NightWatch: A Practical Guide to Viewing the Universe

This was the second book I added to my budding astronomy library. The book provides a rudimentary description of the universe's structure in eleven steps. It then continues with presenting why the celestial objects move through the night sky the way they do. The book provides tips on measuring sky distances and for star hopping. A feature I find beneficial is the sky chart section. For each season, there is a photograph of the night sky. Across from the photo is a complementary sky chart showing all stars down to third magnitude and many fourth magnitude stars. The night sky photograph gave me context for my star search. The ring binding makes using this book in the field a breeze. There's a short, informative chapter on stargazing equipment. Followed by an introduction to deep sky objects, when they appear in the night sky, and a set of sky charts for locating the objects. These charts are designed for use in the field with your telescope and red light. Locating deep-space object charts relies on your constellation knowledge. Planetary and lunar observations, as well as conjunctions, are discussed. As are solar and lunar eclipses. Comets, observing meteors, and auroras are discussed. The book concludes with chapters on photographing the night sky, southern hemisphere sights, and charts for the Southern Hemisphere.

From the very first page, the authors' passion for stargazing is infectious. Their writing is as clear and captivating as a moonlit night, demystifying astronomical concepts with wit, enthusiasm, and relatable explanations. Whether you're a wide-eyed novice or a seasoned stargazer, "NightWatch" has something for you. But this book isn't just about words; it's a visual feast as well. Stunning photographs of distant galaxies, nebulae, and planets fill its pages, each one a portal to the wonders of the cosmos. Explanatory diagrams simplify complex astronomical phenomena, while detailed star maps, more valuable than the book itself, guide you through the constellations with ease. As an advanced amateur astrophotographer, I was initially skeptical. Could a beginner-friendly book truly offer me anything new? To my surprise, I found myself captivated by the authors' fresh perspective and innovative explanations. They managed to condense vast amounts of astronomical knowledge into digestible bites, making even the most intricate concepts readily understandable. I feel this book is more than just a book; it's an invitation to an adventure. It's a treasure map leading you on a journey through the cosmos, from the moonlit meadows of our own backyard to the swirling storms of distant giants. With every page, you'll learn something new, your curiosity piqued, and your sense of wonder awakened. Whether you're a budding astronomer eager to take your first steps under the night sky or a seasoned space enthusiast seeking to reignite your passion, this book is one to keep with you. It's a book I wish I had when I was starting. So, grab your star chart, head outside, and let this book be your guide to observe and take your first astro shot.

Amazing book I wish I got it sooner, the new updates are great. Not a fan of the spiral binder to read, gotta be careful not to rip pages but its great when using it while observing. Good charts with more info than your standard charts which is great for learning/remembering if you aren't able to observe all the time

This is absolutely the best introduction for someone who is interested in doing astronomy both naked eye as well as with binoculars and telescope. I read it twice last year. Today I picked it up to review something and realized that it contained some charts that will benefit me even today after moving on to more advanced books. If you're going to get only one book, this is it!

Love this book. Very educational and well worth the money if you are getting into telescopes and astronomy.

Terence Dickenson's Nightwatch has been a standard book in amateur astronomy for decades. Unfortunately, Mr. Dickenson recently passed away. The fifth edition of his much-loved standard work will be the last one. I used an earlier version of this book in my very first observing days and literally wore the book out. That said, I have always felt that this work is two separate books. The first is a very thorough introduction to amateur astro-photography. It's quite technical. With each edition, the section on astro-imaging got larger and more detailed, taking up the major portion of this work. The second is a useful sky atlas suitable for beginners. I learned the night sky with those charts and earned several of my observing certificates using them. They are clear, uncluttered, and they contain the best objects you want to see. They teach you to use stars as guideposts to other items. They are wonderful. I recommend to beginners to buy the book just for the charts. In thinking about why a thorough treatise on amateur astro-photography would include such basic sky charts, I've come to the conclusion that imagers don't need much more than that. Their equipment finds the items they seek for them. Imagers don't need detailed sky charts; neither do beginning observers, so there's a match there. But once the beginning observer outgrows this set of charts, it's time to move on to larger, more detailed sky atlases. I knew when I was using the charts in Nightwatch that someday I would need better ones, but I truly admired and respected the ones on the table in front of me while I was just learning. Since I wasn't an imager, the rest of the book was not useful to me. So here's what I recommend: if you want to be an imager and you want to learn from one of the Giants in the field, get Nightwatch for its technical background. The final edition here is expensive, but the book will be harder to get in the future because there will be no more editions. The technology of imaging will continue to advance, so the information here will become dated, but the book will become a vintage classic and the imager might value that. If you want to use the charts as a beginning observer, I recommend getting one of the older editions. The charts haven't changed much and you will save yourself some money. Flip past all the astro-imaging stuff and go straight to the charts, keep them on your observing table for all the nights you will be out learning the sky, and pass the book on when you've outgrown it. And who knows? You may develop an interest in astro-photography and find that you need the rest of the book too.

This book is a great tool as an introduction to astronomy and getting started in purchasing and operating a telescope. It is an indispensable tool to guide you on your way to being successful in this hobby. I recommend it to anyone wishing to spend quality time observing the heavens.

Great book and great price!🤗