Customer Reviews

The Backyard Astronomer's Guide

5 star:		(35)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Terence Dickinson is perhaps the leading writer of English-language amateur astronomy books; his Nightwatch is rightly considered one of the best introductions to the night sky and how to observe it. It covers the broad range of amateur astronomy admirably, from science to equipment to observing tactics. One of the only glaring drawbacks to the book is that it is simply too short.

The Backyard Astronomer's Guide is an able sequel. Written with fellow Canadian amateur Alan Dyer, it goes further in depth than does Nightwatch. Because it also goes into specifics in recommending telescopes and accessories, however, it quickly grew out of date. A somewhat updated and revised edition came out in 1994, but more than eight years have passed since then, and most of the models described there have been discontinued, although a few workhorses have continued to the present day.

Now, at last, this book is available in a true second edition. The changes are at once obvious and subtle. Obvious, in that the production is stunning: the old photos, mostly black-and-white, have been replaced by beautiful full-color images of the night sky and detailed diagrams of equipment. Subtle, in that the table of contents reads almost the same; it's not so much the inherent content that has changed so much as how it's presented.

One chapter from the first edition that has disappeared is one entitled "Ten Myths About Telescopes and Observing." In the first edition, this chapter was praised by reviewers and readers alike (and excoriated by some other readers, too!); it undoubtedly surpassed Dickinson and Dyer's expectations in terms of the amount of discussion it engendered. Whether you agree with them or not, they have at least educated their readers about the dispute over these myths. It's hardly the case that anyone makes claims like "Images Appear Brighter in Fast Telescopes" (Myth #2 from the 1994 edition) without being challenged.

Perhaps because of that, and also because Dickinson and Dyer may have felt that it was more important to make sure that beginners (who might buy this book without buying Nightwatch first) were able to use their equipment effectively, the myths chapter has been replaced by an introduction to using telescopes. Like all the other chapters, this one is lavishly illustrated and finely detailed, enough so that one can follow along, step-by-step, in assembling and orienting a telescope and its mount. For example, nearly a full page is devoted to getting a telescope on a GEM, or German Equatorial Mount, to cross the meridian, a tough task for beginners to figure out on their own.

Also substantially changed in presentation is the chapter on finding your way around the night sky. The vagaries of navigation, the celestial sphere, and the nightly movements of the planets, are here illustrated by several pages of diagrams, printed from a number of different planetarium programs. This book has definitely felt the impact of computer visualization of the sky.

Elsewhere, the material has been updated more than changed. New equipment has replaced old equipment, and some of that old equipment now appears in a "classics" category--things to look for in the used telescopes bin. There is a new spin on the chapter on accessories: these have been divided into must-haves, nice-to-haves, and don't-haves. (Much to my surprise, the two-dollar eye patch that I find so handy to relieve strain on my right eye--I'm left-eyed--has been unceremoniously dumped in the don't-have category.)

Should you buy this book? If you don't have it yet, and you'd like a comprehensive, easy-to-understand reference, this is the one. There really is nothing else like it on the market today. If you have one of the older editions, the decision is harder. Certainly, there's enough overlap that you can probably find out newer information from various sources without spending the same amount of money. But it's hard to get it all in one place, and the new edition certainly is a visual treat.

Excellent resource and value. This will be a book the amateur astronomer will wear out. High quality printing, layout, design and graphics. Very concise and up to date.

I think to begin in astronomy the first step to do is get this book ... Well written, nice layout, great pictures. An essential...The best book on amateur astronomy that I read... all there. It's really a reference, only downside, no French translation available ... But written with a highly technical vocabulary, so readable even for an idiot like me.

Le meilleur livre sur L'astronomie amateur que j'ai lue...tout y est. C'est vraiment une référence seul bémol, aucune traduction française de disponible...Mais écrit avec un vocabulaire très technique donc déchiffrable même pour un poche en anglais comme moi.

Astronomy can be an intimidating subject for the beginner. This book makes it all clear and covers all the important subjects for the beginning astronomer. Highly recommended.

I got this book from the library, read a lot of it, like half, and got excited that I bought it on amazon. Now I have my own. it covers everything,from what you can see with your two eyes and what you can see with binculars and different types of telescopes. Some history and where we are going with the hobby,.Most important is advice, the dos and donts, this will save you thousands of dollars, and most important, what you can expect to see from a dark site or the city .It also covers a bit of astro photography,which is important to you in real life cameras,and lots more info you may need
Yes ,the people that put this book together, were great at explaining how it all works, it is a masterpiece an should be in your home library, and you may use it a lot and the links it recommends

I own more than 20 astronomy books, this one is the best. Even experienced amateurs will find it interesting and will learn from it.

This is an absolute must for every beginner in Astronomy. Dickinson's book is the standard for beginning astronomers, and is well worth the price.

The Backyard Astronomers guide is an excellent book on all aspects of Astronomy . From selecting a telescope, eyepieces, & filters to advanced Astronomy and deep sky observing. A must have book for beginners and veterns alike. From choosing equipment to observing to advanced tips and techniques,Astrophotography and care and mantainence of your telescope and equipment.Terrence Dickinson & Alan Dyer do a master job of covering all aspects and questions in this , wonderful world of Astronomy. Highly reccomended! 5 stars all around!

For good reason, I purchased this after reading "Nightwatch" by the same author, which I would highly recommend as a first book. After getting a primer from the above mentioned book, I was thirsty for more depth. Through reading this book I've been granted a greater understanding of the workings of our solar system, a solid foundation from which to choose eyepieces (if you're familiar with the potential costs on these items, that alone is worth the cover price!), and a launching pad towards other books & materials in accordance with the opinions of the authors. I own the latest revision (2008?) and can say it looks completely up to date in terms of products & information covered. This book has more information than I'll probably ever need but it's been a blast reading it through. It takes the framework established in Nightwatch and expands on it several times over. I especially liked small touches such as the infrequent blurbs about Charles Messier or the 'Leviathan of Parsonstown' -little snippets of astronomy history any enthusiast would find enthralling. The photographs and illustrations are top-notch, nicely complementing the text. I will concede that much of the info offered by the book is readily available on the internet, but it is all neatly organized and conveniently waiting for you at the flip of a fingertip here.

In summary, I would not recommend you consider this an introduction to astronomy, but would rather suggest 'Nightwatch' as better reading for the beginner. Those who are ready to make a serious investment (of time &/or money) into the hobby of astronomy need look no further for an exhaustive reference on the subject.

I cannot heap sufficient praise on this gargantuan effort! Authors Dyer and Dickinson are to be highly commended for this gift to the amateur astronomic community...the sheer amount of practical information packed within this volume is enough to keep the budding ( as well as experienced ) enthusiast "woodshedding" through many a cloudy night! Telescopes of all brands and types are thoroughly examined, along with all the makes of eyepieces, digital equipment, etc...yet this isn't a mere technical treasure trove. These two guys clearly convey their passion for astronomy, along with frank, down-to-earth advice for everyone ranging from the novice to the serious amateur. If I have a single frustration, it's that this gem is far too practical a volume to be a somewhat unwieldy "coffee table" book...I want to order a second copy to chop up into manageable chapters bound individually (!) It's just that good! And did I say anything about the spectacular photographs?