Challenges of Astronomy

This is a very readable and informative textbook. While the initial exercises require far less scientific sophistication than the later ones, it is definitely written with potential scientists in mind (astronomy undergraduates in particular). It starts with some very preliminary material on our perception of the shape of the sky, followed by the use of sky charts and then an explanation of Stonehenge as a tool to calculate eclipses. The next twenty or so chapters deal with the fundamentals of doing planetary astronomy, while the final chapters move us outside the Solar System. It includes several useful appendices, including ones on coordinate systems, error analysis, and planetary positions. If you are interested in astronomy, this is a great place to start.