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As I was thumbing through this book at the bookstore I thought what a perfect book it would be for my needs. By the amount of color photos in it, though, I figured it would be way out of the price range I was hoping to pay for something similar (but less fancy). I was delighted and surprised when I finally checked the price to find the carnage was not only non-existent but the book was cheaper than I was expecting to pay for something with similar information without all the beautiful pictures.
Skywatching is an exceptional value with almost three hundred pages of color photographs, color illustrations, and useful information. Every page is in color. It can be used for a variety of purposes--as a coffee table book, to find out about the universe, for help in choosing a pair of binoculars or telescope, in identifying the constellations, or for the sky charts if you are a beginning or intermediate astronomer. I bought the book after obtaining my first telescope mostly for the hundred plus pages of sky charts. I'm finding more uses for Skywatching than just this though. A history of astronomy and a tour of our own solar system make up much of the text. There is an annotated "Further Reading" section which includes descriptions of periodicals and software programs. A list of "Space Places and Organizations" with addresses is also featured before the index.
Whether you live in the city or the country, if you'd like to turn the sky into a familiar place, this is the book for you. Once you move past the 'just curious' stage, Advanced Skywatching will be the place to turn. Few things are as fascinating and at the same time beautiful as the topic these books cover. The format and presentation offered herein will be tough to beat. The anecdotes on nearly every page will make the book interesting to readers of all ages.
from the publisher:
From the beginning of time, humans have turned their eyes to the
heavens with curiosity, awe, and wonder. Skywatching is an
accessible yet authoritative guide to the sky. Under the expert
guidance of a renowned astronomer, we tour our immediate Solar
System - Sun, Moon, and planets - and venture into deep space, the
realm of the stars, galaxies , and nebulas. Contains up-to-date tables
and diagrams, practical advice on basic tools and techniques, and
detailed constellation charts, along with a magnificent gallery of color
images by David Levy (co-discoverer of the comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 that collided with Jupiter).
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