Five (More) Superb Astronomy Books

October 7, 2008

Continuing from the last issue, here are five more fine books for any serious amateur astronomer.

A Deeper Look

• Binocular Astronomy (Crossen and Tiron, 1992). This wonderful resource explains basic astronomy and astrophysics, then takes you through seasonal tours that highlight sights to see with a modest pair of binoculars. You could spend many years savoring the information in this book and seeing the celestial objects it describes, and they would not be wasted years.

• Burnhams’ Celestial Handbook (Robert Burnham, 1966). An incomparable survey of the science of astronomy, along with hundreds of literary, scientific, and cultural references to celestial objects. This three-volume set describes and explains thousands of stars, star clusters, nebulae, and galaxies. There is nothing quite like this compilation, before or since. While some of the science is dated, this set is still well worth the investment.

• Night Sky Observer’s Guide (George Kepple, 1998-2008). The Celestial Handbook still stands apart, but this 3-volume set is a near rival. Not as much history and background science as Burnham, but lots of practical insight into how thousands of deep-sky objects appear in telescopes of various sizes. This guide is organized by constellation, which is the best way to organize your observing sessions for maximum efficiency. A new third volume covers the southern sky. This is an essential resource for serious deep sky observers with 8-inch or larger telescopes.

• Seeing in the Dark (Timothy Ferris, 2002). Written by a lifelong amateur astronomer who happens to be one of the best science writers alive, this book is part personal retrospective and part cosmic tour. It connects the facts of astronomy with the deeply human experience of stargazing. Not a comprehensive guide, but it’s an inspiring read. If your interest in astronomy begins to wane, read this book.

• Starlight Nights (Leslie Peltier, 1965). Not a how-to guide, but a poignant autobiography by one of history’s finest amateur astronomers. This book takes you back to a time long ago when life was simpler and the skies were much darker. As famed comet hunter David Levy once said, “Many books explain how to observe the sky; Starlight Nights explains why.”

Bonus Books

I also recommend any works by Stephen J. O’Meara, especially his thick and comprehensive volumes on the Messier, Caldwell, and other deep-sky objects. These are modern classics.

Posted in Science of Astronomy



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