Viewing the Constellations with Binoculars - (Patrick Moore Practical Astronomy) by Bojan Kambic (Paperback)

About the Book

Aimed at beginners and intermediate-level astronomers, this complete guide to practical astronomy covers everything from basic concepts to the best binoculars to practical hints and tips. It includes a complete atlas and guide to the night sky down to 30° N.

Book Synopsis

Viewing the Constellations with Binoculars is a complete guide to practical astronomy, written for beginners, intermediate-level astronomers, and even people who have not yet turned their gaze to the night sky. The required observing equipment to get the full value from this book is no more than a pair of regular 10 x 50 binoculars, but even more can be seen with a small astronomical telescope.

This comprehensive introduction to astronomy and practical observing is far more than a guide to what can be seen in the night sky through binoculars. It introduces the reader to some basic (and some not-so-basic) astronomical concepts, and discusses the stars and their evolution, the planets, nebulae, and distant galaxies. There is a guide to selecting and using binoculars for astronomy, as well, as a 'getting ready to observe' section containing invaluable practical hints and tips.

The second part of the book is an extraordinarily complete atlas and guide to the night sky down to 30° N (covering all the USA and Europe). It is illustrated with superb and sometimes beautiful amateur astronomical photographs, detailed maps (down to 5th magnitude), descriptions, and data on all astronomical objects of interest.

From the Back Cover

The night sky is filled with stellar wonders, sparkling jewels that hide within them fantastic faraway suns. The ancients saw pictures formed by the stars and thus were born the constellations, which are still used today to identify and locate stars.

After providing enough background information on astronomy to arm you for your trip, Bojan Kambic leads you through the major constellations seen in the northern skies, pointing out the most important sites and guiding you to finding them yourself using mainly just binoculars. You will soon find yourself becoming familiar with the best equipment to use, the best times to observe, and the best conditions in which to observe. You will also soon find yourself at home among the stars, seeking out new challenges and enjoying repeated visits with old friends.

The pleasure and satisfaction you will derive from some inexpensive equipment and a good viewing site will surprise you and make you want to do more. For all this, let Kambic be your guide, and you won't be disappointed!

Review Quotes

From the reviews:

"This volume is so crammed with information that the index is a very welcome addition. ... This provides you with a rich background about objects you can see ... . It ... deals with the constellations, giving charts, photos and informative text describing the binocular delights within." (Mark Parrish, Sky at Night Magazine, April, 2010)

"Book such as this, subtitled '250+ wonderful sky objects to see and explore', will attract the attention of many a skygazer. ... I expect that many potential readers will wonder, as I did, how much of this material is truly necessary in a book supposedly aimed at users of 10 × 50 binoculars. ... It is undoubtedly an impressive achievement ... . As if to underline this, the book ends with a list of basic objects for beginners ... ." (Ian Ridpath, The Observatory, Vol. 130, August, 2010)