Good book for a beginner with a small telescope or binoculars. gives detailed explanations about celestial objects and how to easily find them. each section corresponds to a certain season and what can be found in that time of year. where to find the planets and what to look for on the planets. contains a map of the moon. this book will definitely strike an interest in astronomy and leave you thirsting for more. there is a lot of info in the book but i wish there was more.

some people might just want to just get a star chart right away but star charts don't tell you what you can or cannot see with your telescope or what are good targets, and may leave a beginner disappointed. i think this book is a great book if you have very little, or NO experience in star gazing, especially if you have a telescope in the attic or some decent binoculars.

Dear sirs,

I live in Brazil, and I was affraid to get products in other country. But I was confident with Amazon.com site content and security. Then I decided to make my first "out-of-the-box" purchase, and I'm astonished with the extremely professional approach of Amazon.com .
My product was delivered 15 days earlier than planned, and in good conditions, including the package.

The book content is very comprehensible, mainly for amateurs, as I am. I'm very satisfied to get this book, and I reccomend it and Amazon.com also.
Congratulations,

Valter R.Francisco
Santo Andre, S.Paulo, Brazil

For the beginning stargazer, without some sort of guide (either a knowledgable person or a great book), a new telescope is all but useless. Even computerized "go-to" telescopes are surprisingly disappointing; sure, they'll take you straight to the sights, but they won't tell you what magnification to use, or what you're looking for, or whether the thing you're looking for might be too dim for you to see at all, so that most of the time you'll find yourself staring at a bunch of stars and wondering what the heck you're supposed to be looking at...and whether the computer's tracking system is a little off (which it will be, sometmies). So don't buy or give someone a new telescope without a good book with to go with it. And although no book does all things for all people, if you're only going to get one book to start, this is absolutely the one to buy. My first telescope was computerized, and worked well...but after buying this book, I was finally able to track down the things I was really interested in. In the years since then, I've thrown the computerized scope away in favor of a big, manually-guided dobsonian. And although I've never missed the computer, I still use this book constantly.

This is an excellent book for amateur astronomers who would like direction on exactly where and how to find 100 of the most interesting nighttime sky objects -- nebula, planets, galaxies, double-doubles, star clusters, etc. Be advised that this is not a coffee table book full of breathtaking color photos straight from Hubble or a NASA space probe. This is a book on how to star hop your way from one object to the next. The book is full of drawings that depict how to do this, and the accompanying text is clear and accurate. This book has made finding many of these objects much easier for me. It's well worth the money and I highly recommend it.

Not a bad book exactly.

But I found it to be a waste of money.

Great insight for the novice star gazer. Bought this for my son and he uses it evey time he star gazes Lots of easy to understand information Very helpful

Turn Left at Orion is a great buy, especially for the beginning sky gazer. It is written for both beginners and experts and doesn't contain language that requires a Harvard degree to understand. If you are looking for a book on astrology, then you should begin here. It's filled with information, maps and - most of all - easy to understand language about the heavens.

This is a good tool to go along with any new beginning telescope you buy. We did learn a bit about telescopes, the stars, and planets, etc, before actually trying to look at any without our telescope.

The use of astronomers' jargon can be confusing at times, but that's part of the learning I suppose.

A good purchase overall, although a bit pricey.

This book is for those new to telescopes, and star-hopping to deep-sky objects. And at this, it's one of the best. Hence my 5-star rating.

But be warned - it assumes knowledge not alluded to in the book description. You have to know the constellations, their major stars (and names), and how to find them in the night sky. This book provides NO guidance on how to do this.

If you're a complete beginner, you should first get "The Stars: A New Way to See Them" by H.A. Rey. Until you're at home with the night sky and your own eyeballs, this book will sit on the shelf.

Most astronomy books and magazines for amateurs are filled with highly-processed, color photographs of planets and deep sky objects taken with long-exposures through observatory telescopes. I call these photos astroporn because they raise new telescope owner's expectation to unrealistic levels. One cannot see full color detailed images through a small telescope with the naked eye. "Turn Left at Orion" accurately describes with sketches what one will actually see.

I recommend that prospective telescope buyers check out "Turn Left at Orion" before they fork over their hard earned cash. If you decide to buy a telescope anyway, this book gives clear directions on how to find and observe over one hundred objects in a non-technical way making it the best book to start with. While this book may be too simple for experienced amateurs, I highly recommend it for it's accurate descriptions and clear instructions.

Many have sung the praise of this book...I'm somewhat of a "newbie" had a 13" Dobsonian "light-bucket" 20 years ago, but never really did much...just bot a 102mm Celestron spotting scope. So have been buying books to aid me in getting into Astronomy better this time...This book is good for children...but a better book for adults is Neil Bone's Deep Sky Observer's Guide. It's also set up for small scopes under 100mm. The Orion book has very simple finder maps and is organized by season. Bone's book is organized by type of object, such as "open cluster" and then by easy to difficult to find. Bone's finder charts are much better in artistic value and use, being white stars on blue background, where as most of Orion's are black stars on white background. Orion has 100 objects to view, Bone has over 200...At the end of Bone's are: 8 very nice star charts as well as each constellation listing objects and a Messier List and a list of Objects by Magnitude and finally a list of Objects by Seasons (to view). All in all 215 power packed pages!...Yes the Orion is a hard back, but the binding is glue-injected pages, will the binding crack and pages fall out??...Bone's is a paperback, but the leaves are folded and stitched, so pages will NEVER fall out. Bone's book is 5X8, Orion is 9X11 1/2 much bigger to take outside and pack around. I woun't be using Orion much. Bone I will use a lot.

I am an amateur and bought this book based on the other reviews and ratings given. I was looking for a book to help me locate some of the more interesting night sky objects and this one seemed to be "the book." Well, when I got the book, I opened it up and immediately felt a little overwhelmed by all of the text-and I do mean there is a lot of text. More than I wanted. This book just wasn't what I was looking for in a guide to the night sky. Perhaps later on, I will find this book more helpful.

I've read a series of astronomy books, but Left at Orion and Nightwatch (by Dickinson) are at the top of my list. If I had a small refractor, Left at Orion would be the best pick. Nightwatch by Dickinson is best for picking the right scope and accessories and learing the celestrial objects (e.g. planets and stuff). However, Left at Orion is the best for learing how to locate objects in the night sky USING A SMALL TELESCOPE. I've been pulling my hair out about not being able to locate objects for the longest, but now I have a great tool that will help me. This is the book you use in the dark. I sit down by my scope with my RED flashlight and this book that is such a great guidance. So don't get frustrated and throw away your small scope just yet. Get comfortable and use this guide. You can always upgrade and have the small scope for for any company who wants to join you. I wish I didn't return my small scope so quickly. Anyways, after reading this book, I bought an 80mm refractor to travel on the plane with because I can't lug that big Newtonian Dob around. Yes, Left at Orion and Nightwatch are the best picks whether you have a small refractor or a big reflector. However, Nightwatch (by Dickinson) is a book to buy when you want to upgrade your telescope. Be ware: Dickinson does NOT have the nicest things to say about the small telescopes, however, if you want to upgrade, BUY NIGHTWATCH FIRST BEFORE PURCHASING A NEW TELESCOPE!!! Please read the other reviews to help guide your purchase.

This book was given to an ASTRONOMY buff along with a telescope.

This book was given to an ASTRONOMY buff along with a telescope.

The book was just what I wanted, reasonably priced, and promptly delivered. So far, reading it has been very informative and I want to dig into it more soon.

The book was just what I wanted, reasonably priced, and promptly delivered. So far, reading it has been very informative and I want to dig into it more soon.

Make this the first book you buy for anyone with a telescope. It is user friendly, well written and illustrated, and will ignite a passion for chasing the beautiful objects scattered through the night sky. Also useful is the guide on interesting Southern Hemisphere objects, including those in the LMC and SMC.

Highly recommended.

Make this the first book you buy for anyone with a telescope. It is user friendly, well written and illustrated, and will ignite a passion for chasing the beautiful objects scattered through the night sky. Also useful is the guide on interesting Southern Hemisphere objects, including those in the LMC and SMC.

Highly recommended.

I purchased this book and the Backyard Astronomers book at the same time. I use them both.......a lot!! This book is great because it gives you sky views (drawings not pictures) that really give you an idea of what to expect when looking up at the sky with unaided eye or through a telescope. The description that accompanies the objects of interest are well written and thought provoking. As a newbie to backyard astronomy I couldn't be more satisfied by the information I've received from this book. As others have stated, this book is a great astronomy starter book, but will inevitably be a life time companion for all of your night sky viewing.

I purchased this book and the Backyard Astronomers book at the same time. I use them both.......a lot!! This book is great because it gives you sky views (drawings not pictures) that really give you an idea of what to expect when looking up at the sky with unaided eye or through a telescope. The description that accompanies the objects of interest are well written and thought provoking. As a newbie to backyard astronomy I couldn't be more satisfied by the information I've received from this book. As others have stated, this book is a great astronomy starter book, but will inevitably be a life time companion for all of your night sky viewing.

I purchased this book and the Backyard Astronomers book at the same time. I use them both.......a lot!! This book is great because it gives you sky views (drawings not pictures) that really give you an idea of what to expect when looking up at the sky with unaided eye or through a telescope. The description that accompanies the objects of interest are well written and thought provoking. As a newbie to backyard astronomy I couldn't be more satisfied by the information I've received from this book. As others have stated, this book is a great astronomy starter book, but will inevitably be a life time companion for all of your night sky viewing.

A good initial book on finding your way around the night sky. Oversize makes a little inconvenient, and some of the text is a little stiff compared to similar first books.

A good initial book on finding your way around the night sky. Oversize makes a little inconvenient, and some of the text is a little stiff compared to similar first books.

A good initial book on finding your way around the night sky. Oversize makes a little inconvenient, and some of the text is a little stiff compared to similar first books.

I'd bought other 3 books before I bought this one and bought another 3 after buying this one. I haven't still found a book that matches the quality, fun and usability of this book. The writings are so friendly and comforting that probably all your other books of same level will collect dust. The author has written each article as if he knew exactly what you would want to know and what you would ask. While I like to figure out star hoping by myself, it's still really helpful to see the "real view" diagram from the telescope, nice constellation figures, associated facts and mythology. If you recently bought a small cheap telescope then this book is an absolutely must. If you are an advanced guy carrying Meade 10" computerized scope in back of your truck, you would still enjoy bringing back the fun of star hopping and rediscovering the objects in this book.

I'd bought other 3 books before I bought this one and bought another 3 after buying this one. I haven't still found a book that matches the quality, fun and usability of this book. The writings are so friendly and comforting that probably all your other books of same level will collect dust. The author has written each article as if he knew exactly what you would want to know and what you would ask. While I like to figure out star hoping by myself, it's still really helpful to see the "real view" diagram from the telescope, nice constellation figures, associated facts and mythology. If you recently bought a small cheap telescope then this book is an absolutely must. If you are an advanced guy carrying Meade 10" computerized scope in back of your truck, you would still enjoy bringing back the fun of star hopping and rediscovering the objects in this book.

I'd bought other 3 books before I bought this one and bought another 3 after buying this one. I haven't still found a book that matches the quality, fun and usability of this book. The writings are so friendly and comforting that probably all your other books of same level will collect dust. The author has written each article as if he knew exactly what you would want to know and what you would ask. While I like to figure out star hoping by myself, it's still really helpful to see the "real view" diagram from the telescope, nice constellation figures, associated facts and mythology. If you recently bought a small cheap telescope then this book is an absolutely must. If you are an advanced guy carrying Meade 10" computerized scope in back of your truck, you would still enjoy bringing back the fun of star hopping and rediscovering the objects in this book.

This book is exceptional. You won't find the Hubble like pictures in most astronomy books. What you will find are drawings that are very representative of what you'll see with binoculars, small scopes and finally a high magnification view (x125). It's like buying a map so you can find your way in the night sky and it WORKS.

I also think it's an superb value for a hardback book.

This book is exceptional. You won't find the Hubble like pictures in most astronomy books. What you will find are drawings that are very representative of what you'll see with binoculars, small scopes and finally a high magnification view (x125). It's like buying a map so you can find your way in the night sky and it WORKS.

I also think it's an superb value for a hardback book.

This book is exceptional. You won't find the Hubble like pictures in most astronomy books. What you will find are drawings that are very representative of what you'll see with binoculars, small scopes and finally a high magnification view (x125). It's like buying a map so you can find your way in the night sky and it WORKS.

I also think it's an superb value for a hardback book.

This book is wonderful. I can't believe I didn't buy it earlier. Extrememly helpful in finding objects even for an advanced observer.

This book is wonderful. I can't believe I didn't buy it earlier. Extrememly helpful in finding objects even for an advanced observer.

This book is wonderful. I can't believe I didn't buy it earlier. Extrememly helpful in finding objects even for an advanced observer.

Having a lifelong interest in amateur astronomy , this book was a natural for me to seek out. I borrowed a copy from the library before I decided whether or not to make a purchase.

This particular book is one of the very few that I would recommend to a beginning backyard astronomer , the other being Phil Harrington's Star Watch. Both use a technique called "star hopping" to find the celestial objects of interest , and each has a particular "style" of doing so.

"Turn Left at Orion" uses a technique using the viewfinder field of view to move from an easy to find star or some other object to follow a path to the desired object.

What I liked about the book:

(1) A very good representative selection of deep sky objects.
(2) Each object has an eyepiece sketch that accurately depicts how the object looks in a small telescope.
(3) A small scale star chart with the star hops depicted is included along with finding directions.

What I disliked:

(1) The eyepiece sketches were simply listed as "at high power" or "at low power". Some basic information about the eyepiece type , magnification , and focal length should be included to be meaningful.
(2) The scale of the finder charts was too small , and better directions are needed to find some of the smaller and more obscure constellations ; i.e. Triangulum and Aries.
(3) Having to take it back to the library!

Even though I have a few criticisms of the book , it is very ,very good. If I didn't already have Harrington's book I would rush right out and buy a copy.(They tend to overlap too much!) I give this a 4+ star rating , and if a few improvements are made in a later edition it could easily become one of my favorites to recommend and own.

Having a lifelong interest in amateur astronomy , this book was a natural for me to seek out. I borrowed a copy from the library before I decided whether or not to make a purchase.

This particular book is one of the very few that I would recommend to a beginning backyard astronomer , the other being Phil Harrington's Star Watch. Both use a technique called "star hopping" to find the celestial objects of interest , and each has a particular "style" of doing so.

"Turn Left at Orion" uses a technique using the viewfinder field of view to move from an easy to find star or some other object to follow a path to the desired object.

What I liked about the book:

(1) A very good representative selection of deep sky objects.
(2) Each object has an eyepiece sketch that accurately depicts how the object looks in a small telescope.
(3) A small scale star chart with the star hops depicted is included along with finding directions.

What I disliked:

(1) The eyepiece sketches were simply listed as "at high power" or "at low power". Some basic information about the eyepiece type , magnification , and focal length should be included to be meaningful.
(2) The scale of the finder charts was too small , and better directions are needed to find some of the smaller and more obscure constellations ; i.e. Triangulum and Aries.
(3) Having to take it back to the library!

Even though I have a few criticisms of the book , it is very ,very good. If I didn't already have Harrington's book I would rush right out and buy a copy.(They tend to overlap too much!) I give this a 4+ star rating , and if a few improvements are made in a later edition it could easily become one of my favorites to recommend and own.

Having a lifelong interest in amateur astronomy , this book was a natural for me to seek out. I borrowed a copy from the library before I decided whether or not to make a purchase.

This particular book is one of the very few that I would recommend to a beginning backyard astronomer , the other being Phil Harrington's Star Watch. Both use a technique called "star hopping" to find the celestial objects of interest , and each has a particular "style" of doing so.

"Turn Left at Orion" uses a technique using the viewfinder field of view to move from an easy to find star or some other object to follow a path to the desired object.

What I liked about the book:

(1) A very good representative selection of deep sky objects.
(2) Each object has an eyepiece sketch that accurately depicts how the object looks in a small telescope.
(3) A small scale star chart with the star hops depicted is included along with finding directions.

What I disliked:

(1) The eyepiece sketches were simply listed as "at high power" or "at low power". Some basic information about the eyepiece type , magnification , and focal length should be included to be meaningful.
(2) The scale of the finder charts was too small , and better directions are needed to find some of the smaller and more obscure constellations ; i.e. Triangulum and Aries.
(3) Having to take it back to the library!

Even though I have a few criticisms of the book , it is very ,very good. If I didn't already have Harrington's book I would rush right out and buy a copy.(They tend to overlap too much!) I give this a 4+ star rating , and if a few improvements are made in a later edition it could easily become one of my favorites to recommend and own.

In an astronomical world that's becoming increasingly dominated by computerised 'goto' telescopes, here's a book that shows the budding amateur that the old method of 'star-hopping' is still a valid and satisfying alternative: Turn left at Orion.

Many budding observers are daunted by the prospect of 'learning the sky' well enough to find their way to those elusive deep sky objects. And even when the desired target is perfectly centred in the eyepiece, it's often so difficult to recognise that the search resumes unnecessarily. When a positive identification is finally made, one wonders if the exercise was worth all the effort. Why? Because, visually, they don't look anything like their flattering portrait photographs.

The end result is frustration and disappointment.

Well, here's the book that changed my astronomical life: it taught most of the major constellations, and plenty of minor ones to boot; it showed me how to star-hop to the more interesting deep sky objects within them; and it also changed my expectations of what I would see when I got there.

Literally, this is a 'star-hopping made easy' bible.

The book works on the assumption that the reader is prepared to learn up front just a few of the major constellations. The Big Dipper, (or Plough to the Brits, or 'Pluff' to them southerners), is one that most people can recognise straight off. But it helps to be able to spot the big square of autumn's Pegasus, winter's unmistakable Orion the hunter, spring's sickle-necked Leo the Lion, and the big cross of summer's Cygnus the swan. These are all good starting points, and won't cost much effort to learn beyond a cricked neck.

The book feels like it's been written from copious notes acquired during many years of practical observing. There's a section per seasonal, with two pages devoted to each particular object. And the objects really are a good primer for the northern deep sky: nebulas, globular clusters, open clusters aplenty of course, some galaxies, and a good sprinkling of those oft neglected double stars. On the left page you'll find a typical upside-down finder-scope view of the target area, plus a description of which stars to use to guide you there. On the right page is a typical left-to-right telescopic view of the object itself, plus good textual descriptions.

And here's the clever bit: all of the illustrations are beautifully hand-drawn to show truthfully how they appear at the eyepiece; none of those misleading full colour observatory-type photographs here: what you see is what you, er, see. Fear not if an illustration fails to take your fancy; keep turning the page until one catches your eye.

So how does it work under the night sky?

Well, it works beautifully. Turn to the correct page, and locate the general target area using your (ahem) marginal knowledge of the constellations, then visually hop from star to star as advised. Aim your telescope, then switch to the finder-scope to identify the exact location. Slip in an eyepiece of about the recommended magnification, and the object's usually 'just there', or at the very least within easy reach. For those objects requiring high powers, the book recommends using a less powerful eyepiece first to properly centre the target. Really, I and countless others have followed this advice to good effect.

Okay, it'll take you a year of observing to learn your way around. It takes that long for each season's constellations, and their hidden treasures, to come around. Time enough to learn the stars a little better, and time enough to gain confidence. In a way, one will learn the more obscure constellations for free; "What's that? Oh yes, it must be Delphinus, so that funny arrow below is, er, Sagitta...right?" (flick, flick of the page) "I was right!" And anyway, it'll take you at least a year to get bored with the selection that this book offers.

What do I have against this book? Not much... well, it's a shame there isn't a sequel for next year.

Oh, and batteries are not included.

In an astronomical world that's becoming increasingly dominated by computerised 'goto' telescopes, here's a book that shows the budding amateur that the old method of 'star-hopping' is still a valid and satisfying alternative: Turn left at Orion.

Many budding observers are daunted by the prospect of 'learning the sky' well enough to find their way to those elusive deep sky objects. And even when the desired target is perfectly centred in the eyepiece, it's often so difficult to recognise that the search resumes unnecessarily. When a positive identification is finally made, one wonders if the exercise was worth all the effort. Why? Because, visually, they don't look anything like their flattering portrait photographs.

The end result is frustration and disappointment.

Well, here's the book that changed my astronomical life: it taught most of the major constellations, and plenty of minor ones to boot; it showed me how to star-hop to the more interesting deep sky objects within them; and it also changed my expectations of what I would see when I got there.

Literally, this is a 'star-hopping made easy' bible.

The book works on the assumption that the reader is prepared to learn up front just a few of the major constellations. The Big Dipper, (or Plough to the Brits, or 'Pluff' to them southerners), is one that most people can recognise straight off. But it helps to be able to spot the big square of autumn's Pegasus, winter's unmistakable Orion the hunter, spring's sickle-necked Leo the Lion, and the big cross of summer's Cygnus the swan. These are all good starting points, and won't cost much effort to learn beyond a cricked neck.

The book feels like it's been written from copious notes acquired during many years of practical observing. There's a section per seasonal, with two pages devoted to each particular object. And the objects really are a good primer for the northern deep sky: nebulas, globular clusters, open clusters aplenty of course, some galaxies, and a good sprinkling of those oft neglected double stars. On the left page you'll find a typical upside-down finder-scope view of the target area, plus a description of which stars to use to guide you there. On the right page is a typical left-to-right telescopic view of the object itself, plus good textual descriptions.

And here's the clever bit: all of the illustrations are beautifully hand-drawn to show truthfully how they appear at the eyepiece; none of those misleading full colour observatory-type photographs here: what you see is what you, er, see. Fear not if an illustration fails to take your fancy; keep turning the page until one catches your eye.

So how does it work under the night sky?

Well, it works beautifully. Turn to the correct page, and locate the general target area using your (ahem) marginal knowledge of the constellations, then visually hop from star to star as advised. Aim your telescope, then switch to the finder-scope to identify the exact location. Slip in an eyepiece of about the recommended magnification, and the object's usually 'just there', or at the very least within easy reach. For those objects requiring high powers, the book recommends using a less powerful eyepiece first to properly centre the target. Really, I and countless others have followed this advice to good effect.

Okay, it'll take you a year of observing to learn your way around. It takes that long for each season's constellations, and their hidden treasures, to come around. Time enough to learn the stars a little better, and time enough to gain confidence. In a way, one will learn the more obscure constellations for free; "What's that? Oh yes, it must be Delphinus, so that funny arrow below is, er, Sagitta...right?" (flick, flick of the page) "I was right!" And anyway, it'll take you at least a year to get bored with the selection that this book offers.

What do I have against this book? Not much... well, it's a shame there isn't a sequel for next year.

Oh, and batteries are not included.

In an astronomical world that's becoming increasingly dominated by computerised 'goto' telescopes, here's a book that shows the budding amateur that the old method of 'star-hopping' is still a valid and satisfying alternative: Turn left at Orion.

Many budding observers are daunted by the prospect of 'learning the sky' well enough to find their way to those elusive deep sky objects. And even when the desired target is perfectly centred in the eyepiece, it's often so difficult to recognise that the search resumes unnecessarily. When a positive identification is finally made, one wonders if the exercise was worth all the effort. Why? Because, visually, they don't look anything like their flattering portrait photographs.

The end result is frustration and disappointment.

Well, here's the book that changed my astronomical life: it taught most of the major constellations, and plenty of minor ones to boot; it showed me how to star-hop to the more interesting deep sky objects within them; and it also changed my expectations of what I would see when I got there.

Literally, this is a 'star-hopping made easy' bible.

The book works on the assumption that the reader is prepared to learn up front just a few of the major constellations. The Big Dipper, (or Plough to the Brits, or 'Pluff' to them southerners), is one that most people can recognise straight off. But it helps to be able to spot the big square of autumn's Pegasus, winter's unmistakable Orion the hunter, spring's sickle-necked Leo the Lion, and the big cross of summer's Cygnus the swan. These are all good starting points, and won't cost much effort to learn beyond a cricked neck.

The book feels like it's been written from copious notes acquired during many years of practical observing. There's a section per seasonal, with two pages devoted to each particular object. And the objects really are a good primer for the northern deep sky: nebulas, globular clusters, open clusters aplenty of course, some galaxies, and a good sprinkling of those oft neglected double stars. On the left page you'll find a typical upside-down finder-scope view of the target area, plus a description of which stars to use to guide you there. On the right page is a typical left-to-right telescopic view of the object itself, plus good textual descriptions.

And here's the clever bit: all of the illustrations are beautifully hand-drawn to show truthfully how they appear at the eyepiece; none of those misleading full colour observatory-type photographs here: what you see is what you, er, see. Fear not if an illustration fails to take your fancy; keep turning the page until one catches your eye.

So how does it work under the night sky?

Well, it works beautifully. Turn to the correct page, and locate the general target area using your (ahem) marginal knowledge of the constellations, then visually hop from star to star as advised. Aim your telescope, then switch to the finder-scope to identify the exact location. Slip in an eyepiece of about the recommended magnification, and the object's usually 'just there', or at the very least within easy reach. For those objects requiring high powers, the book recommends using a less powerful eyepiece first to properly centre the target. Really, I and countless others have followed this advice to good effect.

Okay, it'll take you a year of observing to learn your way around. It takes that long for each season's constellations, and their hidden treasures, to come around. Time enough to learn the stars a little better, and time enough to gain confidence. In a way, one will learn the more obscure constellations for free; "What's that? Oh yes, it must be Delphinus, so that funny arrow below is, er, Sagitta...right?" (flick, flick of the page) "I was right!" And anyway, it'll take you at least a year to get bored with the selection that this book offers.

What do I have against this book? Not much... well, it's a shame there isn't a sequel for next year.

Oh, and batteries are not included.

Finding invisibly faint objects in the night sky, like beefsteak, can be tough. It takes work. Ad astra per aspera! (Go ahead, look that up).Don't let easy-looking books on the subject fool you. What is wonderful about this book is that the authors honestly tackle the difficulties involved. They give clear exact information that will help a serious newcomer (like me) find what they seek. If at first it still seems rather challenging, that's because it is. A telescope shows thousands of stars that are invisible to the naked eye. Familiar patterns are obscured. The new patterns you see can be found in the pages of this excellent book.

Finding invisibly faint objects in the night sky, like beefsteak, can be tough. It takes work. Ad astra per aspera! (Go ahead, look that up).Don't let easy-looking books on the subject fool you. What is wonderful about this book is that the authors honestly tackle the difficulties involved. They give clear exact information that will help a serious newcomer (like me) find what they seek. If at first it still seems rather challenging, that's because it is. A telescope shows thousands of stars that are invisible to the naked eye. Familiar patterns are obscured. The new patterns you see can be found in the pages of this excellent book.

Finding invisibly faint objects in the night sky, like beefsteak, can be tough. It takes work. Ad astra per aspera! (Go ahead, look that up).Don't let easy-looking books on the subject fool you. What is wonderful about this book is that the authors honestly tackle the difficulties involved. They give clear exact information that will help a serious newcomer (like me) find what they seek. If at first it still seems rather challenging, that's because it is. A telescope shows thousands of stars that are invisible to the naked eye. Familiar patterns are obscured. The new patterns you see can be found in the pages of this excellent book.

After reading reviews on many astronomy books I chose this one. It was not a good choice for the astronomy 'beginner' that I bought it for.

After reading reviews on many astronomy books I chose this one. It was not a good choice for the astronomy 'beginner' that I bought it for.

After reading reviews on many astronomy books I chose this one. It was not a good choice for the astronomy 'beginner' that I bought it for.

This book came highly recommended by a few fellow amateur astronomers,and I have found it to be beautifully presented;written in terms the newbie can understand perfectly;and written with an obvious love of the nightsky.I wouldn't hesitate to say "buy it!!"

This book came highly recommended by a few fellow amateur astronomers,and I have found it to be beautifully presented;written in terms the newbie can understand perfectly;and written with an obvious love of the nightsky.I wouldn't hesitate to say "buy it!!"

When we bought our Meade telescope (see my review of that), we bought only two books: this one, and Nightwatch (see my review of that). Both books were EXCELLENT.

You'll never know about some of the fascinating night-sky objects if you don't get a book. This book has been a huge help in finding objects, understanding what we're viewing and appreciating to different objects in the sky.

I strongly recommend Nightwatch as well.

When we bought our Meade telescope (see my review of that), we bought only two books: this one, and Nightwatch (see my review of that). Both books were EXCELLENT.

You'll never know about some of the fascinating night-sky objects if you don't get a book. This book has been a huge help in finding objects, understanding what we're viewing and appreciating to different objects in the sky.

I strongly recommend Nightwatch as well.