocket Sky Atlas
Celestial Sampler: 60 Small-Scope Tours for Starlit Nights (Stargazing)
Double Stars for Small Telescopes: More Than 2,100 Stellar Gems for Backyard Observers (Stargazing Series)
The Urban Astronomer's Guide: A Walking Tour of the Cosmos for City Sky Watchers (Patrick Moore's Practical Astronomy Series)
