Book Description
What type of telescope is best for beginners? Can I use my camera to take photographs through a telescope? How good are the new computerized telescope mounts? What charts, books, software and other references do I need? These questions are asked time and again by enthusiastic new amateurs as they take up recreational astronomy.
But accurate, objective and up-to-date information can be hard to find. Throughout the 1990s, the first edition of
The Backyard Astronomer's Guide established itself as the indispensable reference to the equipment and techniques used by the modern recreational stargazer. Now, authors Terence Dickinson and Alan Dyer have produced an expanded and completely updated edition that again sets the standard for accessible and reliable information on one of the world's most popular hobbies.
Dickinson and Dyer -- both full-time astronomy writers -- bring decades of experience to their task. They explain why telescopes often perform much differently from what the novice expects. They recommend the accessories that will enhance the observing experience and advise what not to buy until you become more familiar with your equipment. They name brands and sources and compare value so that you can be armed with the latest practical information when deciding on your next purchase. Sections on astrophotography, daytime and twilight observing, binocular observing and planetary and deep-sky observing round out this comprehensive guide to personal exploration of the universe. Dickinson and Dyer's elegant yet straightforward approach to a complex subject makes this book an invaluable resource for astronomers throughout North America.
With more than 500 color photographs and illustrations,
The Backyard Astronomer's Guide is also one of the most beautiful -- and user-friendly -- astronomy books ever produced.
Customer Reviews:
Incredibly helpful.......2007-09-21
I can't overstate how useful this book is. It covers naked-eye stargazing, binoculars, the history of amateur astronomy, telescope designs, eyepieces, accessories, setting up your new scope, the sun, moon, planets, stars, deep-sky objects, astrophotography, and just about anything else an amateur astronomer might want to know about. The reviews of telescope and eyepiece brands and models are particularly useful. I love browsing through telescope catalogs, but I also want expert advice on what brands and models are worth seeking out and which to avoid. This book delivers. The full color photographs throughout are a nice touch. The heavy paper and solid binding ensure that the book will last forever, which is good, because you'll be using it a lot.
I wish _every_ hobby had an intro book this useful.
Excellent book.......2007-07-15
If you are considering buying only one book on amateur astronomy this should be it. It covers the basics of observing, available equipment with recommendations, and much more while presenting it in an easy to read and understandable format. Dickinson and Dyer should be commended for putting together this book which must have been a monumental effort. It is truly one of the premier books ever written on this topic. It definately belongs in the hands of every backyard astronomer.
The amateur Astronomer's BIBLE!!!!!!!.......2007-05-24
Search no longer, everything you need to know is right here in this book.
1. Different types of scopes
2. Must have accessories.
3. Waste of time accessories
4. Recommended scopes.
5. ect, ect, ect.
It's the book that keeps on giving! Yes I also own Dickinson's "Nightwatch" and like another reviewer said, there's some repetition , which made me skeptical about buying this book, but if you already have "Nightwatch", this book goes into waaaaaaaay more depth. this is definately a must have for people who haven't purchased a scope yet and are trying to make a decision. I know how hard that decision is when you know very little about telscopes and accessories and every review you see is praising every telescope you look at. Where do you start? You start here.
Good book for amateur astronomers.......2007-05-06
I highly recommend this book to the serious amateur astronomer wanting to get the most from the night sky.
Probably The Best Single Reference For Stargazers.......2007-04-23
In one volume, Dickinson and Dyer have managed to cover about 95% of what amateur astronomers want to know to get a solid start in this fascinating hobby. From naked-eye observing to binocular astronomy, through sophisticated telescopes and astrophotography, this book provides solid info in an easy-reading, photo-filled format that will be a good companion on those cloudy nights when you're restricted to armchair astronomy. Especially helpful to me were the extensive tips on how to comfortably observe using lawnchairs and tripod-mounted binoculars. Your neck will thank you, too.
Enthisiastically recommended.
Book Description
This compact, portable reference contains more than 2,000 of the most useful formulas and equations found in undergraduate physics courses, covering mathematics, dynamics and mechanics, quantum physics, thermodynamics, solid state physics, electromagnetism, optics and astrophysics. An extensive index allows the required formulas to be located swiftly and simply, and an unique tabular format crisply identifies all the variables involved. All students and professionals in physics, applied mathematics, engineering and other physical sciences will want to have this essential reference book within easy reach.
Customer Reviews:
This book rocks.......2004-02-20
Have you forgotten a formula? More than likely it is contained in this book. It has formulas for everything from all disciplines of science and engineering including astrophysics, e&m, fluid mechanics, and series and expansions. But all you get is the formula and what the letters mean, you will need to know how to use the formula. This is one of my most cherished books.
Saves me at least once a week.......2003-11-14
This book is one of the best, and I mean best, purchases I have ever made. It provides clear, consistent tables of physical values and equations, which can be a godsend in a land of inconsistent,confusing, and sometimes odd notation. Also useful is its Rosetta Stone-esque conversion table, which shows the values of myriad measures (including the US and UK values of the firkin, should one ever need to know,) into nice, clean SI units. The comprehensive index and well-organized sections make finding the proper equation easy as well.
This book has been useful in practically all of my physics coursework so far, and I anticipate it remaining a useful reference beyond my undergraduate years.
Best phisics-math reference of formulas.......2003-04-20
It contains:
- units, All constants, conversion between units, dimensions
- Math: Differential Equations, Vector algebra, Integration tables, Series, Limits, Trig, Complex variables and analysis, polynomials (all kinds), some probability and statistics, basic geometry (perimeter, area and volume)
- Dynamics and mechanics (including fluids)
- Quantum physics
- Thermodynamics
- Solid state physics (With periodic table)
- Electromagnetism
- Optics
- Astrophysics
These are just formulas, there are no concepts descriptions or solved problems, yet is the most handy reference of college level math and physics for science, CS, math, phys majors
Useful.......2003-01-08
It might be an indication of superficiality to judge the book by its cover, but in this isolated case, the cover does truly indicate what lies ahead. In terms of aesthetic, it is really beautiful.
The book is true to its declared purpose in that it serves faithfully to provide esoteric formulas and equations of interest to physicists and applied mathematicians; that and that only. The intended audience is not the virgin tyros to whom the equations appear for the first time, but those seasoned virtuosos to whom the equations are as quotidian as a slice of bread in the morning but would rather commit the engravement to paper than to memory. In some cases knowledge of convention with regard to the uses of symbols is tacitly assumed, in most cases knowledge of proper contexts with regard to the applications of equations is likewise assumed.
I got the hardcover version of the book free upon joining a book club sometime three years ago, therefore I am not able to perform the cost-benefit analysis.
A Rescue Team in a Book.......2001-01-20
This book is worth it's weight in gold. It gives not only the formulas, but each symbol in the formula is explained as to what it represents. This book helped change a C in Physics I to a B in Physics II in college classes. Best money I have invested in years.
Book Description
Your Passport to the Universe
The night sky is alive with many wonders--distant planets, vast star clusters, glowing nebulae, and expansive galaxies, all waiting to be explored. Let respected astronomy writer Philip Harrington introduce you to the universe in Star Watch, a complete beginner's guide to locating, observing, and understanding these celestial objects. You'll start by identifying the surface features of the Moon, the banded cloud tops of Jupiter, the stunning rings of Saturn, and other members of our solar system. Then you'll venture out beyond our solar system, where you'll learn tips and tricks for finding outstanding deep-sky objects from stars to galaxies, including the entire Messier catalog--a primary goal of every serious beginner.
Star Watch features a detailed physical description of each target, including size, distance, and structure, as well as concise directions for locating the objects, handy finder charts, hints on the best times to view each object, and descriptions of what you'll really see through a small telescope or binoculars and with the naked eye.
Star Watch will transport you to the farthest depths of space--and return you as a well-traveled, experienced stargazer.
Customer Reviews:
Essential tool.......2007-09-23
As others have said, this is not a glossy, colorful coffee-table book. In fact, you won't find any color pictures in this book at all. Just lots of black and white text and drawings. And yet, I have found this book to be one of the most useful astronomy guides. Why? Two main reasons.
First of all, the star charts. The author shows you how to "star-hop" from a bright star to an obscure deep sky object, which makes finding it so much easier. He also includes textual directions on how to find the object, step by step, star by star.
Second reason is expectations. As the owner of a 6" telescope, I used to be disappointed when I first started this hobby that the views of deep sky objects weren't as fabulous as I had expected from seeing colorful pictures of nebulae, galaxies, and star clusters. Frequently these items seemed like just fuzzy, ghostly grayish images to me. Well, as this book explains, that's how they look to most of us with medium (6" to 8" telescopes). And to the naked eye they will never look as colorful as they do in photographs. This book rates objects by how they would look in binoculars, small telescopes of 3" to 5", and medium telescopes of 6" to 8". He'll also tell you how easy or hard it is to find every object, and what you can expect to see in each type of instrument. He also includes his own sketches of how some of these objects look through his 8" reflector. Often they look not much better than how I see them in my 6" reflector, which is a great comfort.
Excellent book for amateur astronomers - it will tell you exactly how to find the most interesting objects and what to expect to see once you do find them, depending on what instrument you're using.
It Goes With a Telescope or Binoculars........2007-02-12
The book has a big list of things you can see with only a pair of binoculars. So I gave the nerds both binoculars and a telescope.
Very good book.
excuse me, a beginner's book?.......2006-01-23
Maybe I am even less talented than I thought, maybe I am just downright stupid, maybe problem is in my expectations, as I expected something more visual and less technical.. but this book is not a beginner's book. I bought a telescope for my son this xmas, and I wanted to know what the heck we are looking at once skies clear over Croatia. This book will not serve that purpose. IF I WERE an astronomy / physics anthusiast (NEVER!), THEN this book would have been a beginner's book.
Starwatch.......2006-01-15
I used this book for my beginning astronomy class I took online and it was very user friendly and the information is quite understandable. I really liked this book and the information it entails. Enjoy this book
Harrington's Star Watch Shines.......2005-08-20
An excellent beginner's book or a back-to-basics guide for expeienced observers, Harrington meticulously lays-out the celestial sphere and ways to find and enjoy it's wonders.
This patient step by step approach not only teaches the fundamentals and skills of stargazing, but calibrates our expectation realistically regrarding what we can expect to see depending on the instrument we use and the local conditions.
Harrington selects for us 125 fascinating objects to observe
using them to develop techniques for finding and viewing.
I would recommend this work as a great primer for neophyte amateur astronomers.
Book Description
The most famous guide to the stars is now the most accessible! Generations of amateur astronomers have called it simply Norton's: the most famous star atlas in the world. Now in a beautifully redesigned, two-color landmark 20th edition, this combination star atlas and reference guide has no match in the field.
First published in 1910, coinciding with the first of two appearances by Halley's Comet last century, Norton's owes much of its legendary success to its unique maps, arranged in slices or gores, each covering approximately one-fifth of the sky. Apart from being presented more accessibly than ever before, the text and tables have been revised and updated to account for the new and exciting developments in our observation of the cosmos. The star maps themselves were plotted using advanced computer techniques yielding outstanding accuracy and legibility. Every heavenly object visible to the naked eye is included--stars to magnitude 6, star clusters, and galaxies, as well as other celestial objects. Presented with an authority that has stood for generations, observation hints, technical explanations, and pointers to specialized information sources make this the only essential guide to the night sky.
The updated and revised hardcover 20th edition also has new moon maps, clearer tables, new diagrams and a section on the latest computer driven telescopes--today's perfect home reference for curious minds from beginners to dedicated star gazers!
What are people saying? ... "The unique and time-honored projection used in the Norton's star charts is particularly handy and has always been my favorite." --Professor Owen Gingerich, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
"Once in a blue moon a book appears to dramatically and forever change its subject; in short, the work becomes an indispensable resource for generations. Norton's Star Atlas is such a work." --Leif J. Robinson, Editor Emeritus, Sky and Telescope
"Ian Ridpath is one of the most dedicated and prolific writers on astronomy. His works all have clarity and authority, and he is ideally suited to infuse new life into a classic." --Martin Rees, Astronomer Royal, University of Cambridge, author of Our Final Hour
Customer Reviews:
Reverse title.......2007-08-26
Don't buy this for the "STAR ATLAS", but only as a "REFERENCE HANDBOOK." As a good overall guide to astronomy this is very useful. But the star maps are deficient...Look @ the slip cover...white stars on dark blue sky, however the maps are black stars on white background...But the real problem for me is the charts themselves...For example Chart 14 find M7 & M6...Now never having learned my Constellations, I would just go out in the summer look south and find the "teapot" and there to the right is M7 & 6...However on Chart 14 ONLY the handle of the teapot is printed, three stars, the top and spout are missing! So how useful can this chart be? Much more helpful are charts by Tirion in such books as A Field Guide to the Stars and Planets, a bit small but wonderful detail and scale. I bot Norton's used and as such would again, but would't pay even discounted new price. Rate 5 for reference and 1 for as Star Atlas
Better options.......2006-07-30
Most people who buy a star atlas are just getting to know the heavens, probably with a telescope and lots of enthusiasm. I would fit this description, so it is appropo that I review the two atlases I have used recently. I compared the "Collins Atlas of the Night Sky, 2005" to Nortons 20th ed, 2004.
After the first few weeks I found myself using the Collins choice more often. Norton's is the granddaddy, of course. But sometimes up-and-coming authors try to raise the bar, and this seems to have happened here. I like the color coding and the superior layout of Collins, And I especially like the section #2, where magnified maps alphabetically listed by constellation are presented. When you see something in the sky you want to identify, you usually think "it's in Orion", and want to flip to that page. Easy. You don't think, "it's at about RA 05h, dec +7 deg.
Norton's, on the other hand, has an introductory text of basic astronomy tagged on. If you don't already have an astronomy text it might add something, but most of us already have one. I liked the descriptions of stellar time, tropical vs siderial vs synodic months.
The biggest knock on Norton's, however, is the star charts aren't as easy to read, especially in the dark. I found a few errors as well. For example, the entire chart #13 has no dots to indicate where the stars are under the overlay of the Milky Way. Evidently the printer forgot to make the shading of the Milky Way transparent on that page, so all stars in that area are erased. The labels are present but there is nothing to show the star's exact location, it's visual magnitude, whethere it's a double or variable, etc. This is a huge gaffe! The binding of the Norton's text is also weak, starting to come apart after only a month. I find it hard to pick out nonstellar objects as easily.
I'll still keep my copy of Norton's, as a reference, but if I had to do it again I would buy only one.
Fairly good but not the first choice.......2006-07-04
Updating a classic work is a balancing act between maintaining tradition and keeping up with the times. The editors of the venerable Norton's have succeeded in some areas and not others. On the good side, revisions have adopted contemporary symbols for non-stellar objects and incorporated new astronomical information while keeping the traditional format and feel.
The curvature in the charts is well planned to minimize the distortion that occurs over areas as wide as these. In an age when other atlas compilers condemned their users to fumbling back and forth between charts and the index page, Norton was a pioneer in placing the numbers of adjacent charts at the edge of each of their charts. In this respect, Norton's is still ahead of atlases like the Cambridge.
Worth a mixed response is clarity of charts: they are better than some in this price range and worse than others.
Norton's contains lists of interesting objects, information on various celestial objects, and advice on observing. However, on the minus side, the lists were not as well updated as some other parts of the book and emphasize targets--double and variable stars--more typical of observers decades ago. The greater number of galaxies and nebulae accessible to modern telescopes and filters is scantily covered.
Also, it extends to only 6th magnitude, which limits its usefulness for searching in the field. Finally, the book should be more rugged for field use.
In the market of combined sky guide and 6th magnitude atlas, Norton's is in the middle of the pack, better than the Bright Star Atlas but not as good as Levy's Skywatching. Rather than a book in this category, I would recommend the 7.6 magnitude Sky & Telescope's Pocket Sky Atlas and a separate guidebook such as Skywatching or Celestial Sampler.
Outstanding hardcover nightsky referance .......2006-02-27
Very well organized referance to the nightsky. Easy to use and follow charts and graphs. A must have for the amature astronomer.
from a beginner, and a map lover.......2006-01-31
I am a novice star viewer, but I love this book. Some of it is obscure to me (some of the number notation and math-like notes), but it doesn't interfere with my enjoyment and with my ability to use the resource to watch the sky.
I'm not a novice when it comes to maps and I love the maps in this book: they are starkly beautiful and clear. I wasn't surprised to see they were produced by Bartholomew, who have made some of the most beautiful terrestrial atlases in publishing.
Average customer rating:
- Definitive sourcebook for lunar science
- When The Moon Hits Your Eye...
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Lunar Sourcebook: A User's Guide to the Moon
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
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ASIN: 0521334446 |
Book Description
This extraordinary book is the only work to date to collect data gathered during the American and Soviet missions in an accessible and complete one-volume, encyclopedic reference of current scientific and technical information about the Moon. It provides a thorough introduction to lunar studies and a summary of current information about the nature of the lunar environment. It explores the formation and evolution of the Moon’s surface, the chemical and mineralogical nature of lunar rocks and soils, and the current state of scientific knowledge about the nature, origin, and history of the Moon. The book is written and edited by scientists from academia, industry, and government active in every field of lunar research and all veterans of the Apollo program. Engineers, mission planners, planetary scientists, educators, and students interested in scientific study and exploration of the Moon will find this a unique and essential reference.
Customer Reviews:
Definitive sourcebook for lunar science.......2004-12-14
Contains the most comprehensive summary of lunar science in a single volume. It is essential for anyone interested in studying the Moon. I use it as a reference for basic lunar soil and rock properties, radiation flux, crater scaling relationships, and many other topics.
However, I would not recommend this book for someone interested in basic lunar knowledge, lunar observing, or amateur interest in human/robotic exploration of the Moon. It is usually too technical for these purposes, and it is probably not worth the cost and trouble of obtaining a copy. You might be happier with the cheaper and easier to read Lunar Base Handbook, which is still quite informative (you will find it references the Sourcebook just about every other page).
For an excellent and equally technical companion to the Sourcebook, I suggest the epic Geologic History of the Moon (USGS Professional Paper 1348).
When The Moon Hits Your Eye..........2000-06-15
A definite must-have for anyone interested in selenology (the geology of the Moon)- it is the (if not the, then close to) definitive book. Possibly a little dated, with respect to the information gathered from the Lunar Prospector and Clementine missions, but without a doubt, a superb text to have. Be warned, though - chunky and _very_ technical - not for the faint of heart.
Amazon.com
Norton's Star Atlas is the most famous astronomical reference in the world, having guided thousands of professional and amateur stargazers in their search of the night skies. The 1998 edition is completely revised and expanded, with maps drawn to standard epoch 2000.0, using computer techniques to achieve unprecedented accuracy. You'll find every object visible to the naked eye, as well as star clusters, galaxies, and other celestial objects. Norton's also includes indispensable observation hints and technical explanations, with pointers to other information sources. Whether you're using a telescope, binoculars, or just your eyes, Norton's is your guide to what's up there. --Therese Littleton
Book Description
Generations of amateur astronomers have called it simply Norton's - the most famous Star Atlas in the world. It's immediate success was largely due to Norton's uniquely accessible accessible arrangement of maps in slices, or 'gores' each covering approximately one-fifth of the sky, and its inclusion of stars visble to the naked-eye.
Customer Reviews:
Update to Norton is a winner.......2006-09-03
This is close to the ideal beginner astronomer guide. No, it isn't "Sky Atlas 2000.0", but it's not meant to be. Most beginners would be totally confused by SA 2000.0's detail.
Norton's Atlas has large swaths of sky covered in each map. The most important objects are clearly marked and the reference material associated with the maps helps new observers get the most out of them.
However, Norton's Atlas is not just an atlas. It also contains much reference material to help the beginner understand the hows and whys. Norton may be the ideal beginning observer's guide and atlas.
Note: Make sure that you order the latest edition, which is the 20th edition.
Room for improvement, but excellent nonetheless.......2003-09-05
Norton's has weaknesses which other reviewers have pointed out, to be sure, but a tremendous advantage is its layout of the star charts. Unlike most other charts out there, it shows huge swaths of the sky (60 degrees north to 60 degrees south, and well over 4 hours in RA) just as you see them when you're out in the dark trying to get oriented in Deep Heaven. Other charts show little chunks of sky--Norton's shows just what you see in a great wide band from well behind the zenith to further south than most of us will ever see.
And as someone else pointed out, the reference material interleaved between the sky charts, though not exhaustive, is very useful. I use Norton's constantly along with the Sky Atlas 2000 and Burnham's Celestial Handbook (and websites to update Burnham's data), and the combination of the three is perfect for most of my own observing. I have dozens of other books on my shelves but these are the ones I rely on.
For teaching astronomy I substitute the Audubon Field Guide to the Night Sky for the Sky Atlas and Burnham's, and my students love it because Norton's helps them find their way around the sky and the Field Guide description of the constellations tells them about what they see. If I were stranded on a desert island (hope, hope) and couldn't take my beloved and well-annotated Sky Atlas 2000 and Burnham's, I'd take Norton's and the Audubon Field Guide as a very good substitute. I always recommend Norton's, the Audubon Field Guide, and binoculars to beginners--the Sky Atlas 2000, Burnham's, and a telescope can come later (or sooner, for the passionate).
Ignore 1 Star reviews.......2003-06-29
Just because this book isn't "pretty" is a lame reason not to buy it. The star charts are not meant so much for telescopic work as to give you a naked-eye reference. Sometimes, not having a million stars crammed onto two pages is nice. No self-respecting astronomer (apparently the 1 stars aren't) would be without this book. Heck, even the editor of Sky & Telescope uses it...
As another point, the star charts only comprise about 15% of this book. The "Reference Handbook" is where this is a gem. The lists of objects to view interspersed between the star charts are invaluable as are the 100+ pages of astronomical information. If you skip this book because two reviewers gave it one star (while the others gave it a 4 or 5) you don't deserve it. Sure, the information concise, but when you're out at night, reading through fluff isn't what you want to do...
This is probably a book to buy after you've stuck to the hobby for a year and know yo're hooked :)
Clear skies!
PS Never trust people who only buy things based on how "pretty" they look...
Aged like a fine wine........2000-07-19
Norton's simply keeps getting better. Earlier editions nurtured multiple generations of amateur (and not so amateur) stargazers. This latest edition is a concise, complete atlas AND reference. The Sky Atlas 2000 or Cambridge Star Atlas are also fine road maps to the skies. An even better bargain is the Bright Star Atlas 2000 (Wil Tirion did all three and is tops as a celestial cartographer), but all lack the wealth of other reference information that is contained in Norton's.
The style is definitly in the Sgt. Friday mode: "Just the facts". But there are so many of them! Page after page of succinctly written information on practical astronomy, the solar system, moon, deep-sky objects, etc.
For an evening looking at the heavens, if you don't want to carry around the local library, this one volume easily suffices.
Just say No to this relic.......2000-01-22
Forget this lame outdated atlas. For a beginner's atlas, try Wil Tirion's "The Cambridge Star Atlas" instead. This includes a similar limiting magnitude of stars, but plots many more deep sky objects (and gives many common names as well, completely lacking on Norton's maps). The graphics and printing are much cleaner in Tirion's tome, and deep sky objects are color-coded.
The moon atlas in Norton looks like a bad photocopy of a photograph. And Norton's star charts go right into the gutter. Just try to get a look on Map 5/6 at delta Orionis (the westernmost star in Orion's belt). The Reference Handbook in Norton is OK, but beginners should try Terence Dickinson's "Nightwatch" and "The Backyard Astronomer" instead. Sure, Norton was great for its time, but who wants to drive a Model T today?
Book Description
The perfect companion volume for Hale-Bopp watchers, this guide explores the fabulous mysteries above, from planets in our solar system to the constellations in both the Northern and Southern hemispheres, stars, galaxies (including the Milky Way), nebulae, astronomical bodies, objects, phenomena, and -- yes -- comets. Night Sky provides a concise guided tour of the heavens with 48 monthly sky charts of the northern sky and 88 constellation charts, each offering a detailed map of individual constellations. Essays on the universe, the solar system, and constellations introduce the reader to the wonders of the sky.
Customer Reviews:
Fallen from grace.......2006-08-26
I've used this book for years with happy results. I've often impressed friends with my knowledge of planetary positions in the night sky by using the "planetary longitude" table in the appendices.
However, this year marked the end of the usefullness of the planetary longitude table(which is something I use a lot). It only has information through 2005. Audubon should offer an update to this so I don't have to purchase the book again just to get the P.L. table.
Excellent Guide.......2005-11-28
If you're interested in studying the night sky by eye, this is an awesome guide. The explanations are clear, the charts are great, and the background material is interesting. It will tell you what you can see up there, how to find it, and when you'll be able to see it, which was exactly what I was looking for. This book has everything you need to appreciate your backyard view more fully.
'Out on the lawn I lie in bed...'.......2004-12-21
For those who remain spellbound by the canopy of night with all the beauty and mythology and mystery gazing at the stars brings to mind, this book is a godsend. Without requiring previous courses in astronomy and without spending hours cross referencing words to match constellations to match positions to match meanings, this book comfortably and beautifully offers maps and photographs, essays and information that make looking heavenward all the more exciting. The writing is accurate, updated, understandable to the novice, and makes a terrific companion to seeking answers and directions to the stars and the planets. A valuable aide to your appreciation of the universe! Grady Harp, December 2004
A Stargazer's Delight!.......2003-04-01
One of my favorite books on the bookshelf, simply because of its easy-to-read format, and information for both the amateur stargazer and serious astronomer. The book covers everything that the curiousity seeker is looking for, with an exhaustive selection of sky charts for each month, a detailed section featuring each constellation with its history and details, and an exciting tour of the solar system and its celestial denizens.
Plenty of information, and just the right amount of photographs, too. A handy guide for everyone curious about the world "up there"!
Everything you want to know, and more.......2002-02-04
I'm not astronomer, but I can tell that the volume of information in this guide would impress even a hardcore stargazer. The book includes exhaustively detailed descriptions of all notable phenomena visible with a telescope, lists the entire Messier Catalog with descriptions of each item, has comprehensive starcharts meticulously organized by date, and has a description of all the major star constellations. There is also an in-depth analysis of the solar system and a complete scientific background on all the terminology.
A layman reading this guide will come away with enough information to at least sound like an expert on the night sky. There are even some sections on speculative astronomy, such as the nature of black holes and the Big Bang theory. If you are at all interested in astronomy, this is THE guide to get. It will serve as an invaluable counterpart to your telescope, and makes fascinating reading any time. As far as I have seen, there isn't a published guide to compare with this one.
Book Description
Here is an inspiring introduction to the planets, the stars, the solar system, the whole wide, wonderful Universe. Hundreds of exciting, instructive experiments that show how the Universe actually works using everyday materials. For ages 8-14.
Customer Reviews:
Beautiful illustrations, good presentation of information, poor experiments.......2006-01-08
It was very hard to rate the books in this series, How the Universe included. In many ways, the book is excellent. The concepts and information are presented clearly and accurately, often in much more detail than usual in late elementary/early middle school. This series is produced by Dorling Kindersley, and though the organization is different (two-page spreads but with illustrated "experiments" and explanations rather that lots of picture-factoids), a flavor of the Eyewitness books remains.
HOWEVER, there are no experiments in this book. There are projects and demonstrations, but not one experiment. About 1/3rd to 1/4th of the activities are written as demonstrations that could be make into experiments with an adult's guidence so that a child is led to hypothesis and to test his hypothesis through experimentation, but as written, none of the activities can qualify. The remaining activities are either demonstrations that can't be easily turned into experiments or are simply projects, like making a telescope or a sundial. Some of the activities are also made ridiculously complicated and lengthy for the amount that a student would get out of it. For example, instead of sticking a sticker on a ball and turning the ball in the dark while illumated with a flashlight to show how day and night works, the child skewers a rubber ball to make an axis, uses two pieces of posterboard to place the axis at the exact right angle, paints the ball like the earth, puts a pin where he lives, and FINALLY, after several hours, uses a lamp to demonstrate something that without all the cutesy overhead would take less than a minute. Sure, you have a neat little globe as a result, but you just spent several lesson times on an activity that should have been a fraction of a lesson! The learning from the activity doesn't justify the time spent on it. Not every activity has this problem, but enough do that the overall effect is to lower the quality of the book.
Quite simply, this book would be a great resource for a flexible, knowledgable homeschool or institutional school teacher, but its educational usefulness exactly as it is written is limited by its flaws. On the basis of its flaws, I would give it a 2, but because of its great usefulness for the knowledgable user, I'd give it a 5. A 4 is a compromise.
The main topics in this book are:
Spaceship Earth
The Moon
The Solar System
The Sun
The Stars
The Cosmos
"Not Another Science Fair!".......2000-03-28
Heather Couper has scored a coup in writing this fun and exciting book to help you and your child be successful in school science. We used this book as a guide to a curriculum we wrote for a private school here in Washington. The students used to cheer when I came in the room with the lesson of the week which always came with an experiment from this book. Science was exciting and I never had any discipline problems. When you can properly engage a student and take away the fear of failure, you have won. This approach helped all the students but was especially impactful for the students with learning disabilities who struggled with the written word only approach. Get excited about science with your children! This book removes all fears.
GREAT BOOK.......2000-03-27
This book teaches much information about the universe, from quasars to black holes. It has many, many experiments kids can use to learn about different planets and topics. Great book!
Average customer rating:
- Your Guide to the Sky
- An Excellent book to guide you through the galaxy
- A great place to start
- LOOKING AT THE OUTER LIMITS
- nice, simple, clear beginner's guide
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Your Guide To the Sky
Richard Shaffer
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill
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Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 073730104X |
Customer Reviews:
Your Guide to the Sky.......2007-01-09
We enjoy star gazing, and this is a perfect book for learning about what we're looking at. Very well written and very easy for a "novice" to follow without getting too "scientific".
An Excellent book to guide you through the galaxy.......2005-03-05
I loved this book, as did my father who is now 87 years of age. We just want Mr. Shaffer to write an updated book so we can see the constellations in the future years ahead!!
A great place to start.......2002-09-07
If you're new to backyard astronomy and are seeking a guide, here's the ticket. This covers all the bases, from the moon, sun, planets, and constellations to the locations of deep-sky objects, from lunar and solar observations to how to pick and set up the appropriate telescope (good information from a man who has designed award-winning telescopes). Shaffer starts at the beginning with the basic layout of the night sky and continues into greater detail without getting overly technical or confusing the neophyte. Every topic is presented in a friendly and engaging manner, with touches of dry humor, that eases the unfamiliar into the techniques of backyard astronomy without overwhelming them. Along the way he adds details about general scientific concepts as needed (such as explaining photons and spectrums) and includes sky maps, charts, graphs and other things to help guide the reader.An altogether excellent guide.
LOOKING AT THE OUTER LIMITS.......2001-01-12
If you enjoyed the "Star Wars" and "Star-Trek" films, and your visits to your local planetarium, you're in for a treat. This book helps you uncover stars, comets, galaxies, nebulas, planets on your own time. Equipped with the maps, photographs and the space parameters given you in this book, you can step out at night in your own back yard, gaze at the sky and chart your own course. No rocket ships included. You won't need them to apply this excellent handbook to the heavens.
nice, simple, clear beginner's guide.......2000-04-11
This is one of those books from which you can take as much or as little as you want. Shaffer is not intent on making an in-depth astronomer out of everyone (although if that's what you're bound for, this book will be a fine first leg up). His presentation is clear and friendly, good for browsing, for reference, or for reading straight through. Use it however suits you.
The first three chapters cover basics -- longitude and latitude and why they matter; how to read sky maps; paths of the sun, moon, and planets; basic terms; how telescopes work; etc. These might sound like intimidating topics but they're covered in just enough depth and not a bit more (e.g. "A Very Short Primer on Light").
A nice feature is on page two, a section titled "If You're in a BIG Hurry, What to Read First" (i.e. what parts of this book).
After discussion of telescopes, including how to choose one and what to do with it, there are five chapters on sky-watching. First there's the close stuff: artificial satellites, the moon... and then there's the farther away stuff: planets, stars, nebulas, groups of galaxies.
There's a sky map for each month; the maps are easy to read. Beginner that I was, with this book I was able to identify a few stars I'd noticed several nights in a row -- turned out to be one side of Orion. The fact that what I saw in the sky was recognizable on the map here is a big plus.
This is a book that will last you long past the very-beginner stage.
Book Description
The perfect backup navigation system for the serious cruiser in a GPS era, this all-in-one tool kit supplies everything a celestial navigator needs except the sextant. The Complete On-Board Celestial Navigator replaces $300 worth of guides and almanacs traditionally required by celestial navigators and includes a star finder; a five-year (20032007) nautical almanac for determining precise star, sun, moon, or planet locations at the time of sighting; and sight reduction tables for crunching the numbers and producing the fix. Designed with the novice or rusty celestial navigator in mind, it even includes a celestial navigation primer.
Customer Reviews:
great for basic celestial navigation.......2007-10-03
I used this as a beginner, and although I found the explanations at times confusing, working through the practice problems and making my own sights made it clear what to do. A great resource to have, though not one to learn basic theory from. But then again, this is not the purpose of this publication, either.
Everything you need in a compact, easy-to-use handbook.......2007-07-20
This excellent "manual" contains everything needed to perform celestial navigation at sea, or to practice the skills at home. The manual contains an instructional section at the beginning describing the process, followed by complete tables and nautical almanac for 2003-2007, providing everything needed to plot one's position with nothing more than a pencil, paper, and of course the sextant.
I took this book on my single-handed cruise to the Bahamas in 2006, as a back-up to my GPS, and also for practice and the fun and challenge of navigating by the stars. While my GPS never failed me in open water sailing, I still plotted my position by sun and stars several times on the trip, and was very greatful to have everything I needed in one compact book, given how extremely precious space on a small sailboat can be.
One consideration is that the instructions at the beginning will not give nearly as in-depth a lesson into the theory and complexities of celestial navigation as other purely instructional books will give. The book will, however, provide complete instruction for a rusty mind that hasn't performed a sight reduction in a long time, or someone who otherwise has some grasp on the concept. I personally learned celestial navigation simply from a few online instructional sites that give general overviews along with the instructions in this book. I rate the book at 5 stars because I think the "instructional" section is the perfect length for a book of this purpose.
The Complete On-Board Celestial Navigator is an excellent "everything but the sextant" handbook to use for recreational or back-up celestial navigation in today's world.
Good Resource for Intermediate to Advanced Navigator.......2006-08-26
Excellent resource if you wish to manually navigate or if you find yourself in a situation which precludes using GPS.
Complete and compact and very terse.......2006-08-10
I bought this because it combines the functions of nautical almanac and sight reduction tables in one slender volume. It provides five years of star data, sample worksheets and lots of worked out examples. So it's a lot easier than hauling around Nautical Almanacs and 3-volume sight reduction tables.
The tables trade compactness for accuracy. Sights and positions are taken to the nearest minute of latitude or longitude, rather than 10ths of minutes in the standard celestial navigation tables. I don't mind the loss of accuracy; my sights are pretty loose to begin with, and it's hard to imagine an emergency short of nuclear war where I'd actually have to depend on celestial navigation. I'm learning it only because I want to do a Transpac race and the rules require that four lines of position be determined during the race.
Also, to keep the tables small, the sight reduction methodology is non-standard and requires a few extra steps compared to the normal "Bowditch-approved" method. The geometry behind them is completely opaque, so you have to take them on faith unless you are a true expert in celestial navigation techniques. But, once you get the hang of it, it's a straightforward sequence of arithmetic sums.
The author includes a couple of methods for determining azimuth, one by table lookup and one by the use of "Weir diagrams." The latter look interesting but the explanation in the book is completely incomprehensible and I couldn't find another reference that even mentioned them.
The 1999 -2003 edition is now out of date.......2006-07-12
The information in the 1999 edition is now out of date. Buy a new one!
Books:
- The Complete Star Wars Trilogy, Episodes IV, V, & VI
- The Cycle of Cosmic Catastrophes: How a Stone-Age Comet Changed the Course of World Culture
- The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America
- The Divine Matrix: Bridging Time, Space, Miracles, and Belief
- The Divine Matrix: Bridging Time, Space, Miracles, and Belief
- The Home Planet
- The School Counseling and School Social Work Treatment Planner (Practice Planners)
- The Social and Emotional Development of Gifted Children: What Do We Know?
- The Study of Variable Stars Using Small Telescopes
- The Surface of Mars (Cambridge Planetary Science)
Books Index
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