Universe Guide to Stars and Planets

This was the book that got me started! I have looked through dozens of guidebooks that described the stars and what to see, but none like this one. The format of this book is perfect, in that it goes from constellation to constellation, showing what is significant in terms of Messier objects, NGC objects, double and variable stars, and so on. There is also other information included, such as brief descriptions of what it is you may be looking at (e.g. what is a globular cluster, or a nebula), and the mythology and history of each constellation. There is a wealth of information in here, and the maps are superb (of course!, they're made by Wil Tirion), though they perhaps should not have a black-sky background, since it makes it hard to see under a red light. Overall, the book is comprehensive (for the beginner- to intermediate-level astronomer) and well made.