The Backyard Astronomer's Guide

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Summary: Amateur's Guide gets a celestial makeover
Review: Terence Dickinson is perhaps the leading writer of English-language amateur astronomy books; his Nightwatch is rightly considered one of the best introductions to the night sky and how to observe it. It covers the broad range of amateur astronomy admirably, from science to equipment to observing tactics. One of the only glaring drawbacks to the book is that it is simply too short.

The Backyard Astronomer's Guide is an able sequel. Written with fellow Canadian amateur Alan Dyer, it goes further in depth than does Nightwatch. Because it also goes into specifics in recommending telescopes and accessories, however, it quickly grew out of date. A somewhat updated and revised edition came out in 1994, but more than eight years have passed since then, and most of the models described there have been discontinued, although a few workhorses have continued to the present day.

Now, at last, this book is available in a true second edition. The changes are at once obvious and subtle. Obvious, in that the production is stunning: the old photos, mostly black-and-white, have been replaced by beautiful full-color images of the night sky and detailed diagrams of equipment. Subtle, in that the table of contents reads almost the same; it's not so much the inherent content that has changed so much as how it's presented.

One chapter from the first edition that has disappeared is one entitled "Ten Myths About Telescopes and Observing." In the first edition, this chapter was praised by reviewers and readers alike (and excoriated by some other readers, too!); it undoubtedly surpassed Dickinson and Dyer's expectations in terms of the amount of discussion it engendered. Whether you agree with them or not, they have at least educated their readers about the dispute over these myths. It's hardly the case that anyone makes claims like "Images Appear Brighter in Fast Telescopes" (Myth #2 from the 1994 edition) without being challenged.

Perhaps because of that, and also because Dickinson and Dyer may have felt that it was more important to make sure that beginners (who might buy this book without buying Nightwatch first) were able to use their equipment effectively, the myths chapter has been replaced by an introduction to using telescopes. Like all the other chapters, this one is lavishly illustrated and finely detailed, enough so that one can follow along, step-by-step, in assembling and orienting a telescope and its mount. For example, nearly a full page is devoted to getting a telescope on a GEM, or German Equatorial Mount, to cross the meridian, a tough task for beginners to figure out on their own.

Also substantially changed in presentation is the chapter on finding your way around the night sky. The vagaries of navigation, the celestial sphere, and the nightly movements of the planets, are here illustrated by several pages of diagrams, printed from a number of different planetarium programs. This book has definitely felt the impact of computer visualization of the sky.

Elsewhere, the material has been updated more than changed. New equipment has replaced old equipment, and some of that old equipment now appears in a "classics" category--things to look for in the used telescopes bin. There is a new spin on the chapter on accessories: these have been divided into must-haves, nice-to-haves, and don't-haves. (Much to my surprise, the two-dollar eye patch that I find so handy to relieve strain on my right eye--I'm left-eyed--has been unceremoniously dumped in the don't-have category.)

Should you buy this book? If you don't have it yet, and you'd like a comprehensive, easy-to-understand reference, this is the one. There really is nothing else like it on the market today. If you have one of the older editions, the decision is harder. Certainly, there's enough overlap that you can probably find out newer information from various sources without spending the same amount of money. But it's hard to get it all in one place, and the new edition certainly is a visual treat.

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Summary: A comfort and joy to the beginning astronomer!
Review: The "Guide" takes the complexity out of sky gazing by allowing the beginner to sort through the latest equipment and jargon. I feel much more confident and prepared to enjoy this new hobby with the help of the Guide. The reading level supports the beginner.The pictures are an inspiration.

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Summary: The Backyard Astronomer's Guide
Review: The Backyard Astronomer's Guide is an excellent book for both new and experienced amateur astronomers. The authors review equipment, visual observing techiques and both film and digital astrophotography. The book is beautifully illustrated and the explanations are very clear. Finally, the book is up to date with regard to equipment descriptions. Since the book covers such a wide range of topics, it is more introductory in nature and the amateur astronomer will still have to purchase specialty books (e.g., The New CCD Astronomy) to get the detailed information one needs for advanced topics.

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Summary: The Backyard has gotten bigger and better
Review: This classic introduction to amateur astronomy has gotten a much improved revised edition. Dickinson and Dyer have updated this indispensable resource for the 21st century. This book is divided into three main parts.

The first covers the hardware. The authors explain the workings of the different types of scopes and accessories and give suggestions based upon budget and the type of viewing to be pursued. They tell you what hardware is essential, what is nice to have, and what you can live without including new scopes and accessories that have come out since the previous edition. Also covered is how to set up the scopes properly, and what mistakes to avoid setting up a new scope for the first time.

The second part is a crash course on the sky, starting with what you can see with the naked eye, observing conditions based on your location, and then how to observe the various objects in the sky with the equipment from the first part.

The final part is an introduction to photographing the sky with a camera (film or digital) or a dedicated CCD imager. Coverage includes simple camera on a tripod or barndoor mount setups, piggybacking on a telescope, and thru the telescope photography. Enough to get one started.

The text is not the only part of this book to be updated. Hundreds of color photos have been sprinkled liberally throughout this guide. If you are just getting one book before plunging into amateur astronomy, make this the book. It is great for beginning and intermediate amateurs.

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Summary: An interesting "starter" book for someone new to the field
Review: This is a very cosmetically attractive book for a beginner in the area of amateur astronomy. Primarily , it provides a good starting point for further reading and activities. Sort of a "grand tour" so to speak , covering alot of ground but not in really great depth. Areas covered are both equipment and astronomical areas of study. This would be a really great book for a young adult or teenager interested in the field , but not terribly useful to an advanced amateur astronomer other than as a loaner to others possibly interested in entering the field.

I'm glad that I bought the book , but a little disappointed by the lack of depth and somewhat superficial treatment in many areas. A weak 4 stars.

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Summary: Comprehensive Equipment and Viewing Guide
Review: This is the best guide to amateur astronomy PERIOD! Objective advice on the purchase of equipment, from basic items like introductory scopes and binoculars to the most obscure specialty equipment available. This book will grow with you as you advance in the hobby. It also covers some aspects of viewing, but that is not the book's focus. If you want a sky guide, look elsewhere; if you want a detailed equipment and user guide, this is it.

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Summary: Second book you should buy
Review: This is the second book that anyone interested in learning Astronomy should buy, right after buying and reading NightWatch. Everything is well written, easy to understand and nicely arranged. I can't say enough about how valuable this book is for everyone from beginners to experienced users.

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Summary: Backyard Astronomer's Guide
Review: Very complete and thorough. Excellent resource for the novice and advantage amateur alike. Well worth reading and a great resource as well.

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Summary: Another awesome astronomy book!!
Review: What a glorious book this is!! If you are a budding backyard astronomer,this is the book for you.It is written in terms that a novice can easily understand.Each chapter contains an abundance of info and gorgeous photos.The book covers explanations and suggestions for each step you will take to become the amateur astronomer you have always wanted to be.I cannot recommend this book highly enough.You will be fascinated by every page.And you will find yourself becoming more and more comfortable learning the technology behind telescopes,and astrophotography.May I also suggest that you get "Nightwatch," by Mr. Dickinson? Another gem,and a fine companion to this book.

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Summary: THE reference book for amateur astronomy equipment.
Review: What should I buy? How do i take pictures through my telescope? Nearly every questions asked by amateur astronomers is answered in this excellent book. A complete guide to equipment is included, including advantages and disadvantages of each type of telescope, astrophotography, eyepieces and more. Authors also recommend eqipment by name.