BOOK FOR BEGINERS

[quimby44]

Hello if i was to buy one book to start with which one would it be i just got the philips stargazing 2015 cheers stephen

[scotttumsh]

I would highly recommend Turn left at Orion. great book very informative and easy to understand.

[quimby44]

I would highly recommend Turn left at Orion. great book very informative and easy to understand.

i was thinking about that one cheers

[Sirius Starwatcher]

Stargazing Secrets by Anton Vamplew is a great book for beginners published by Collins Mine came second hand via Amazon.

Isbn 978-0-00-724224-5

[ronin]

I would say The Monthly Sky Guide by Ridpath and Tirion.

That is 3 replies and 3 different recommendations. :grin:

[quimby44]

looks like i am going to do lots and lots of reading of more and more books well as long as iam kept busy i wont get under the best star in the worlds feet ( THE WIFE )

[mikeyrea]

Another vote for Turn Left at Orion.   Great book!

[steppenwolf]

+ 1 for 'Turn Left at Orion' - it is almost compulsory to buy it, it is so good.

[Merlin66]

If you want to learn more about astronomy....

Then Dinah Moche's " Astronomy - A self teaching guide" is the one to have. We used it as course notes for our beginners sessions. Excellent. Highly recommended.

[damnut]

Sky & telescope pocket star atlas.

[Matt Scunthorpe]

Another vote for Turn Left at Orion, brill book for starting out, lots of info and diagrams on how to actually find stuff.

Matt.

[Qualia]

For observing:

Sky & Telescope's Pocket Sky Atlas.

Thompson & Thompson's Illustrated Guide to Astronomical Wonders.

For the coffee-table:

Rees' Illustrated Encyclopedia of the Universe

Sparrow's Cosmos

For a general introduction:

Gribbin's Stardust

Ferris' Coming of Age in the Milky Way

Sagan's Cosmos

Bryson's A Short History

For the poet in you:

Raymo's Soul of the Night

[mikeyrea]

The problem with reading these threads s that I now want all of these books!    Just ordered a copy of that Reymo one!

[bruno]

if your just observing then turn left at Orion is a good easy to read book to have, tells you what you should see if your in the right area, On the other hand if you want to get in to astrophotography then i would recommed every photon counts which is another straight forward book.

Both excellent books for beginners.

[quimby44]

Well it looks like turn left at orion it is then thanks for all the advise

[avtaram]

For any beginner I would highly recommend ' The Backyard Astronomer's Guide'.

Avtar

[jabeoo1]

The problem with reading these threads s that I now want all of these books!    Just ordered a copy of that Reymo one!

Its superb.  Problem reading Raymo is that you will want Natural Prayers & Honey from Stone too. 

[trogre]

I am a beginner and I can vouch for Turn Left at Orion.

You will need a Red Torch to read it outside without spoiling your night vision. I purchased a led torch from Wilkos with a 40mm lens for about £3.50 and 2 sheets of Rubylith off ebay, for £2.99 inc p.p. I only needed one sheet but only sold in 2`s. Cut 3 x disks same size as the inside of torch and away you go.  Dead easy to do ,I did try  2 x disks but was a just a bit bright for me at least. 

[Merlin66]

TLO is good observing aid...but won't teach you much about the basics of astronomy.....

That's where Moche's book comes in.

[MarkJ44]

Im fairly new and a tick for TLAO and Backyard Atronemers Guide, revisit them constantly.

Cheers

[Stropper]

As a relative newcomer it has to be Turn Left at Orion from my limited experience

Clear skies

[darthvader]

Alternatively, get your hands on issues of "The Sky @ Night" , "Astronomy Now" or "Sky & Telescope" magazines, great for current topics and what's visible in the night sky at the moment...

[glowjet]

For the coffee table, I would not hesitate one bit in recommending "Atlas of the Messier Objects", by Ronald Stoyan. This is a large book at ( 24.4x3x31cm) but very informative on the History of Messier and others, with splendid photographic plates of all the Charles Messier objects that he found for you to avoid while Comet hunting, the only trouble, it has gone up in price and is now rather expensive

[Matt Scunthorpe]

£40 for a hardcover version, but still, I wouldn't mind having a look through it, maybe for my birthday..

Matt.

[Psychology]

I am a beginner and found Nightwatch by Terence Dikinson very good to get you started.