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Astronomy Books for Beginners

There are probably over 1,000 astronomy books readily available for you to buy and if you have been looking around you are no doubt wondering which ones are good? Well, I am going to give you three recommendations on astronomy books that are specially aimed at beginners and are easy to read and use.

And by use I mean actually use it to help you enjoy the night sky – whether you have a telescope or not. This usability is my primary criteria. So, if you are looking for something that will help you find your way around the night sky then these are what you might consider.

See It with a Small Telescope: 101 Cosmic Wonders Including Planets, Moons, Comets, Galaxies, Nebulae, Star Clusters and More

It doesn’t take an astronomy degree to feel like an astronaut and explore space with a small telescope. See It with a Small Telescope takes the mystery and struggle out of exploring the unknown and discovering new worlds! With hands-on tips and tricks, this book offers a complete guide to unleashing the full power of a small telescope and going beyond the basics.

Without technical jargon and complicated star charts, this book offers step-by-step instructions and easy-to-use illustrations for finding over 100 celestial objects in the night’s sky, including:

  • Saturn’s Rings
  • Jupiter’s Moons
  • The Orion Nebula
  • The Andromeda Galaxy
  • Polaris Double Star
  • Pegasus Globular Cluster
  • Apollo 11 Site
  • and more…

NightWatch: A Practical Guide to Viewing the Universe

The third edition of Nightwatch continues its tradition of being the best handbook for the beginning astronomer. Terence Dickinson covers all the problems beginners face, starting with the fact that the night sky does not look the way a modern city-dweller expects. He discusses light pollution, how to choose binoculars and telescopes, how to pronounce the names of stars and constellations, telescope mounts, averted vision, and why the harvest moon looks especially bright. Most of the lovely photographs in the book were taken by amateurs, which gives the section on astrophotography a particularly inspirational gleam.

Turn Left at Orion: A Hundred Night Sky Objects to See in a Small Telescope–and How to Find Them

An excellent book that makes no assumptions about what you know when it comes to astronomy and the night sky. It shows you easily how to find lots of objects with a small telescope.

Celestial Sampler: 60 Small-Scope Tours for Starlit Nights (Stargazing)

An excellent guide to finding interesting objects in the night sky. Broken down by month and season.

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