Stephen James O'Meara's Observing the Night Sky with Binoculars: A Simple Guide to the Heavens (Paperback)

~ Stephen James O'Meara (Author)
Key Phrases: double cluster, true physical extent, one binocular field, Milky Way, Big Dipper, Ursae Majoris (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

'O'Meara's writing inspires and his passion and enthusiasm for observing leaps off the pages.' Sky at Night magazine '... O'Meara's book really did keep me interested from the outset. ... the reader is left feeling as though they have truly learned about what they have seen. ... Within each chapter there is interesting information that covers stars, nebulae, galaxies, star clusters etc. ... allows those who have binoculars rather than a telescope to get a great deal of enjoyment out of looking up at the sky.' Astronomy Now '... a fine book that should encourage any possessor of simple optical aids to go out and seek for themselves what the night sky has to offer.' The Observatory '... I would highly recommend the book as a thorough grounding in visual observing and in the basic concepts of astronomy. It is well worth the money and my copy will get well used.' Gnomon 'Bit by bit, we are fed with little gems of information that enhances our appreciation and understanding of what we are observing. ... I found this book enthralling and quite enchanting.' Federation of Astronomical Societies Newsletter '... there's nobody who does a better job [than Stephen O'Meara] describing what he sees in the sky and helping us experience some of the enjoyment that he has ... He's an observer and wants you to be one too.' Bill Pellerin, GuideStar

Review

"The mythology and history of the stars and other objects are explained in engaging narrative, and the reader is left feeling as though they have truly learned about what they have seen. ...ideal for those who want to know more about astronomical objects easily seen with binoculars." - David Bowley, Astronomy Now

"The chapters cover all the major binocular deep-sky objects well, but unlike most such guides, the author devotes even more space to star patterns and individual stars. On the whole, I find this refreshing. ... As always, O'Meara's writing is lively, quirky, and infused with his personality." - Tony Flanders, Sky & Telescope

"[O'Meara] lends depth and richness to the observing experience. His skilled observations and side jaunts to obscure targets give both novice and seasoned skygazers fresh vistas to seek and explore." - Sky & Telescope on Deep-Sky Companions: The Caldwell Objects

"Finding your way around the thousands of stars scattered across the night sky is pretty daunting when you're new to astronomy. So a good guide to what you're looking at is crucial to building your foundation as a budding astronomer. [This book] will certainly help you along the way. [O'Meara] relates his invaluable experience as an astronomer, revealing the unique stories and secrets each constellation has to offer, bringing them right down to Earth. O'Meara's writing inspires and his passion and enthusiasm for observing leaps off the pages. ... Armed with O'Meara's book and a pair of binoculars, you'll be hunting for your next mythical beast or hero with no trouble at all." - Vincent Whiteman, Sky at Night Magazine

"...simple star charts and pictures of nebulae allow the book to double as a valuable supplement to the many free star charts or "planispheres" available online." - Physics World

"[This book] will have you comfortably cruising the night's starry sphere in no time with its straightforward techniques and handy mnemonics. - Mark Mortimer, Universe Today

"Whenever Stephen O'Meara comes out with a new book, it's almost an automatic purchase for many amateur astronomers. There's nobody who loves the sky (day and night) and its phenomena more than Stephen, and there's nobody who does a better job describing what he sees in the sky and helping us experience some of the enjoyment that he has." - Bill Pellerin, GuideStar

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Product Details

• Paperback: 168 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press (October 27, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521721709
• ISBN-13: 978-0521721707
• Product Dimensions: 11.6 x 8.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #165,198 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent instruction guide to enjoying the wonders of the heavens from backyards to mountain tops, December 9, 2008

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

Throughout recorded time, and judging by such pre-historical sites as Stonehenge, the night sky with its wheeling starry canopy has been an enduring source of interest for ground level human observation. Even in this modern age of astronomical observatories and Hubble Space Telescopes, there is a great deal of pleasure to be taken from simply observing the ever changing night sky through the various seasons of the year with a simple pair of binoculars. That's where Stephen James O'Meara's "Observing The Night Sky With Binoculars: A Simple Guide To The Heavens" comes in. Especially appropriate and recommended for novice stargazers, "Observing The Night Sky With Binoculars" features informative anecdotes about the stars and constellations, guides the beginning stargazer in locating and identifying the brightest stars in each constellation, colorful stars, double or multiple stars, star clusters and asterisms, nebulae, galaxies, variable stars, and so much more. Profusely illustrated with black-and-white images, "Observing The Night Sky With Binoculars" is specifically recommended to amateur astronomers as an excellent instruction guide to enjoying the wonders of the heavens from backyards to mountain tops.

5 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Don't waste your money, March 1, 2009

By	C. Lisowy - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I bought this book hoping to have a guide to see what can be seen through binoculars. The author has very few objects and there is just too much written about the history than where to find the object. The charts are really bad ( raster images ) and illustrations are from huge 10 meter telescope that you will never see in binoculars. I own 3 other fine books from O"Mera and this one is a disaster. The best part of this book is the cover.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars ALL MEDIA REVIEW, December 28, 2008

By	Media Reviews - See all my reviews

Hands down the best backyard star gazing book ever written! Before you buy a telescope you MUST! read Stephen James O'Meara's Observing the Night Sky with Binoculars book. O'Meara writes in hard-to-put-down fascinating prose and you will learn everything you need to know to observe and appreciate the night sky, stars and constellations. You will not find a better beginners book anywhere. Grab this book, grab a pair of binoculars,go out tonight and begin to appreciate what the night sky has to offer. A must read!