Jason Newquist's Amateur Astronomy Page

Astronomy Library

These comments are those of a rookie amateur, so take that for what it's worth. I'm still working on my Messiers, and these comments and ratings reflect that I've only been observing for just over a year now. For those things I don't even have a little direct experience, I've avoided giving a star rating. The ratings are from 1 to 5 stars. I hope that some of these remarks help steer you toward some of the classics, and away from some of the duds.

Atlases and References

Title
Comments
Rating

Atlas of the Moon
by Antonin Rukl. Kalmbach, 1990. Excellent reputation on the net. Haven't gotten into mooning yet, though.
N/A

Bright Star Atlas 2000.0
by Wil Tirion. Willmann-Bell. Moderately useful, though I prefer the Edmund Mag 6.

The Edmund Scientific Mag 6 Star Atlas
by Terence Dickinson, Victor Costanzo, and Glenn F. Chapple. Edmund Scientific, 1982. Good charts, though I want more detail to drill down into, as in the Sky Atlas 2000.0. However, combined with "best objects on this page", this is winner!

The Night Sky: The Original 2-Sided Planisphere
by David Chandler,1992. I had no idea how useful planispheres were until I used one.

Orion Deep Map 600: The Deep-Sky Road Map for Amateur Astronomers
by Wil Tirion. A reputedly very good list of objects. After the 110 Messiers and the variable stars are removed, there are about 400 objects left - a "beyond the Messiers" observing program that can seriously compete with the Herschel 400!

Sky Atlas 2000.0
Second Edition, Deluxe Laminated
by Wil Tirion and Roger W. Sinnott. Cambridge University Press, 1998. Very handy. I enjoy my laminated deluxe version because it's colorful, easy to use, quite useful, and dew-free. Durable, too.

Sky Atlas 2000.0 Companion
Second Edition
by Robert Strong and Roger W. Sinnott. Cambridge University Press, 2000. Good descriptions of objects, and intermittently handy.

Sky & Telescope's Messier Card
Sky Publishing, 1997. Somewhat handy. I've used it once or twice a session.

Observing Handbooks

Title Comments Rating

40 Nights to Knowing the Night Sky: A Night-by-Night Skywatching Primer
by Fred Schaaf. Henry Holt, 1998. Not very practical for the enthusiastic beginner.

The Caldwell Catalog (Beyond the Messier)
by Patrick Moore and M. Barlow Pepin. Sky Publishing, December 1995. I don't really like this list. And the "book" is really just one 11x17 page folded in half. Not that impressive.

Burnham's Celestial Handbook: An Observer's Guide to the Universe Beyond the Solar System
Volumes 1-3, Revised and Enlarged Edition
by Robert Burnham, Jr. Dover, 1978. The standard for observing guides. Amazing content, though sometimes outdated. The 3-volume set is essential if you want to begin to comprehend that which you see, and get an idea of what is out there that's worth attention. Viewing all the Burnham objects would be a big observing program!

Celestial Harvest
by James Mullaney. (Self-published.) 1998. Full of character and utility - the descriptions are very useful! Self-published. Spiral-bound. Recommended.

The Deep Sky: An Introduction
by Philip S. Harrington. Sky Publishing, 1997. Not immediately useful, as I'm still chugging along my Messier list, but I'll get into it. N/A

Deep-Sky Companions: The Messier Objects
by Stephen James O'Meara. Cambridge University Press, 1998. Useful, with lots of great information. I can't believe the author got all the detail he claims to have gotten with a 4" scope that's essentially just like mine.

The Night Sky Observer's Guide
Volumes 1-2
by George Kepple and Glem Sanner. Willman-Bell, 1998. The observing list that advanced amateurs are using today. Fairly incredible stuff. I'm not there yet, but the content of the book has blown me away. N/A

Observer's Handbook
Published annually by the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada. Nice annual guides of the sky. Much of the content is repeated, but the annual charts for planets and comets and whatnot are very useful.

Star-Hopping: Your Vista to Viewing the Universe
by Robert Garfinkle. Cambridge University Press, 1994. Monthly star hops, as well as some introductory material on technique. I'm reading it in bits and pieces right now. This is yet another one of those things I'd like to work on after I finish my Messiers. N/A

Stars and Planets (Peterson Field Guides)
Fourth Edition
by Jay M. Pasachoff. Houghton Mifflin, 2000. While this includes an atlas, it's more than that. It's a field guide, but I've not used it yet. I'll take it with me one of these days and see how it fills up some of those moments when I'm paused between hops. N/A

Touring the Universe Through Binoculars: A Complete Astronomer's Guidebook
by Philip S. Harrington. Wiley, 1990. I used this briefly when I was bound to binoculars before I received my first scope. One of these days, I'll head out with this book and my binos and see what fun there is to be had. N/A

Turn Left at Orion: A Hundred Night Sky Objects to See in a Small Telescope - And How to Find Them
Third Edition
by Guy Consolmagno and Dan M. Davis. Cambridge, 2000. Not a bad starter book, but quickly outgrown if you are leaping headlong into the hobby and have the benefit of experts. If you do not have a club full of astronomers, I imagine this book would be an essential and inspirational introduction into getting some of the best objects into the eyepiece of a small amateur instrument. Writing style is friendly and encouraging.

The Year-Round Messier Marathon Field Guide
by Harvard Pennington. Wilmann-Bell, 1998. I don't like how this is organized, and the charts don't seem that useful. I really prefer the O'Meara.

General Astronomy

Title Comments Ratings

Advanced Amateur Astronomy
Second Edition
by Gerald North. Cambridge University Press, 1997. This is on my bedside table. N/A

Astronomy: From the Earth to the Universe
Fifth Edition
by Jay M. Pasachoff. HBJ, 1999. Haven't cracked it yet. I've been meaning to. Written by the same author who worked on the Peterson Field Guide. N/A

The Backyard Astronomer's Guide
by Terence Dickinson and Alan Dyer. Firefly, 1991 (Revised and Updated in 1993). Somewhat dated for specifics, but a GREAT followup to Nightwatch!

The Guide to Amateur Astronomy
Second Edition
by Jack Newton and Philip Teece. Cambridge, 1995. Dry and expensive. I don't like it.

Deep-Sky Wonders
by Walter Scott Houston. Sky Publishing, 1999. What a fun book! I really want to do some of these hops. It's almost an observer's handbook, but it's a bit more than that, too. Scotty's writing style is just perfect.

Nightwatch: A Practical Guide to Viewing the Universe
by Terence Dickinson, Third Edition. Firefly, 1998. This is your first book. Go get it now. Incredibly wide-ranging and useful for the person considering investing ANY money in this hobby.

Skywatching (Nature Company Guide Series)
by David H. Levy. Time Life Books, 1995. Coffee table book. Not useful.

The Stars: A New Way to See Them
Enlarged World-Wide Edition
by H. A. Rey. Houghton Mifflin, 1980. A fun read. Useful to the beginner who is learning their constellations. Take this outside with you for the first year or two.

Star Ware: The Amateur Astronomer's Ultimate Guide to Choosing, Buying, and Using Telescopes and Accessories
Second Edition
by Philip S. Harrington. Getting more and more out of date, but contains some great information. When reading the section on Newtonians, add 2 inches to each recommendation. :-)

Return to Jason's Amateur Astronomy

Updated on 06/18/2001 04:07:09 AM

Title	Comments	Rating
Atlas of the Moon by Antonin Rukl. Kalmbach, 1990.	Excellent reputation on the net. Haven't gotten into mooning yet, though.	N/A
Bright Star Atlas 2000.0 by Wil Tirion. Willmann-Bell.	Moderately useful, though I prefer the Edmund Mag 6.
The Edmund Scientific Mag 6 Star Atlas by Terence Dickinson, Victor Costanzo, and Glenn F. Chapple. Edmund Scientific, 1982.	Good charts, though I want more detail to drill down into, as in the Sky Atlas 2000.0. However, combined with "best objects on this page", this is winner!
The Night Sky: The Original 2-Sided Planisphere by David Chandler,1992.	I had no idea how useful planispheres were until I used one.
Orion Deep Map 600: The Deep-Sky Road Map for Amateur Astronomers by Wil Tirion.	A reputedly very good list of objects. After the 110 Messiers and the variable stars are removed, there are about 400 objects left - a "beyond the Messiers" observing program that can seriously compete with the Herschel 400!
Sky Atlas 2000.0 Second Edition, Deluxe Laminated by Wil Tirion and Roger W. Sinnott. Cambridge University Press, 1998.	Very handy. I enjoy my laminated deluxe version because it's colorful, easy to use, quite useful, and dew-free. Durable, too.
Sky Atlas 2000.0 Companion Second Edition by Robert Strong and Roger W. Sinnott. Cambridge University Press, 2000.	Good descriptions of objects, and intermittently handy.
Sky & Telescope's Messier Card Sky Publishing, 1997.	Somewhat handy. I've used it once or twice a session.

Title	Comments	Ratings
Advanced Amateur Astronomy Second Edition by Gerald North. Cambridge University Press, 1997.	This is on my bedside table.	N/A
Astronomy: From the Earth to the Universe Fifth Edition by Jay M. Pasachoff. HBJ, 1999.	Haven't cracked it yet. I've been meaning to. Written by the same author who worked on the Peterson Field Guide.	N/A
The Backyard Astronomer's Guide by Terence Dickinson and Alan Dyer. Firefly, 1991 (Revised and Updated in 1993).	Somewhat dated for specifics, but a GREAT followup to Nightwatch!
The Guide to Amateur Astronomy Second Edition by Jack Newton and Philip Teece. Cambridge, 1995.	Dry and expensive. I don't like it.
Deep-Sky Wonders by Walter Scott Houston. Sky Publishing, 1999.	What a fun book! I really want to do some of these hops. It's almost an observer's handbook, but it's a bit more than that, too. Scotty's writing style is just perfect.
Nightwatch: A Practical Guide to Viewing the Universe by Terence Dickinson, Third Edition. Firefly, 1998.	This is your first book. Go get it now. Incredibly wide-ranging and useful for the person considering investing ANY money in this hobby.
Skywatching (Nature Company Guide Series) by David H. Levy. Time Life Books, 1995.	Coffee table book. Not useful.
The Stars: A New Way to See Them Enlarged World-Wide Edition by H. A. Rey. Houghton Mifflin, 1980.	A fun read. Useful to the beginner who is learning their constellations. Take this outside with you for the first year or two.
Star Ware: The Amateur Astronomer's Ultimate Guide to Choosing, Buying, and Using Telescopes and Accessories Second Edition by Philip S. Harrington.	Getting more and more out of date, but contains some great information. When reading the section on Newtonians, add 2 inches to each recommendation. :-)