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Summary: A long overdue tribute to those who do the "dirty work."
Review: As an amateur astronomer myself, I was very pleased to find this wonderful tribute to those whose diligent, patient efforts have expanded our knowledge of the night skies. Ferris, an amateur astronomer himself, provides a well-written and engaging account (with appropriate doses of historical context, anecdotes and humor) of the quirky, sometimes obsessive, but always dedicated individuals who do the "dirty work" that professionals often lack the time--and access to overbooked telescopes and equipment--to perform: monitoring Martian storms, tracking comets, observing the occasional nova, and much, much more. Their constant vigilence may be our first line of defense against a rogue comet or asteroid, and thanks to improved equipment, their range is greater than ever. (Unfortunately, light pollution sometimes cancels out any gains in technology). Amateur astronomers toil mostly in obscurity and are mostly unheralded outside the field (though the professionals largely appreciate them), which is unfortunate--but Ferris does a wonderful job of giving them their due, revealing the quality work that they perform. Very highly recommended to fans of astronomy, both amateur and professional. One last thought--William Herschel was a practicing amateur when he discovered Uranus. For more Tim Ferris, see "The Sky's Mind," "Coming of Age in the Milky Way," "The Red Limit," and the excellent "The Whole Shebang."
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Summary: Serious Amateurs, Serious Science, Delightful Reading
Review: Everybody has done it: looking up at the bright night sky produces mixed feelings of awe at the beauty, and impenetrable mysteries, and the insignificance of our local tiny problems, and other ineffable feelings besides. Serious stargazers just do it better than most. In _Seeing in the Dark: How Backyard Stargazers Are Probing Deep Space and Guarding Earth from Interplanetary Peril_ (Simon & Schuster), Timothy Ferris tells about some of the ones that do it best. A lifelong stargazer, Ferris has his own observatory in the California wine country (he writes about how it was planned and built). He is not a professional astronomer. He is a journalist, one who has produced fine books about science before, but this one is close to his heart, and his enthusiasm is easily apparent and beautifully described. As an amateur himself, Ferris is able to describe the importance of amateur astronomy, and the surprising ways in which the big telescopes on mountaintops used by the professionals, and the Hubble, have not put amateurs out of business. He shows many ways that amateurs are useful, doing explorations and finding objects that throw more light on explaining such serious theories as the Big Bang. One amateur explains, "In how many areas of science can you still make an important discovery without a ton of funding?" There's some prestige in making such discoveries, but one supernova hunter spoke for thousands when he said, "I can't really tell you why I do it." There is a good deal of basic astronomy here, and someone interested in starting in the field will get good advice on doing so. However, this is only partially an astronomy textbook. Even better is that Ferris has given interviews and small biographies of amateur astronomers to give us an idea about how their passion affects them. Take, for instance, John Dobson, who got thrown out of his Krishna monastery because he kept leaving it at night to go use his telescopes. His vow of poverty meant he had to make cheap ones, but he found ways to use scrap plywood and piping to make large telescopes that amateurs could afford. He would set up a scope on the sidewalks of San Francisco and call out, "Come see Saturn!" If a kid came by and showed real interest, Dobson might give away the telescope and build another one. Ferris's book is an inspiration. Even if you have no intention of ruining your sleep with this sort of activity, it is impossible to withhold admiration from the ones who do love it. Ferris writes with clarity and fervor about the endeavors of his fellow stargazers, and puts their efforts into a broader perspective, as part of the human condition. "We observe, and try to understand, and formulate ideas that, if we're honest with ourselves, we will admit to be 'not quite right.' But we keep trying, knowing that we'll never figure it all out but trusting that if we persevere we shall keep doing better."
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Summary: A great book for those cloudy nights!
Review: I received my copy of this book as an early Christmas present from one of my "stargazing friends". Even tho' I had glanced at this volume on bookstore shelves , I usually bypassed it for books on starhopping , star atlases , or other "hard data" type publocations. I now lament my earlier loss , and have truly enjoyed this very well written and extremely informative book.
The author , Timothy Ferris , takes us on a wonderful tour of the solar system and "near space" in the second section of the book ; he then moves on to the Milky Way and the wonders of gaseous nebulae , open star clusters ,globular clusters , and planetary nebulae within our own galaxy in section 3.
Finally , in the fourth section of the book , the author deals with the imensity of the universe (as we presently are capable of understanding it) by moving on to galaxies , and galaxy clusters.
But it isn't all about the wonders of the Heavens , for Ferris intersperses some entertaining anecdotal material as well. Starting with a personal tale of how he became a stargazer-astronomer to passages about Steven James O'Meara and his phenomonal visual observing feats while breathing oxygen at 14,000 feet on Mauna Kea. We are introduced to Barbara Wilson , a mother and former housewife who excells in actually "seeing" the faintest of astronomical objects.
This is a great book for amateur astronomers at almost any level ; the author manages to communicate his passion for the skies and the fine art of observational astronomy in a warm and entertaining manner. It is an ideal book for a frustrating evening when the clouds roll in as the sun sets , thus postponing the observing plans of the day.
I rated this book 5 stars and give it my highest recommendation. No real warts on this one!
Rating: 
Summary: So-so writing, good information
Review: I won't belabor the contents of the book, as other reviewers have already handled that chore. Ferris says a lot about astronomy in general, the solar system in particular, and includes several all-too brief visits with the amateur luminaries of today. Ferris has gained a great reputation as a science writer, mentioned with such talents as stephen j. gould, tracy kidder, alan lightman, oliver sacks - but it is hard to see how from this book. He harps on the theme with such a heavy hand, it seems he fears the reader will forget the value-of-the-amateur concept from chapter to chapter. And the writing is flat: consider this transition, one of the very few times Ferris actually tries to bring some color into his otherwise overcast phrasing - "...an elegant manor house at R.. proved to be made of rock fragments that were fused together in the impact fireball, 186 million years ago. The world was starting to look less safe, comets and asteroids less benign. The copestone of the arch of potential castrophe was laid on the night of ..." The "copestone"? I think Ferris might have been trying to force a weak tie to the manor building of old fused rocks, but it is hard to say.
Read this for the information, but make sure you set aside many short reading opportunities becase Ferris makes no effort to keep your interest in what could have been in more adept hands a fasciinating account.
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Summary: a more philosophical look at the hobby
Review: I've read dozens of astronomy books in the past year, but this one is decidely different. Ferris manages to capture the awe and the appeal of amateur star-gazing in his self-effacing look at his own background and his encounters with other major figures like Stephen O'Meara. Though he hobnobs with many famous people (each chapter is a separate encounter), he never lets his ego get in the way. In fact, the opening chapters about his own poor upbringing in rural Florida set the scene for his later accomlishments. Even with no money and a cheap telescope, Ferris inspires by his self-taught methods of learning drawing and observing techniques. This book is not a how-to or a dictionary of astronomy, but rather a delightful romp through encounters with various telescopes, astronomers and hobbyists. The amateur shines in full glory as Ferris makes clear that the most lowly of us are capable of discovering new aspects of the cosmos. A lovely and inspiring read.
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Summary: Great Review in the Times
Review: If you want to read another wonderful review of "Seeing in the Dark", check out the August 26th New York Times Book Review. Well written and full of praise for Ferris.
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Summary: Birth of a Classic
Review: Once in a long while a book comes along that is destined to become a classic. Such a book is Timothy Ferris' "Seeing in the Dark". After reading, amateur astronomers will want to put this book on the shelf next to "Starlight Nights" and "Burnham's Celestial Handbook". Very inspiring stories of amateurs' accomplishments and successful amateur profiles spark the reader's own efforts in this hobby. The very numerous interesting and illuminating facts and factoids alone are worth the price of this book. The footnotes gathered at the back of the book containing digressions, asides, and background info are enough for a book in themselves. A must read for both those just getting into the hobby and long-time observers.
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Summary: Seeing in the Dark
Review: Seeing in the Dark: How Backyard Stargazers are Probing Deep Space and Guarding Earth from Interplanretary Peril written by Timothy Ferris is a wonderfully well-written personal account about astronomy. Stargazing in this book is more of the backyard amateur variety, however no less serious than the professionals. Interest has been on the increase due mainly to the internet. With internet communication amateurs can set their telescopes up and the computer can control the telescopes with computers making amateur astronomy more serious. The author has an easy going style of narrative and you can tell he loves telling a story about something he really loves. This is an infectous narrative bringing the reader into the subject as a participant; making the glories of the stars a part of your lives. Anyone can get started in backyard astronomy by just going outside with a star chart on a dark night and looking up. I remember many a warm Summer night growing up spending hours at night looking up and wondering about the starlingt and the millions of years that it took to get here. This book has a rekindling power to it and brings back those evenings for me. There are starcharts in the back of the book along with information about the closest stars and planetary information about the number of moons. What I found interesting about this book is a reading list which gives the reader something to further his/her knowledge, along with this there is a glossary of terms used throughout the book making for and interesting read. If you like popular science with a mentor guiding you along as he relates his past and enthusiasm this is your book, you won't be disappointed.
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Summary: Interesting, well-written, and passionate
Review: Since the earliest days of humankind people have looked to the night sky in awe and struggled to unlock its secrets. In "Seeing in the Dark," author Timothy Ferris details the many contributions amateur astronomers have made to our understanding of the universe. He leads the reader on a tour of the sky, from the Moon, Sun, and nearby planets, through the outer reaches of our solar system to the Milky Way galaxy and beyond, indicating the many discoveries and ongoing investigations by amateurs. But the real strength of the book is its many interviews with amateur astronomers, in which the author paints portraits of diverse individuals all sharing a passion for observation and discovery. The author clearly knows his science (and provides detailed endnotes for those who want to learn more), and as an amateur astronomer himself he knows the community about which he writes. His lyrical descriptions of what it's like to gaze upon distant worlds convey the passion "backyard stargazers" feel toward their avocation. My one quibble is that I would have liked to see diagrams of the different kinds of telescopes he discusses.
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Summary: A match made in Heaven
Review: The match being that of science and poetry. The author writes about the achievements of amateur astronomers, giving a wealth of information about astronomy, stargazing, and amateurs, all of which is written in a language so beautifully poetic. It is a masterpiece. The love of the author for his topic is evident on every page and it is contagious. This is a book that will fill you with wonder, and probably sweep you off your feet and onto the nearest dark ground with a starmap in hand! Rich with information, written with passion, the book is fascinating, moving, and absolutely beautifully written.
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