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Summary
Summary
The modern classic, completely updated.
The newest edition of The Backyard Astronomer's Guide includes the latest data and answers the questions most often asked by home astronomers, from beginners to experienced stargazers. Terence Dickinson and Alan Dyer provide expert guidance on the right types of telescopes and other equipment; photographing the stars through a telescope; and star charts, software and other references. They cover daytime and twilight observing, planetary and deep-sky observing, and much more.
With over 500 color photographs and illustrations, The Backyard Astronomer's Guide is one of the most valuable, beautiful and user-friendly astronomy books ever produced.
New and updated for this edition:
A 20-page full-color Atlas of the Milky Way provides location and context for hundreds of celestial objects mentioned throughout the book. A chapter on Astrophotography with Digital Cameras specifies what equipment works best and how to use it to collect a color gallery of celestial portraits. Telescopes for Recreational Astronomy features assessments of a wide range of new telescopes, from models for beginners to those for veteran astronomy enthusiasts, with special emphasis on computerized telescopes and how they work. Accessory Catalog spotlights the best of the accessories and flags the frivolous and irrelevant. Three practical appendices : Polar Aligning Your Telescope; Optics Cleaning and Collimation; Testing Your Telescope Optics.Any serious home astronomer must have this superb guide as an ongoing reference.
Author Notes
Terence Dickinson is the author of Night Watch and 13 other astronomy books, among them The Universe and Beyond , Summer Stargazing and Exploring the Night Sky . He is also editor of SkyNews .
Alan Dyer is program producer at the Calgary Science Centre Planetarium and a contributing editor to Sky and Telescope magazine. An authority on commercial telescopes, his reviews of astronomical equipment appear regularly in major astronomy magazines.
Reviews (3)
Booklist Review
Something of a sequel to Dickinson's Nightwatch [BKL N 1 89], greatly expanded to cover equipment, sky-watching techniques, and fellow amateurs. The authors survey astronomy from the hobbyist's viewpoint, acknowledging some of the most active amateurs and their accomplishments and encouraging readers to contribute to knowledge of the heavens. The book's three parts, respectively on optical equipment, observing techniques, and astrophotography, are full of specifics on their subjects. Equipment reviews are detailed; techniques covered include naked-eye, binocular, and telescope observation; and photography is suggested for a range of camera equipment and film capabilities. Telescopes are reviewed by brand name and the years they were introduced and popular, making this an excellent reference for those interested in acquiring used instruments. The authors also note yearly events, organized observing, and regional interest groups and suggest sources of information and ways to become involved with the amateur astronomy movement. In short, there's something for virtually all stargazers in this fine review and summary of a fascinating hobby. ~--George Hampton
Choice Review
Of the many handbooks published to date for amateur astronomers, Dickinson and Dyer's is one of the newest and most complete. The world of amateur astronomers is busy and complex. Some prefer to gaze at the sky and become familiar with the stars and planets and their motions. Others use binoculars, and still others work with telescopes, taking photographs or, for more advanced work, images enhanced with a digital CCD (charge coupled device) camera, conducting publishable research-level observational programs, or simply enjoying views of the many varieties of celestial objects. This book caters to all of these groups and may open up vistas not yet imagined in advance. Profusely illustrated with the kinds of striking color photographs that are standard today, it is the kind of book for someone with a strong interest in astronomy who is not yet fulfilled for lack of knowledge. Recommended for all libraries and for experienced or inexperienced amateur astronomers. Its size, however, brings it closer to a coffee-table book than a guide for the field. ^BSumming Up: Recommended. General readers; lower- and upper-division undergraduates; two-year technical program students. A. R. Upgren emeritus, Wesleyan University
Library Journal Review
Despite the book's title, there is very little about astronomy here, i.e., lists of constellations, star charts, night sky maps, or details about planets, stars, and galaxies. However, there is a wealth of information about the equipment used in astronomy, including prices, consumer-type information, advice on when to use and when not to use binoculars, telescopes, cameras, film, lenses, filters, and other items for the amateur astronomer. Four chapters, though, concern the observation of the solar system and deep space objects. There are also several chapters discussing the photographing of all types of astronomical phenomena. Though cost may deter small-to-medium-sized libraries, there is much information here for the experienced amateur, and some useful information for the beginner as well. (Illustrations and index not seen.)-- Robert Ellis Potter, Dunedin P.L., Fla. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Excerpts
Excerpts
Introduction Since the publication of the first edition of The Backyard Astronomer's Guide in 1991, amateur astronomy has evolved in several important areas. This prompted a major rewrite and redesign for the Second Edition in 2002. Even more rapid developments since then bring us to this Third Edition and another major overhaul, which now expands the book substantially beyond its original 295 pages. As always, new developments in equipment are behind most of the revisions led by affordable computerized telescopes and the entry of China as a major player in telescope manufacture. More unexpected was the speed of the digital-camera revolution, which opened a new wonderland of astrophotographic opportunities undreamed of in the days of film. That, combined with a wider array of telescopes and accessories at better prices than ever before, meant that every chapter required revisions, ranging up to a complete rewrite of the astrophotography section, Chapter 13. In response to readers' requests for how-to reference guides to fundamental telescope setup, use and maintenance procedures, we've added two new chapters (14 and 15). More than 200 new photos and illustrations accompany these changes, both major and minor, in every chapter. (Prices given are average U.S. dollar dealer prices.) To keep the text uncluttered and readable, we have avoided embedding a lot of website addresses throughout. To locate the websites for companies and products described, simply Google the names. Finally, at the back of the book, we've added a beautiful and practical Milky Way atlas, created by Glenn LeDrew. In almost all cases, we have used photographs of equipment that were taken in the field and in our own studios rather than relying on stock shots from manufacturers. (We've really used this equipment!) In many respects, this book is a sequel to coauthor Dickinson's NightWatch: A Guide to Viewing the Universe , which emphasizes reference material for the absolute beginner. In The Backyard Astronomer's Guide , we provide more in-depth commentary, guidance and resources for the enthusiast. We invite readers to visit the book's website (see below), where updates and links to other informative sites can be found. Terence Dickinson NightWatch Observatory Alan Dyer Telus World of Science-Calgary Website: www.backyardastronomy.com Excerpted from The Backyard Astronomer's Guide by Terence Dickinson, Alan Dyer All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.
