Star Ware: The Amateur Astronomer's Guide to Choosing, Buying, and Using Telescopes and Accessories

This has got to be the best and most comprehensive book on everything to do with astronomical equipment. Reading all three editions not only fully equips you with the knowledge on which scope (or binoculars) is best for your needs, but also serves as a "historical" overview of scopes from the past. What I especially liked about the book is that it has exhaustive reviews of scopes and they are split into different categories and brand names (yup brand names and makes are mentioned in the book). Also has a homemade astronomer section that is very useful. Plus, in the 1st and 2nd edition, there is a section on observing (with eyepiece impression sketches). I was disappointed that this section was left out in the third edition but then this spawned Phil's other book "Starwatch". Highly recommended!!!!!!!!!

Looking for a friend to help guide you when buying your first telescope, binoculars, or some new eyepieces and accessories. Phil Harrington, acting vicariously through Star Ware, is that friend. The author, who also writes equipment reviews for Astronomy magazine, exhaustively examines the current astronomical marketplace and discusses the pros and cons of just about everything an amateur astronomer could want and purchase.The book also features ten new make-at-home projects, including two observatories, a simple digital imager that is light enough to use with *any* telescope, a pair of binocular mounts, an observing chair, and more.Further, the author's extensive web site ... is regularly updated with the latest news on telescopes and astro-equipment.I highly recommend Star Ware for all amateur astronomers who are interested in learning about and purchasing the best equipment.

I've read 'em all and Star Ware is still the single best book about equipment for the amateur astonomer ever written. The author has clearly done a tremendous amount of research to cover just about every conceivable piece of equipment out there. And, best of all, he discusses pros and cons evenly, without bias, and with a sense of humor that holds the interest of even non-astronomer types.If you are thinking about buying a telescope or other piece of astronomical equipment, the price of this book could save you hundreds. And, in the long run, you will end up knowing more about what to buy and how to use it, thanks all to this book.Bravo!

Contains all the information you will need to make an educated choice when buying a telescope for the first time. Expands into many supplemental areas with practical examples throughout. I used this book as my primary source of information prior to buying my scope - absolutely no regrets. The book is very easy to use and follow. It is comprehensive, but written in a language anyone can understand. The included comparisons and examples are extremely helpful.

As an intermediate/advanced amateur astronomer, I purchased Star Ware primarily as a reference tool for optical calculations and starting astrophotography. Well, I wound up reading the book from cover to cover in about two days, and I must say it is a wonderful book for all levels of viewers. It covers everything from selecting equipment and observing sites, to long exposure astrophotography and do-it-yourself projects. The author imparts his knowledge in a no-nonsense way that allows the reader to fully understand the concepts of all topics discussed.If you are just beginning and have not yet purchased a telescope (or binoculars), or are fairly new to astronomy and looking for additional equipment or accessories, PLEASE READ THIS BOOK FIRST! It will help you to become a very informed consumer, teach you to evaluate your observing site(s), and help determine your overall situation with respect to astronomy. For the price of $19.95, the book could save you hundreds (or thousands) of dollars in the long-run. Moreover, you will have a great reference to use throughout your observing career. Whether the reader is interested in planetary work or deep-sky viewing, Star Ware gives great techniques and tips for viewing everything from our own star to the extra-galactic domain. This book helps the beginner to select the proper equipment for starting out, and also guides the more advanced observer in choosing accessories for enhancing equipment performance for specific areas of astronomy. In addition, the book delves into the complex science and art of astrophotography, with helpful suggestions from the author about getting started and basic methods.A very nice part of this book is the appendix section, detailing out equipment, accessories, manufacturers, etc. It also contains the entire Messier Catalog in table form, complete with R.A. and Dec. coordinates. In short, Star Ware is a superb text that belongs on the shelf of every amateur astronomer.