National Audubon Society First Field Guide: Night Sky

My son received a telescope for Christmas, and I purchased this book as a companion. It is loaded with information about the sun, moon, planets, nebulas, comets, meteors, auroras, eclipses, and constellations. The part I liked best was the very detailed information about the constellations and when the best viewing times for them are. There are many brilliant color photographs and lots of interesting and helpful text. The section called "Finding Things in the Sky" gives the user useful tips on how to locate such things as planets, stars, and constellations. Tips on using azimuth, rising stars, and locating Polaris are included to help the viewer locate many interesting objects in the night sky. I highly recommend this fine book. The text and pictures are extremely helpful, and it is written for young users to understand. Nurture your young astronomer's interest by purchasing this fine book. You'll be finding all kinds of different objects in the night sky in no time.

Gary Mechler has written an easily readable description of the night skies and also gives a good account of the universe in general. Although a part of Audubon's First Field Guide series intended for readers 9-12, this well illustrated book could be a good starting point for a reader of any age. It starts with an overview of what astronomy is, and then progresses to lively descriptions of the universe and its contents starting with the big and far away, and coming progressively closer to our planet in our solar system. The second part of the book consists of star charts by the renowned stellar cartographer Wil Tirion. These beginner level charts of the most important constellations, feature enough binocular and telescope objects to keep a beginning telescope owner busy for many evenings. There are many color images of the constellations charted (some taken by the reviewer), so that you can compare the map with a photo of the real sky on a cloudy evening. The book ends with a useful reference section containing a glossary, tables of astronomical events such as eclipses, meteor showers, etc., a good further reading list, and usable index. The only criticism I can level at this handy and attractively priced book is that the signatures or parts of the sewn binding started to separate slightly almost immediately on opening the book a few times.