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Best Astronomy Books?


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Thanks for that link Helen! Looks good, and now on my wishlist :)

Does it break down targets in terms of aperture ie seeable with bins/ 6/8/10" reflectors etc?

Yes, there are sections with challenges for each of the four seasons, along with a section for all-year (eg Moon), split between: 

Naked eye

Binoculars

Small scope/giant binos (3-5inch)

Medium scope (6-9.25inch)

Large scope (10-14 inch)

Monster scope! (15 inch and larger

The format is generally a full page chart, with a header giving location, constellation, mag, size etc, and then a page of narrative (usually with a realistic picture of what you're looking for) which includes both details of the object and how to find it.  The introduction is good too, containing both background information and observational techniques.

There's also an appendix of 100 challenging double stars.

A great resource (and it has just reminded me how good it is and that I need to step up to the challenge!)

Helen

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You will be pleased to know, we already have two of these listed and in stock for immediate despatch :)

How to Observe the Sun Safely by Lee Macdonald

Observing the Sun by Jamey Jenkins

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For sure. It's a tome, a textbook, but so approachable and the maths is optional and boxed off.  I love this book.

Olly

The maths is the good bit though, especially in this book because it's generally very simple

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The maths is the good bit though, especially in this book because it's generally very simple

For you, maybe! :grin:  But yes, I agree. Even I could do most of the maths and it's fun to discover that you can. But in this wonderful book you can come to it (or not) as you choose.

I'm really pleased to find other fans on here.

Olly

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+1 for The Pocket Sky Atlas, but one no one has mentioned yet (I think) is Burnham's Celestial Handbook.  Took me a while to track down all three volumes but after having found a DSO, double star or whatever, it's great to read about its significance and what has been learned or inferred from observation of it.  The essays on different phenomena are pretty good, too.

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A Short History of Almost Everything by Bill Bryson might be good. I haven't read it, having covered the same ground in other reading, but it has been very well reviewed and the science deemed accurate by those who know. And Bill Bryson never writes a dull word.

Olly

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Soureing books normally available in the US would be a good idea, be aware that mainstream books have there prices trashed by amazon, and it would end up been cheaper to buy them from amazon yourselves than trade suppliers, this would lead me just stock the obscure and rare books if i was you where they are actually worth something.

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:iamwithstupid: How about something on how to work out the equations astronomers use with a scientific calculator, (assuming any exist) . Maths & mathematics was, and still is, my weakest link. I still cannot work out E=mc2 etc. :help:

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:iamwithstupid: How about something on how to work out the equations astronomers use with a scientific calculator, (assuming any exist) . Maths & mathematics was, and still is, my weakest link. I still cannot work out E=mc2 etc. :help:

Quick google found these for "computational astronomy"

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=astronomy+math+book&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&gws_rd=cr&ei=G8JMVYPfNrK07Qbi7YHwDw#q=computational+astronomy

http://www.willbell.com/math/index.htm

Interesting idea, how about an astronomy domain specific calculator app for Android :)  Like a scientific calculator, but focusing on astronomy.

Would be easy to hack one up.

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Quick google found these for "computational astronomy"

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=astronomy+math+book&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&gws_rd=cr&ei=G8JMVYPfNrK07Qbi7YHwDw#q=computational+astronomy

http://www.willbell.com/math/index.htm

Interesting idea, how about an astronomy domain specific calculator app for Android :)  Like a scientific calculator, but focusing on astronomy.

Would be easy to hack one up.

Thank you 'cathouse42' - I have Astronomy Algorithms by Jean Meeus. Looks like I may need his Astronomy Morsels series then...

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Another vote for the (entire) Willmann-Bell catalogue. Having a European distributor at sensible prices would be fantastic. I have lots of their books on my wish list (and quite a few on my shelves) but the postage they charge is prohibitive so I tend to buy them when I find myself over in that neck of the woods. And they've recently started a new deep sky observer series ...

Martin 

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A Field Guide to Deep Sky Objects by Mike Inglis (Springer) is an excellent book for the visual observer well laid out for planning sessions, grouped by different type of object and with a lot of useful insights on different objects. It also goes one step further than many books in mentioning other things to observe like extra-solar planetary systems and stellar streams.

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Thank-you for your recommendations   :icon_salut:

Lots of requests for Willmann-Bell's books. I just had a very positive phone conversation with Patricia at Willmann-Bell so watch this space...  B)

Steve 

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