NightWatch: A Practical Guide to Viewing the Universe

I am pleased with this book as it gives me the locations of the planets for years into the future.The photos are well done and the information is well explained.

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.

A very well put together guide to the stars ...

Everyone interested in Astronomy needs to learn more about the visual universe. This is an easy to read book with excellent illustrations.

As a former planetarium show producer and astronomy educator I was looking for a general reference for.a class I am teaching at our Community College “ Astronomy for Fun” I wanted, general reference, up to date info, and decent star charts. Well I got them all in spades. First surprise was the size of the book, about a foot square, and that it did indeed, lay flat. Next, good quality color plates, and plenty of them. Also great, well written content nicely laid out in a logical progressive manner. This is not just a “picture book”.And lastly the star charts: both seasonal overall charts, and charts of constellations with observational interest. I particularly liked that the seasonal charts were on the right facing page and on the left, a corresponding photographic rendition of the same chart, to inspect and apply the info from the chart! The authors additionally had chapters on telescope/binoculars and astrophotography with lots of photos of same. Both solar system and deep sky chapters over very informative too. And to boot, a very fair price! A winner

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.

I bought this for a friend for Christmas and he loves it!

If you have a budding interest in astronomy or know someone who is a budding astronomer, this is the best book to get. It'll walk you through the whole wide-ranging field of amateur astronomy.It covers nearly everything to get started - equipment selection, what (and how) to observe and when, where to go for more information, and so much more.A must-have introductory book!