In my late teens, I was at a thrift store with my mom when I came across all three volumes of Burnham's in hardcover for a total of six bucks. Still probably the best thrift store find ever.
Thank you Ed! For a point of information, Terence wrote Nightwatch in the 1980s and its success prompted him to think about a sequel, but a more advanced book to follow up on Nightwatch, which has been revised and reprinted over the decades. In September 1988, we brought Terence into Edmonton to participate in a weekly speaker series we were hosting at the Science Centre where I worked, a series on a Mars theme, to complement the then favourable opposition of Mars, similar to this year’s. Terry spoke about the Mars of myth and legend. We had William Hartmann and Hal Masursky also in the series as I recall. Terry stayed at my house and we discussed the need for a more comprehensive guidebook to serve as a Nightwatch sequel and counter the largely obsolete British guidebooks that were the main references of the day. Terry invited me to participate as a co-author, as we knew it was a big enough topic that just one of us couldn’t take it on. Thus The Backyard Astronomer’s Guide was born, and the first edition was published in 1991 as you say. I wrote most of my parts when I was working at Astronomy magazine through 1989 to 1990, typing on a brand new Mac SE30! Thanks again! I’m enjoying your channel.
Wow. I did not expect Alan Dyer himself to chime in with a corrigendum. That's some great wide-field context to the Backyard book. I'm a little star struck.
A few years ago my Dad invited me to do the Messier Marathon with him at the observatory he was a member of. We were doing it with one of his friends with a pair of Celestron Schmidt-Cassegrains (a 5-inch and a 6-inch if I recall). We managed 92 objects in the night as we had an obstructed horizon but it was absolutely wonderful. As a beginner, I would highly recommend going along to something like this with an experience astronomer and taking part because you learn a huge amount just by being there. Huge fun.
I have a set of Burnham's handbooks from an astronomy book club I joined in the 1980s. I have never read them. You have inspired me to read them for the first time. Thanks.
I received a copy of “The Stars” by H.A Wrey as a gift when I was 11. I followed the book learning the constellations from the North Pole outwards and after a couple of years the night sky was no longer a jumble of random lights, it was a picture book. I’m in my sixties now but that knowledge has endured, his method of drawing the constellations so they make sense is quite brilliant. Now this is maybe just stargazing but it set a seed off interest in more serious astronomy that I have kept for the whole of my life.
Thank you for such a great video, Ed. After watching your book recommendations, I went to my local used bookstore and lucked out: the three volume Burnham’s Celestial Handbook for $25! No question, I bought the volumes and raced home to start my adventure. After realizing I’d read three chapters and completely lost track of time, I have to agree that the writing is engrossing and it’s a fantastic intro to the hobby. Thanks again and keep up the great videos!
What a great list - but I think the omission of Peter Birren's "Objects in the Heavens" is a glaring one. It is spiral-bound perfection in an observing handbook for small to medium sized telescopes and binoculars (and even naked eye)! It's not a dedicated beginners' book, but it is suitable for those who are transitioning from beginner to intermediate, or for those who need a more detailed star chart to go with a beginners' book. It's formatted differently than a star atlas, in that it has seasonal star charts, followed by a page or two for each constellation, sorted alphabetically; each of which contain a chart of the constellation on one side, and a list of all the objects on the other. That list doesn't just tell you what the objects are; it gives a description, color, size, location, and magnitude. It makes it very easy to choose objects that you can find given the conditions and equipment that you have, and encourages you to focus on everything that a constellation has to offer before moving on. It includes beginner-friendly features, like images of what you should expect to see through the eyepiece (a favorite of yours), each constellation is illustrated reasonably large, and there's even space for notes on each page. I have that smaller Pocket Sky Atlas that you describe. It's spiral bound, convenient, and about the same size as OitH. But the atlas maps are smaller, nowhere near as easy to read, and don't perform as well as OitH at night with a red headlamp. OitH is all black and white, with excellent contrast for red light reading. I really haven't used my Pocket Sky Atlas since getting OitH, except on particularly hard to find objects. There's a digital version of OitH you can get as well, which is handy if you forget it when going out to observe. And, to top it all off, when you order the book directly from the author, he signs it for you with a personalized message!
I still remember when I got my copy of Burnham's. It was 1995, there was a book fair on the UAM-A campus here at the northwest of Mexico City. I saw them in the back row of a book stand of a technical books store. Asked for them and happened to have the money on hand to buy them. I like their seemingly endless ammount of data, but since it is all listed to Epoch 1950.0 coordinates, I had to look to alternate sources for updates. By now, given the need to keep occupied while the pandemic gets solved, I'm working on an observation calendar I'm basing on as much databases I could get and sorted with the help of Burnham's. Thank for your videos.
Hi Ed! I found your channel this week and you have definitely rekindled my interest in taking up backyard/binocular astronomy. I had a very successful trip to Half Price Books this morning, I was able to pick up all three Burnham's volumes in hardback, plus "Star Watch" by Philip Harrington, all in "like new" condition for less than $40! Even better, I had a gift card! I'm still planning to pick up a planisphere, plus a couple of the other books from this list, and I've looked up the Columbus Astronomical Society and will attend their events when they kickoff in the Spring. Oh, and I already have a pair of Oberwerk binoculars and tripod picked out. Thanks for all the great beginner advice, Ed!
My favorite book as a beginner was “All About Telescopes” by Sam Brown....a classic if you can find one. I still have mine from the late 60’s. Maybe not as relevant now, but there is so much beginners can learn from this book. Clear skies!
Very good recommendations! I started with Turn left at Orion and The Stars, both are amazing books. The Stars doesn't get recommended enough, but the fundamentals in this book are priceless!
I really wanted to get Turn Left at Orion, but in a ebook version. People in the comments say it's unreadable, and I sadly can't get a printed copy instead 😪
One of your best videos. And the bar is very high. I second the motion on recommending the Jumbo Pocket Star Atlas. I can easily imagine wearing mine out.
Ed, your UA-cam channel is not only entertaining and full of information, it's an inspiration for those of us interested in science and the wonder of the stars. I enjoy your humble style and am surprised that I have been watching many of your videos over and over again. You've led a fascinating life and have many interesting hobbies. I hope you will dive into other aspects of your life and interests in future videos. Thank you for your work.
I have most of these books, including all three of Backyard..., Turn Left at Orion and The Stars. H.A. Rey's The Stars is the book with which I learned the constellations, in the 90s. The drawings make them close to what they represent.
I learned the constellations in the mid 60’s with Rey’s ‘The Stars’ too! There must be at least a couple hundred thousand of us out there, over the last 60 years that did the same thing. His constellation patterns are the way I still see them,and I draw them into my atlases to make locating objects easier.
Hi Ed, I have just been given my first telescope for my 65th birthday! I have always wanted one, so better late than never. I am wanting to know if these books you are recommending are equally good for the Southern hemisphere as I live in Australia. I like the sound of the "Backyard Astronomer's guide" or the "Turn Left at Orion" but want to check they will work for me down here.
If you like splitting double stars and are in need of a new star atlas I would highly recommend the Cambridge Double Star Atlas by Bruce MacEvoy and of course Wil Tirion. It covers over 2500 double stars from the Washington Double Star database kept and updated by the US Naval Observatory in Washington DC, but it was made with amateur astronomers and smaller telescopes in mind and 80% of the double stars can be viewed by 150mm or 6" telescopes or smaller and all of them can be seen with 200mm or 8" telescopes. It has an excellent atlas down to 8 magnitude stars and the double stars are 7.75 magnitude or larger with the secondary stars going as small as 13 magnitude.
Thanks for another great video, Ed. In another, you mentioned the book "The Stars: A New Way to See Them", and I purchased a copy. I'm 65 years old, and enjoyed it immensely. I still refer to it. Based on this video, I just ordered the Dickinson books. If "The Backyard Astronomer's Guide" would be the book you'd choose as your only book, that's good enough for me. I also bought the fourth edition (2006) of "Nightwatch" since you suggest it's a good companion to Backyard.
Ed, Harvard Pennington's book is one of my favorites and a great guide to attempting a MM. Harvard never saw the book published, passing away suddenly, but his friends, took his manuscript and materials to the publisher who finished the book in his honor.
Loving these Ed. At the advice of a friend I just bought an 8 inch Orion Dobsonian Telescope . Your videos are perfect to answer many of my questions . Looking forward to watching the rest.
Heya Ed! I just wanted to say that your content is truly brilliant. I adore your enthusiasm and it is seriously inspiring. Keep up the fantastic work and I hope those subscribers keep on coming, you deserve them!! 🚀🛸
Sue French has a wonderful book that is a collection of her “Sky and Telescope” articles. It lists astronomical targets by the seasons and I use it more than any other book I own.
My first guides as a teenager in the 70's was the Edmunds Scientific Planisphere that came with my Edmunds 3" reflector and the Peterson Field Guide to Stars and Planets. As a 60 something-er it is Sky & Telescope's Sky Atlas in both sizes and Celestial Sampler/Deep-Sky Wonders. The last two are by Sue French and are a collection of the observing columns she wrote for Sky & Telescope Magazine. Great books geared around observing with a small scope i.e. 6" and under refractors. Just a great writer whose column is sorely missing from the new version of S&T mag.
Thank you very much for the recommendation of Sky and Telescope's Pocket Sky Atlas Jumbo Edition. I acted on this and bought a copy. It is really wonderful--all the atlas I'll ever need. Thanks again.
FYI, there is a new updated version of the Backyard Astronomer’s Guide coming out in September, 2021. Can be pre-ordered on Amazon. Really looking forward to getting it.
H.A. Rey's book helped me learn the constellations and brighter stars. Invaluable book still. Love your channel Ed as I did your telescope review webpage. I look forward to each installment.
-I was so lucky to stumble across the Backyard Astronomer's Guide when I was looking to buy my telescope. It saved my butt, and I only wish I had taken its advice on portability more.
I bought Burnahm's three books based on this video and they came in today. You were not kidding...they do not disappoint. Thank you for putting this video together.
The very first book on astronomy I checked out from the library was the 3rd edition of The Backyard Astronomers Guide. I read that thing cover to cover in just a few days. Months later I realized there was a 5th edition, and had my library special order it for me. I completely credit those books with my love for astronomy.
Here are two suggestions for people who speak German: "Atlas für Himelsbeobachter" by Erich Karkoschka and "moonscout" by Lambert Spix. While the latter can be regarded as "The moon for dummies" which makes it a good start for beginners who don't want to be overwhelmed by too many features, the former is a compact guide with overview charts covering the entire sky and detail charts for finding objects with an optical finder scope and thus showing stars up to the 9th magnitude. It also gives information about the featured objects and some of the stars on the specific chart. One might order it together with "Kosmos Himmelsjahr YYYY" (insert a year) by Hans-Ulrich Keller, an astronomical yearbook which supplements it well.
I owned and eagerly read or perused a number of the atlases and books that you feature. A couple of other books, that I liked were Peterson's Field Guide to the Stars, and Charles Wood's Atlas of the Moon.
Ed: did you know that Charles Messier is buried behind the tomb of Frederic Chopin? It's a little sad because Chopin's grave gets all the attention of his many admirers, while poor Messier's inscription is barely legible. Messier is so famous to amateur astronomers and yet so unknown elsewhere. The cemetery I believe is Pere Lachaise, in Paris. On great beginner's books: I recommend Stars and Planets by Ian Ridpath and (of course) Wil Tirion. It's beautifully written and illustrated, accurate, and it's surprisingly easy to use. Its constellation sections get to the point by picking the highlights of each part of the sky, accompanied by interesting descriptions. I highly recommend this book.
Actually being buried near Chopin is very much a benefit to me. If I ever get to Paris, it will be easier to track down the resting place of my favorite composer, and astronomical hero.
Hi Ed, That was a great compilation of books and I have a few of them. Is Norton’s Star atlas still available?I really enjoyed using mine. It’s all taped up on the cover and has seen many a night with me. Great book. I just recommended to my daughter “ Welcome to the Moon!” It is a great small book on observing the moon’s surface. My daughter has ordered it and is waiting to use it with her new Orion short tube 80. One favorite of mine is “Starlight Nights” as you reported. I just love that book! I made the mistake of letting it go and had to buy another copy. “the Strawberry Spyglass” is a wonderful chapter and is something I read over and over. I will never let it go again.One great little book I have had for many years is the Field Guide to Stars and Planets, I remember sitting up on a rooftop in Queens NY, binoculars and flashlight in hand, learning the Constellations. My favorites were Orion and the Summer Triangle. Of course the harbingers of winter were the Pleiades. Great stuff!. Have a great day!
Hi Ed... I would like to add an interesting aside to your review of H. A. Rey’s “The Stars”... in that Rey and his wife were primarily authors of children’s books. He used that knowledge when he put together The Stars, and simplified the presentation of how the stars were presented. Essentially, he created the methodology by which all sky atlases today present the sky.
Thx for the very helpful and exhaustive review. In yesteryear, Norton Star Atlas was a classic must-have side by side with Burnham and Webb. Guess nowadays its popularity and usefulness waned.
I was expecting to see the insides. I never go to a bookstore, see a title and buy a book. I always browse through it to see if I like it. Even a dictionary ! I must admit, I was impressed by the story about the couple who left Europe on bicycles and ended up in the United States .Amazing !!! I did enjoy your review of that 3 vol. set. I love that the writer goes into all kinds of subjects from native Americans, Confucius, etc. Also the gentleman who wrote about farm life . Fascinating .
Great video! The first book I bought was 50 Things to see with a small telescope by John A. Read I liked that book for a beginner. He has other books in the series.
Yes, the peak experience of receiving Burnham in the mail! I think I kept Dover in business single-handed buying chess and math and physics books. When I took the volumes out of their box, I held them before me almost like a holy relic. It immediately occurred to me I should have bought two sets, one I could admire, and one I could torture at night :) I do have two sets now! Even a hardbound edition! I will have those until I am no more.
Ed, you mentioned David Levy in your video but not his books. Back in the 1990s I purchased Levy's book Skywatching, which provides a very thorough overview of deep sky objects for every constellation in both hemispheres. Although my copy is a little outdated in terms of telescope and computer-based astronomy, I still use Levy as a quick reference guide when I'm out observing.
I would have added Antonin Rukl's "Atlas of the Moon" (Hamlyn). Other than that arguable omission, this was a reasonable and comprehensive list. Thanks!
I'm so glad I stumbled into your feed a couple months ago, Ed. Such great content! If I may ask: do you know whether S&T plans a reprint of their jumbo-pocket atlas? I'm loathe to pay $70 for a used copy.
The late Harv Pennington was a personnel friend of mine. He generously copied the charts that became, what was then the unpublished, “The Year Round Messier Marathon” for a Messier Marathon I organized in 1989 for the Riverside Astronomical Society in California. It was published posthumously by Willmann Bell after his death in 1993. Unfortunately it may now be out of print with the closing of Willmann Bell.
Listing them as I want to look them up later. BOOKS - The Cambridge Star Atlas - Wil Tirion - Sky & Telescope Pocket Sky Atlas Jumbo Edition - The Backyard Astronomer's Guide - Dickinson and Dyer (most recommended) - Nightwatch - Dickinson (pseudo-companion to the Backyard Astronomer's Guide) - Binocular Astronomy - Crossen and Tirion - Bright Star Atlas - Wil Tirion and Brian Skiff - Star Ware - Phil Harrington (equipment focused) - Turn Left at Orion - Guy Consalmagno and Dan M. Davis (good for beginners) - The Stars - H. A. Rey (children's book) - The Year-Round Messier Marathon Field Guide - Harvard Pennington - Burnham's Celestial Handbook - Robert Burnham, Jr (discussions on myth and philosophy) - Cosmos - Carl Sagan - Starlight Nights - Leslie Peltier
This is a good list. I would probably replace the Burnhans set with Celestial Wonders by Sue French. At least for someone just starting out. The good thing about older books is that they are pretty dirt cheap if one looks on the used market. The Universe From Your Backyard by David Eicher is a good one from the 1990s that is dirt cheap. I would probably recommend a cheap app like sky safari for a phone versus the planisphere. There are so many great guidebooks and popular science level astronomy books out there.
Last evening i saw a star... That attracted me so much... At my first glance i saw that was timing red . I thought maybe there was a mistake.. I looked again with my glasses and that was actually timing red... I don't know the reason, will you please suggest me a book about that red timing star... I'm too much eager to know about this.. Please help me out..
Im in 8th grade it’s my first term and I have to choose my topics and major next term and im trying to choose between lawyers, detective and astronomer I’ve been stuck on these three for the past two years .
Hello, Ed. I don't know if you will see this, but I've volunteered at a local library to review their list of books on astronomy and recommend any that they should have in their collection. Besides the excellent list in this video, are there any other books that you might recommend for a library to have on hand? Thanks in advance.
What astrophysics books in Spanish do you recommend? As far as possible, they are deep and give me a great glimpse of what astrophysics is. Although I have not even finished my secondary studies, I was lucky enough to read aliens by Avi loeb and I would like to know, learn and discover more about the subject.
You should have created a reading list of the books? I think you can do one on Amazon and profit from it as an affiliate? I enjoy your shows and wish you would ... if not for your benefit I believe you can set it up to be donated?
Hi Ed, The Backyard astronomers guide’s 4th edition has just came out this month. Have you had a chance to look at it? Just ordered it… hope the steady improvements will continue with this edition as well! :)
@@edting it is my understanding that with the app you can go to zooms that you can never reach with a planisphere. Also- you can dim the screen to your custom comfortable brightness, and also make it red enough that it doesn’t hinder your nightvision. And also- these apps offer connection to your WiFi telescope, allowing to use the app to find stars. - I see many theoretical advantages of the app, but I would love to have a planisphere as well and give it a try- I have issues with finding a southern sky planisphere thou. I’ll ask about it when I manage to visit the local astronomy club.
In my late teens, I was at a thrift store with my mom when I came across all three volumes of Burnham's in hardcover for a total of six bucks. Still probably the best thrift store find ever.
That's impressive
And I am 14 year old
Thank you Ed!
For a point of information, Terence wrote Nightwatch in the 1980s and its success prompted him to think about a sequel, but a more advanced book to follow up on Nightwatch, which has been revised and reprinted over the decades.
In September 1988, we brought Terence into Edmonton to participate in a weekly speaker series we were hosting at the Science Centre where I worked, a series on a Mars theme, to complement the then favourable opposition of Mars, similar to this year’s. Terry spoke about the Mars of myth and legend. We had William Hartmann and Hal Masursky also in the series as I recall.
Terry stayed at my house and we discussed the need for a more comprehensive guidebook to serve as a Nightwatch sequel and counter the largely obsolete British guidebooks that were the main references of the day. Terry invited me to participate as a co-author, as we knew it was a big enough topic that just one of us couldn’t take it on.
Thus The Backyard Astronomer’s Guide was born, and the first edition was published in 1991 as you say. I wrote most of my parts when I was working at Astronomy magazine through 1989 to 1990, typing on a brand new Mac SE30!
Thanks again! I’m enjoying your channel.
Sir, are you working on another edition of the book? :)
Wow. I did not expect Alan Dyer himself to chime in with a corrigendum. That's some great wide-field context to the Backyard book. I'm a little star struck.
Love both these books! Thank you.
A few years ago my Dad invited me to do the Messier Marathon with him at the observatory he was a member of. We were doing it with one of his friends with a pair of Celestron Schmidt-Cassegrains (a 5-inch and a 6-inch if I recall). We managed 92 objects in the night as we had an obstructed horizon but it was absolutely wonderful. As a beginner, I would highly recommend going along to something like this with an experience astronomer and taking part because you learn a huge amount just by being there.
Huge fun.
I have a set of Burnham's handbooks from an astronomy book club I joined in the 1980s. I have never read them. You have inspired me to read them for the first time. Thanks.
I received a copy of “The Stars” by H.A Wrey as a gift when I was 11. I followed the book learning the constellations from the North Pole outwards and after a couple of years the night sky was no longer a jumble of random lights, it was a picture book. I’m in my sixties now but that knowledge has endured, his method of drawing the constellations so they make sense is quite brilliant. Now this is maybe just stargazing but it set a seed off interest in more serious astronomy that I have kept for the whole of my life.
Ok I'm literally taking notes. I'm not even a note taker! Thanks Mr. Ting . New to astronomy/astrophotography and I'm looking to gain some knowledge.
I’m getting back into astronomy after a long hiatus. And your book recommendations are much appreciated. Thanks!
Same!
Thank you for such a great video, Ed. After watching your book recommendations, I went to my local used bookstore and lucked out: the three volume Burnham’s Celestial Handbook for $25!
No question, I bought the volumes and raced home to start my adventure.
After realizing I’d read three chapters and completely lost track of time, I have to agree that the writing is engrossing and it’s a fantastic intro to the hobby.
Thanks again and keep up the great videos!
What a great list - but I think the omission of Peter Birren's "Objects in the Heavens" is a glaring one. It is spiral-bound perfection in an observing handbook for small to medium sized telescopes and binoculars (and even naked eye)! It's not a dedicated beginners' book, but it is suitable for those who are transitioning from beginner to intermediate, or for those who need a more detailed star chart to go with a beginners' book.
It's formatted differently than a star atlas, in that it has seasonal star charts, followed by a page or two for each constellation, sorted alphabetically; each of which contain a chart of the constellation on one side, and a list of all the objects on the other. That list doesn't just tell you what the objects are; it gives a description, color, size, location, and magnitude. It makes it very easy to choose objects that you can find given the conditions and equipment that you have, and encourages you to focus on everything that a constellation has to offer before moving on. It includes beginner-friendly features, like images of what you should expect to see through the eyepiece (a favorite of yours), each constellation is illustrated reasonably large, and there's even space for notes on each page.
I have that smaller Pocket Sky Atlas that you describe. It's spiral bound, convenient, and about the same size as OitH. But the atlas maps are smaller, nowhere near as easy to read, and don't perform as well as OitH at night with a red headlamp. OitH is all black and white, with excellent contrast for red light reading. I really haven't used my Pocket Sky Atlas since getting OitH, except on particularly hard to find objects.
There's a digital version of OitH you can get as well, which is handy if you forget it when going out to observe.
And, to top it all off, when you order the book directly from the author, he signs it for you with a personalized message!
I still remember when I got my copy of Burnham's. It was 1995, there was a book fair on the UAM-A campus here at the northwest of Mexico City. I saw them in the back row of a book stand of a technical books store. Asked for them and happened to have the money on hand to buy them. I like their seemingly endless ammount of data, but since it is all listed to Epoch 1950.0 coordinates, I had to look to alternate sources for updates. By now, given the need to keep occupied while the pandemic gets solved, I'm working on an observation calendar I'm basing on as much databases I could get and sorted with the help of Burnham's. Thank for your videos.
Hi Ed! I found your channel this week and you have definitely rekindled my interest in taking up backyard/binocular astronomy. I had a very successful trip to Half Price Books this morning, I was able to pick up all three Burnham's volumes in hardback, plus "Star Watch" by Philip Harrington, all in "like new" condition for less than $40! Even better, I had a gift card! I'm still planning to pick up a planisphere, plus a couple of the other books from this list, and I've looked up the Columbus Astronomical Society and will attend their events when they kickoff in the Spring. Oh, and I already have a pair of Oberwerk binoculars and tripod picked out. Thanks for all the great beginner advice, Ed!
Good to have you back into our hobby!
My favorite book as a beginner was “All About Telescopes” by Sam Brown....a classic if you can find one. I still have mine from the late 60’s. Maybe not as relevant now, but there is so much beginners can learn from this book. Clear skies!
I wish I kept my copy. There was another one called "Telescopes You Can Build". I do have my Edmund Mag 5 Star Atlas.
Very good recommendations! I started with Turn left at Orion and The Stars, both are amazing books. The Stars doesn't get recommended enough, but the fundamentals in this book are priceless!
I really wanted to get Turn Left at Orion, but in a ebook version. People in the comments say it's unreadable, and I sadly can't get a printed copy instead 😪
I got a book not mentioned which helps me a lot. Stargazing Under Suburban Skies from Malcolm Zack and Andrew Cannon and John McRoberts
One of your best videos. And the bar is very high. I second the motion on recommending the Jumbo Pocket Star Atlas. I can easily imagine wearing mine out.
Man.. love from India 🇮🇳🌻🌻🌻
Thanks Ed. Bought a couple of these books. “The Stars” by H. A. Rey is my favorite. I am really learning the night sky from it. Thanks again.
Ed, your UA-cam channel is not only entertaining and full of information, it's an inspiration for those of us interested in science and the wonder of the stars. I enjoy your humble style and am surprised that I have been watching many of your videos over and over again. You've led a fascinating life and have many interesting hobbies. I hope you will dive into other aspects of your life and interests in future videos. Thank you for your work.
Thanks for your nice comments!
I have most of these books, including all three of Backyard..., Turn Left at Orion and The Stars. H.A. Rey's The Stars is the book with which I learned the constellations, in the 90s. The drawings make them close to what they represent.
I learned the constellations in the mid 60’s with Rey’s ‘The Stars’ too! There must be at least a couple hundred thousand of us out there, over the last 60 years that did the same thing. His constellation patterns are the way I still see them,and I draw them into my atlases to make locating objects easier.
Hi Ed, I have just been given my first telescope for my 65th birthday! I have always wanted one, so better late than never. I am wanting to know if these books you are recommending are equally good for the Southern hemisphere as I live in Australia. I like the sound of the "Backyard Astronomer's guide" or the "Turn Left at Orion" but want to check they will work for me down here.
I’ll second that...
Which telescope do you have
If you like splitting double stars and are in need of a new star atlas I would highly recommend the Cambridge Double Star Atlas by Bruce MacEvoy and of course Wil Tirion. It covers over 2500 double stars from the Washington Double Star database kept and updated by the US Naval Observatory in Washington DC, but it was made with amateur astronomers and smaller telescopes in mind and 80% of the double stars can be viewed by 150mm or 6" telescopes or smaller and all of them can be seen with 200mm or 8" telescopes. It has an excellent atlas down to 8 magnitude stars and the double stars are 7.75 magnitude or larger with the secondary stars going as small as 13 magnitude.
Thanks for another great video, Ed. In another, you mentioned the book "The Stars: A New Way to See Them", and I purchased a copy. I'm 65 years old, and enjoyed it immensely. I still refer to it. Based on this video, I just ordered the Dickinson books. If "The Backyard Astronomer's Guide" would be the book you'd choose as your only book, that's good enough for me. I also bought the fourth edition (2006) of "Nightwatch" since you suggest it's a good companion to Backyard.
The latest edition of The Backyard Astronomer's Guide is a fantastic book.
The only book I can suggest, perhaps in an honorable mention category, is 365 Starry Nights by Chet Raymo.
I agree. One of the best books for learning the night sky ever printed. Both beautiful and very useful.
I loved this video! I have every book you mentioned including a 1st edition Starlight Nights(took me years to find a first edition).
Ed, Harvard Pennington's book is one of my favorites and a great guide to attempting a MM. Harvard never saw the book published, passing away suddenly, but his friends, took his manuscript and materials to the publisher who finished the book in his honor.
impossible to get now that willmen-bell is out of business...
As an amateur astronomer, your video and the detailed list of books is really good to get a study beforehand.
Just discovered this channel, it has already helpes me so much!
Thank you from the heart!
Loving these Ed. At the advice of a friend I just bought an 8 inch Orion Dobsonian Telescope . Your videos are perfect to answer many of my questions . Looking forward to watching the rest.
Heya Ed! I just wanted to say that your content is truly brilliant. I adore your enthusiasm and it is seriously inspiring. Keep up the fantastic work and I hope those subscribers keep on coming, you deserve them!! 🚀🛸
Sue French has a wonderful book that is a collection of her “Sky and Telescope” articles. It lists astronomical targets by the seasons and I use it more than any other book I own.
I like that book very much.
My first guides as a teenager in the 70's was the Edmunds Scientific Planisphere that came with my Edmunds 3" reflector and the Peterson Field Guide to Stars and Planets. As a 60 something-er it is Sky & Telescope's Sky Atlas in both sizes and Celestial Sampler/Deep-Sky Wonders. The last two are by Sue French and are a collection of the observing columns she wrote for Sky & Telescope Magazine. Great books geared around observing with a small scope i.e. 6" and under refractors. Just a great writer whose column is sorely missing from the new version of S&T mag.
Yes Ken, Sue French is a great writer!
Thank you very much for the recommendation of Sky and Telescope's Pocket Sky Atlas Jumbo Edition. I acted on this and bought a copy. It is really wonderful--all the atlas I'll ever need. Thanks again.
Leslie Peltier’s GUIDEPOST TO THE STARS was one of my favorite amateur books. I wish I still had the book.
FYI, there is a new updated version of the Backyard Astronomer’s Guide coming out in September, 2021. Can be pre-ordered on Amazon. Really looking forward to getting it.
A personal favorite is Deep-Sky Companions: The Messier Objects (O'Meara)
+1 Turn left at Orion ..good for double stars too!
O’Meara’s Messier Objects is one of my favorites too. Probably the most information about each object in one book available.
Ed. Thank you. Which book would you recommend for star hopping?
H.A. Rey's book helped me learn the constellations and brighter stars. Invaluable book still. Love your channel Ed as I did your telescope review webpage. I look forward to each installment.
-I was so lucky to stumble across the Backyard Astronomer's Guide when I was looking to buy my telescope. It saved my butt, and I only wish I had taken its advice on portability more.
I bought Burnahm's three books based on this video and they came in today. You were not kidding...they do not disappoint. Thank you for putting this video together.
The very first book on astronomy I checked out from the library was the 3rd edition of The Backyard Astronomers Guide. I read that thing cover to cover in just a few days. Months later I realized there was a 5th edition, and had my library special order it for me. I completely credit those books with my love for astronomy.
Here are two suggestions for people who speak German: "Atlas für Himelsbeobachter" by Erich Karkoschka and "moonscout" by Lambert Spix. While the latter can be regarded as "The moon for dummies" which makes it a good start for beginners who don't want to be overwhelmed by too many features, the former is a compact guide with overview charts covering the entire sky and detail charts for finding objects with an optical finder scope and thus showing stars up to the 9th magnitude. It also gives information about the featured objects and some of the stars on the specific chart. One might order it together with "Kosmos Himmelsjahr YYYY" (insert a year) by Hans-Ulrich Keller, an astronomical yearbook which supplements it well.
I owned and eagerly read or perused a number of the atlases and books that you feature. A couple of other books, that I liked were Peterson's Field Guide to the Stars, and Charles Wood's Atlas of the Moon.
Ed: did you know that Charles Messier is buried behind the tomb of Frederic Chopin? It's a little sad because Chopin's grave gets all the attention of his many admirers, while poor Messier's inscription is barely legible. Messier is so famous to amateur astronomers and yet so unknown elsewhere. The cemetery I believe is Pere Lachaise, in Paris. On great beginner's books: I recommend Stars and Planets by Ian Ridpath and (of course) Wil Tirion. It's beautifully written and illustrated, accurate, and it's surprisingly easy to use. Its constellation sections get to the point by picking the highlights of each part of the sky, accompanied by interesting descriptions. I highly recommend this book.
Actually being buried near Chopin is very much a benefit to me. If I ever get to Paris, it will be easier to track down the resting place of my favorite composer, and astronomical hero.
@@jonathanhansen3709 You're right, there's a positive aspect to their being almost side-by-side.
I would add "First Light" by Richard Preston. Thanks for the wonderful list.
I started my interest in astronomy with a GREAT book. Thanks for the inputs
Which book?
What's the book name
Love these videos, Ed. Also love the story of you immersing in the book in the car on the way back home. -Henry
Wil Tirion has got to have the best job title ever. I once saw him described as a Celestial Cartographer. Brilliant!
Hi Ed,
That was a great compilation of books and I have a few of them. Is Norton’s Star atlas still available?I really enjoyed using mine. It’s all taped up on the cover and has seen many a night with me. Great book. I just recommended to my daughter “ Welcome to the Moon!” It is a great small book on observing the moon’s surface. My daughter has ordered it and is waiting to use it with her new Orion short tube 80.
One favorite of mine is “Starlight Nights” as you reported. I just love that book! I made the mistake of letting it go and had to buy another copy. “the Strawberry Spyglass” is a wonderful chapter and is something I read over and over. I will never let it go again.One great little book I have had for many years is the Field Guide to Stars and Planets, I remember sitting up on a rooftop in Queens NY, binoculars and flashlight in hand, learning the Constellations. My favorites were Orion and the Summer Triangle. Of course the harbingers of winter were the Pleiades. Great stuff!.
Have a great day!
Hi Ed... I would like to add an interesting aside to your review of H. A. Rey’s “The Stars”... in that Rey and his wife were primarily authors of children’s books. He used that knowledge when he put together The Stars, and simplified the presentation of how the stars were presented. Essentially, he created the methodology by which all sky atlases today present the sky.
Thx for the very helpful and exhaustive review. In yesteryear, Norton Star Atlas was a classic must-have side by side with Burnham and Webb. Guess nowadays its popularity and usefulness waned.
I was expecting to see the insides. I never go to a bookstore, see a title and buy a book. I always browse through it to see if I like it.
Even a dictionary !
I must admit, I was impressed by the story about the couple who left Europe on bicycles and ended up in the United States .Amazing !!!
I did enjoy your review of that 3 vol. set. I love that the writer goes into all kinds of subjects from native Americans, Confucius, etc. Also the gentleman who wrote about farm life . Fascinating .
This man is amazing!!
Could you maybe cover Moon atlases? When the Moon is out there is no better object to look at.
Great video! The first book I bought was 50 Things to see with a small telescope by John A. Read I liked that book for a beginner. He has other books in the series.
Thanks for the mention! I should send Ed my Moon book!
Yes, the peak experience of receiving Burnham in the mail! I think I kept Dover in business single-handed buying chess and math and physics books. When I took the volumes out of their box, I held them before me almost like a holy relic. It immediately occurred to me I should have bought two sets, one I could admire, and one I could torture at night :) I do have two sets now! Even a hardbound edition! I will have those until I am no more.
Thanks for the fun and educational video. Glad to see that quite of those are in mi shelves now!
The practical astronomer is a good one too
I like the new edition of Hartungs Astronomical Objects for Southern Telescopes.
Starting the study of celestial navigation. I think I will add astronomy to this effort as well. Thank you for the book review
Ed, you mentioned David Levy in your video but not his books. Back in the 1990s I purchased Levy's book Skywatching, which provides a very thorough overview of deep sky objects for every constellation in both hemispheres. Although my copy is a little outdated in terms of telescope and computer-based astronomy, I still use Levy as a quick reference guide when I'm out observing.
Great review of the best books to start off. I couldn't agree with you more.
Saw many of these at the bookstore and am very much enjoying "Stars and Planets" a "Smithsonian Nature Guide". VERY comprehensive little book imo!
i forgot i had one on the way:
Exploring the Night Sky with Binoculars by Moore, Sir Patrick
Love your videos, I am a beginner, but, I have learned so much from you.
I would have added Antonin Rukl's "Atlas of the Moon" (Hamlyn). Other than that arguable omission, this was a reasonable and comprehensive list. Thanks!
Donald Menzel's Field Guide to the Stars and Planets isn't bad either.
I'm so glad I stumbled into your feed a couple months ago, Ed. Such great content!
If I may ask: do you know whether S&T plans a reprint of their jumbo-pocket atlas? I'm loathe to pay $70 for a used copy.
M completely from different background still m interested in astronomy since my childhood
Thanks - all great recommendations. I think most are general but do you have any particular recommendations for Southern Hemisphere stargazers?
Good question! Anyone out there have any recommendations for our southern neighbors?
Thanks Ed. Very useful information.
The late Harv Pennington was a personnel friend of mine. He generously copied the charts that became, what was then the unpublished, “The Year Round Messier Marathon” for a Messier Marathon I organized in 1989 for the Riverside Astronomical Society in California. It was published posthumously by Willmann Bell after his death in 1993. Unfortunately it may now be out of print with the closing of Willmann Bell.
Great Video!
This is a fantastic book review!! I appreciate your sincere comments on these books. Thanks.
Fantastic. Thanks Ed
Listing them as I want to look them up later.
BOOKS
- The Cambridge Star Atlas - Wil Tirion
- Sky & Telescope Pocket Sky Atlas Jumbo Edition
- The Backyard Astronomer's Guide - Dickinson and Dyer (most recommended)
- Nightwatch - Dickinson (pseudo-companion to the Backyard Astronomer's Guide)
- Binocular Astronomy - Crossen and Tirion
- Bright Star Atlas - Wil Tirion and Brian Skiff
- Star Ware - Phil Harrington (equipment focused)
- Turn Left at Orion - Guy Consalmagno and Dan M. Davis (good for beginners)
- The Stars - H. A. Rey (children's book)
- The Year-Round Messier Marathon Field Guide - Harvard Pennington
- Burnham's Celestial Handbook - Robert Burnham, Jr (discussions on myth and philosophy)
- Cosmos - Carl Sagan
- Starlight Nights - Leslie Peltier
Thanks for listing these. I'm working on another "books" video!
This is a good list. I would probably replace the Burnhans set with Celestial Wonders by Sue French. At least for someone just starting out.
The good thing about older books is that they are pretty dirt cheap if one looks on the used market. The Universe From Your Backyard by David Eicher is a good one from the 1990s that is dirt cheap.
I would probably recommend a cheap app like sky safari for a phone versus the planisphere.
There are so many great guidebooks and popular science level astronomy books out there.
Star Ware by Harrington
@Ed Ting - You don't even make it clear which book you prefer if you could have only one. Amazing.
What is your opinion on apps on your phone?
Thank you for this video. two thumbs up 👍⭐️
Thanks. I should probably update that video. It's been a couple of years.
Nice, I needed this :)
Thank you.
If you have a larger scope check out Deep Sky Wonders by Sue French.
I like that book very much!
National Audubon night sky is a good one also✌🇺🇸
Thank you so much, Ed.
Last evening i saw a star... That attracted me so much... At my first glance i saw that was timing red . I thought maybe there was a mistake.. I looked again with my glasses and that was actually timing red... I don't know the reason, will you please suggest me a book about that red timing star... I'm too much eager to know about this.. Please help me out..
Im in 8th grade it’s my first term and I have to choose my topics and major next term and im trying to choose between lawyers, detective and astronomer I’ve been stuck on these three for the past two years .
I am going to get the curious George series for my niece.. I never knew about it over here ..
Amazing video... Thanks
Hello, Ed. I don't know if you will see this, but I've volunteered at a local library to review their list of books on astronomy and recommend any that they should have in their collection. Besides the excellent list in this video, are there any other books that you might recommend for a library to have on hand? Thanks in advance.
great video......thank you very much
Wonders of the solar system and the universe?
I'm a fan of The Practical Astronomer.
What astrophysics books in Spanish do you recommend? As far as possible, they are deep and give me a great glimpse of what astrophysics is. Although I have not even finished my secondary studies, I was lucky enough to read aliens by Avi loeb and I would like to know, learn and discover more about the subject.
Hello Ed, would you recommend 8 inch dob telescope from GSO taiwan ?
Or should I stick to the Orion only ?
All the commercial grade Dobs are based on the same 2-3 Chinese sourced platforms. At this point, get whatever you can find in stock.
You should have created a reading list of the books?
I think you can do one on Amazon and profit from it as an affiliate?
I enjoy your shows and wish you would ... if not for your benefit I believe you can set it up to be donated?
Hello sir,
My daughter is Very much interested in space science. Can you suggest from which book she should start reading about space science.
Hi Ed, The Backyard astronomers guide’s 4th edition has just came out this month. Have you had a chance to look at it? Just ordered it… hope the steady improvements will continue with this edition as well! :)
What do you think of the Messier Planisphere?
My first book was a brief history of time ,a classic❤ ..... well my mom called me crazy for reading that book all the time😅😅
It is my beginner’s understanding that a planisphere has become completely obsolete when compared to Stellarium or SkySafari apps, am I correct?
Depends on the person. I find phone and computer apps awkward to use. They have to shoehorn a planisphere into a rectangular display.
@@edting it is my understanding that with the app you can go to zooms that you can never reach with a planisphere. Also- you can dim the screen to your custom comfortable brightness, and also make it red enough that it doesn’t hinder your nightvision. And also- these apps offer connection to your WiFi telescope, allowing to use the app to find stars. - I see many theoretical advantages of the app, but I would love to have a planisphere as well and give it a try- I have issues with finding a southern sky planisphere thou. I’ll ask about it when I manage to visit the local astronomy club.