Amateur Astronomer

• Astronomy as a Hobby.- The Unfolding Universe.- Telescopes and Observatories.- The Solar System.- The Sun.- The Moon.- Occultations and Eclipses.- Aurorae and the Zodiacal Light.- The Nearer Planets.- The Outer Planets.- Comets and Meteors.- The Stellar Sky.- The Nature of a Star.- Double Stars.- Variable Stars.- Star Clusters and Nebulae.- Galaxies.- Beginnings and Endings.

From the reviews of the twelfth edition: "The Amateur Astronomer is aimed at both novice and experienced amateur, although evidently biased towards the former. ... should be mandatory reading for anyone thinking of buying a first telescope. ... We find here useful statistical data, cartographies, catalogues, and notes relevant to the owners of small to medium telescopes. ... Now approaching 50 years old ... this 12th edition continues the book's long tradition of providing an invaluable handbook for those requiring a broad introduction to amateur astronomy. A classic; absolutely recommended." (Steve Ringwood, Astronomy Now, June 2005) "Classic text that covers the basics of all the major areas of astronomical observing, from lunar and planetary studies to observing and measuring double and variable stars. The high-quality black & white illustrations and images in this book bring together the old and the new in a way that is refreshingly different. ... This highly recommended book will have pride of place on my bookshelf and I will continue to dip in and out of it for many years to come." (Neil English, Astronomy and Space, January, 2007)