Books for a budding astronomer

[arad85]

Hi all,

I'm after some book recommendations for a budding astronomer (that's me!) as it's birthday and Christmas coming (thinking ahead). I'd like to have a list of things people can buy me. So, I've trawled some book sites and come up with the following that appear interesting. I have S&T star chart and Star Atlas 2000.0 so I have all the maps I need, I'm just after some more in depth stuff that will allow me to read about what I am seeing.

For companions for DSOs (where I want to be able to read more than the RA and DEC of the object!) I've come up with:

Deep-Sky Companions: Hidden Treasures Deep Sky Companions: Amazon.co.uk: Stephen James O'Meara: Books

Deep-Sky Companions: The Caldwell Objects Deep-Sky Companions: Amazon.co.uk: Patrick Moore, Stephen James O'Meara: Books

Double Stars for Small Telescopes: More Than 2,100 Stellar Gems for Backyard Observers Stargazing: Amazon.co.uk: Sissy Haas: Books

and for the Messiers I have found 3 potentials:

Deep-Sky Companions: The Caldwell Objects Deep-Sky Companions: Amazon.co.uk: Patrick Moore, Stephen James O'Meara: Books

Atlas of the Messier Objects: Highlights of the Deep Sky: Amazon.co.uk: Ronald Stoyan, Stefan Binnewies, Susanne Friedrich, Klaus-Peter Schroeder: Books

Messier's Nebulae and Star Clusters Practical Astronomy Handbooks: Amazon.co.uk: Kenneth Glyn Jones: Books

Also, as a background to the physics of all of this and to start to understand the coordinate systems and physics issues I found this:

The Amateur Astronomer's Introduction to the Celestial Sphere: Amazon.co.uk: William Millar: Books

Turn left at orion (which I don't have) and a decent moon map are already on the list.

Thoughts (in particular should I avoid any of the above?).

Thanks

[Ben Ritchie]

I think the O'Meara ones are great, I have all three - they get longer through the series, Hidden Treasures is huge, and the Messier one is the most generally useful. He's a great writer though, and they're an interesting read even if you don't observe some of the objects in the later books (at least some are out of reach of the UK). I'd say the Messier book is close to a 'must have'

I like Burnham's celestial handbook, three volumes and a bit out of date, but a great read too.

Another recommendation for the scientific side of things is Kahler's "Stars and their Spectra" which is very well written - another good one by him is "Extreme Stars".

[arad85]

Thanks Ben,

Any more views out there - someone must have a view on if any of the above are either a waste of time or difficult read...

[Doc]

I've seen the Hidden treasure book and it's awesome. About 600 pages of very well written and easily digested facts backed up by finder charts and photographs of the objects.

This is the one on my xmas list.

[callump]

I would also add Starhopping by Robert Garfinkle, and Sue French's Celestial Sampler.

I have not been totally convinced by "Turn Left..." - but it seems to be popular.

I would also recommend Starlight Nights by Leslie Peltier - is more of a story of an astronomers life, but very inspiring and great americana.

For more about astronomy rather than just observing, my first year textbook Exploration Of the Universe by George Abell (Abell clusters of galaxies and pn's fame) would be a pretty good starting point. Out of print now, i think, but you may be able to get a second hand copy. Also may be a bit out of date, but then the laws of physics have not changed (much) in the last 20 years.

/callump

[arad85]

Thanks all... keep 'em coming...

[iamjulian]

Haven't read many (any?) of the ones you mention, but I read the hunt for planet x book and could not put it down. Fantastic book if you are interested in planets, comets, etc.