Customer Reviews

Essential purchase - should be given away with new telescopes - By: D. A. Howes, 20 Nov 2007
Most amateur astronomers have a comprehensive library of books - field guides, observing guides, star atlases & charts, & "how - to" books, not to mention the back copies of magazines saved for years because of a few useful, interesting or informative pages contained within. And with the wealth of information available online, there is no shortage of advice & inspiration for observers of all experience levels. But what do you do if you feel overwhelmed by all this, & how do you sort the "diamonds" from the "rubble", so to speak.
Until recently, you spent years experimenting & asking around for advice, making mistakes along the way, but learning all the time. Now all you need to do is buy this book!
Robert & Barbara Thompson have given the astronomical community the benefit of their years of experience, & compiled what will quite probably be the most significant astronomy book of the decade.
Writtenin an informal & engaging style, reading it is like having a seasoned veteran observer standing at your side to quietly offer intelligent & honest advice, & to show you how to find hundreds of the most impressive sights of the deep sky.
The book is arranged by constellations easily visible from the northern hemisphere, & lists all those objects containedin the most popular & globally accepted observing lists, such as the Messier catalogue, the RASC "Finest NGC's", & selected multiple stars.
Each object has a detailed finder chart & a black & white image, which at first glance is rather underwhelming, but is cleverly designed to be an accurate representation of what is visiblein a small telescope. There is space on each page to make notes & small drawings, & a clear & concise description of how to find it & what to look for when you do.

I am rarely impressed enough to write book reviews, butin this case I have made an exception, because this is an exceptional book. It is the one I will unreservedly recommend to anyone with more than a passing interestin astronomy, who has just bought a telescope & is wondering what to do next. The Thompson's have achieved what many more eminent writers have tried but failed to do - to write a practical, informative, realistic & user-friendly guide to the night sky. Armed with a telescope, this book, & a set of star charts, you will be equipped for many productive & enjoyable years of observing, & when you have logged everythingin the book, will have a valuable record of your progression from beginner to "Grand Master" of astronomy.