Customer Reviews

Advanced Skywatching: The Backyard Astronomer's Guide to Starhopping and Exploring the Universe (The Nature Company Guides)

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

1/3 of this book - the starhopping section - is excellent. Just the right amount of commentary and detail for intermediate observational astronomy. The maps are also very good. Here's the problem: Only 1/2 of the sky is covered in the starhopping section! Why go halfway? A good number of interesting regions aren't covered at all. Instead, they clutter up the first 2/3 of the book with the usual info about types of telescope, stars, pictures of planets, etc. We've read and seen this before. Any library book tells you the same stuff. Use the pages to cover ALL regions of the sky. It's really a shame.

Another problem is the hardcover format, which makes the book difficult for field use. It's thin and tall, which doesn't help it to stay open. A spiral bound version would be better.

This book is very helpful, even if you are just an amiture astronomer like me. This book tells you how to navigate through the Heavens. It tells you what stars you can see, the dates that you can see them, even the times that you cansee them. This book tells you what to look for when buying a telescope, how to spot a trash scope, and what types are good to purchase for your needs. This book tells about anything that you need to know, from nebulas and double stars, to planets and black holes. Advanced Skywatching tells you almost anything you want to know. This is a book that no astronomer, begining, advanced, or professional, should be without.

The astronomy reference book I keep going back to time and again. Don't be intimidated by the title, it's not really "advanced" at all and is far more useful than the first book in the Skywatching series, which was too simplistic. The introductory chapter of this book is particularly nicely written.

This is a great book for amateur astronomers, and space enthusiast. "The Nature Company Guides" has taken a team of writers to produce a book with current information about the universe that surrounds us.

The book begins with a brief history and current national space accomplishments that have brought about tools to aid us in viewing and understanding outerspace. The book then goes on and presents tools that can aid the individual observer, such as binoculars, telescopes, CCD imaging, and much more.

"Advanced Skywatching" takes a look at the sun and moon. Moon maps are presented to help the reader become familiar with different parts of the moon. Each planet is examined starting with the closest planet to the sun, Mercury, and moving outward. Other objects with in our solar system, such as Comets, asteroids, and meteors, are covered.

The book moves on to the different types of stars: Double stars, variable stars, novas, and super novas. Some basic star maps are presented that focus on deep sky objects that lie with in the constellations.

I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in outerspace.

Time was, the Nature Store was everywhere in Canada, and you could depend on them for just the right Xmas gift or whatever. That's gone now, but they left the excellent Nature Company Guides behind.

This is the book of those who have gone beyond "the stars are up there" stage but aren't at the Hawking level yet. I loved the crispy photos and the straight from the shoulder directions (not pretentious or dumb). I recommend it highly if you want something with a little more meat to it.

I love this book. After referencing several dozen intermediate astronomy books, I find myself going back to this book again and again. I really liked the format and it provided good reference points. It was informative and well worth buying. It always goes with me when I go gazing.

A pretty book with beautiful, clear graphics and simple, interesting explanations. Not "advanced," however, and only a bit more detailed than its primer, Skywatching. A very good children's book.

Advanced Skywatching is a good book. But the book "Practical Skywatching" gives you two books for the price of one. It literally contains the best of the books "Skywatching" and "Advance Skywatching" in one reference

This book is everything the beginning skywatcher needs. I have recently become very interested in watching the sky and this book has answered nearly every question I have ever had. Great pictures and maps. It will get you even more excited about the skies!

A great second part to Skywatching. It got here today on the first estimated day. Full of interesting facts and helpful to even the Pro Astronomer.