The Backyard Astronomer's Guide Hardcover – September 12, 2008

Being new to astronomy, I bought this book as a guide. I give it 5 stars, because it's packed with useful information for any "newbie" backyard astronomer. My only caveat is that this book is meant as a guide for those who HAVE NOT purchased a telescope yet. I had already purchased mine, so the chapter explaining the various types of telescopes, and the pros and cons of each type, were (more or less) irrelevant to me at that point.Having said that, there are chapters devoted to selecting eyepieces, accessories, "must haves," and "totally useless" items... things that might seem like they'd be great... but aren't. The eyepiece section alone was worth the price of the book, because the eyepiece is truly the "heart" of any telescope, and making the right choice in an eyepiece is critical. This book offers advice for budget-minded astronomers as well as "money is no object" astronomers. For those who are new to telescopes, finding the right eyepieces can be a puzzling and somewhat overwhelming task, considering all the choices there are. I made some selections based on the information in this book, and so far, I have not been disappointed!I'm also planning to work my way up to astrophotography, so there is a lot of useful information in that chapter that will help me when the time comes.Overall, this book is packed with useful information for beginners, and even for those with a little more experience. If you haven't bought a telescope yet, this book is a great (and reasonably cheap) place to start your research. Be warned, though... it's big and heavy, and is about the size of a college textbook (a big one!), so it's not a book you can curl up with and hold comfortably for hours on end. Aside from that, it's a perfect and highly recommended book for those who are thinking about buying a telescope, or who already have, and need some guidance on finding accessories or exploring the skies.If you already have a telescope and don't need help with accessories, I'd also recommend "Nightwatch: a Practical Guide to Viewing the Universe" by Terrance Dickinson. Another great book for beginners, and includes star maps and charts!

I am not new to backyard astronomy but I have been away from it for many years and everything has changed since so I consider myself a beginner. I purchased several books to help me decide what type of telescope to purchase, of course no book should tell you to buy a specific scope but should arm you with enough information to be able to go ask the right questions when you go to buy a telescope. This book does that better than any other I have seen or read. It is written in a very conversational way that does not intimidate you with too much jargon that only seasoned astronomers understand. It is very complete in that it covers everything from first time purchases to proper use and most important - how to navigate the sky enough to get a good start with minimal frustration.They do tell you what to avoid and what are traditionally good bargins. The recommendations are very logical and straight forward. If you think you know what type of telescope to buy read this first, you may come away with options you had not considered. I am interested in astrophotography having done a fair amount of professional photography in motorsports I have a solid understanding but this is quite a bit different in many ways and the choice of scope makes a difference as well.This book really has been very helpful and will continue to be a good resource for some time. I suggest that you buy this book as this version was printed in 2010 so the info is still very relevant - most other books are a bit older and the technology is much better than just a few years ago - this book is current - a big plus if you are looking to buy a new scope.Well worth the price and highly recommended.

I ordered The Backyard Astronomer's Guide solely on the advice which I'd seen given to beginners to the astronomy hobby by countless members in Cloudy Nights forums. When the package arrived (I got a notice from the post office because it was too big and couldn't fit in my mailbox) I was not expecting to receive it so soon, so did not know what I was collecting.I was totally surprised, first by the encyclopedic size of the book and after flipping through the 368 glossy pages, by the amount of content which is so relevant to all of those areas of astronomy and astro-photography that as a beginner, I'm eager to learn about.Robert Burnham's foreword got me all psyched up about the new knowledge promised in the pages to follow and his comment that "This is by far the best book I know of for helping anyone become a knowledgeable stargazer." could not have described the book any better.The book is very well laid out, excellent table of contents and comprehensive index make planning of reading sessions and finding specific information a breeze. Stunning photographs support very well written tips and techniques about almost every aspect of the hobby. Great value for money and a book that no new amateur astronomer should be without. This is not a book for the shelf, but for the sofa table where I can grab it whenever there's a spare moment!

This is a great book (one of a series by the same author). It contains a lot of wisdom for not too much money. There is no getting away from the fact that serious astronomy is an expensive hobby but the knowledge and understanding gained will either prevent unnecessary purchases and/or replacements especially when you are new to the hobby.

A well written, easy and informational resource for anyone interested in viewing the skies from wherever you are either in your backyard or a dark sky preserve.Packed with great information on equipment and accessories as well as detailed information about everything in our solar system.Congrats to the two authors who put this book together for all who wish to learn about our universe and enjoy the night sky.Just buy it!

Then this is what you need.I have been considering buying a telescope. Before I wanted to get an idea of what I was getting into. This helped me a great deal. The books covers all the questions on "how do I do...", all the practicals on getting you started, what you can / may / should do to obtain what result and, very importantly, how much will it cost you.It will also teach you how to operate telescopes, tips and tricks and you will have a very good idea of the relation cost/effort/pleasure.I actually decided against buying a telescope, as I live in an apartment and all the setting to get something nice are just too much of a hassle, but I will in the future.highly recommendable even if you already own a telescope and would like to get more out of it

It was very well written, researched, to the point and good advice to buy a first telescope. Through and vet informative.

I exaggerate for effect, of course but this publication is the DBs. It's written by Americans and the products mentioned and recommended are primarily aimed at the American market but most are available in the UK and those that aren't have equivalents (I think SkyWatcher products go by the name of 'Synta' in the 'States, for example).If you're thinking of taking up astronomy, your first purchase should be this book. You should then read the chapters on telescopes and eyepieces before spending a penny more - I kid you not; it'll save you from making expensive mistakes and buying something which is too cumbersome or complicated to see regular use. If you've already bought your 'scope and are thinking of adding more eyepieces or other accessories, again, buy this first and you'll discover that a larger finder scope or red-dot finder will enhance you viewing pleasure more than any fancy optics.If you're concerned that it might be out of date, fret ye not as it's been updated. It is, without question, the best amateur astronomy book I've ever encountered.