 | Celestial Sampler: 60 Small-Scope Tours for Starlit Nights (Stargazing) by Sue French
Buy new: $16.47 / Used from: $8.98 Sue's book is aimed at astronomers of all levels and surveys many of the deep sky wonders visible through a small scope - many of which are visible from suburban skies. There are four articles for every month which should keep you busy every weekend!
|
 | Boy Scouts of America's Deck of Stars by Ian Ridpath
Buy new: $9.99 / Used from: $5.60 This isn't just for Boy Scouts! The deck contains over forty cards, is well designed, informative and small enough to take outside and spread across an observing table try doing that with a regular astronomy book. Each card details a constellation and on the back are 3 or 4 interesting objects to observe. Highly recommended for star parties and vacations!
|
 | Orion SkyQuest XT4.5 Classic Dobsonian Telescope
A great choice for beginners and more experienced observers looking for a "pick up and go" scope.
Focal length is 900mm which means a 10mm eyepiece will give a magnification of 90x. I've found you can kick it up to about 160x under suburban skies without any real problems. Its not a Go-To but thats a plus this way youll really learn your way around the sky.
|
 | Orion Shorty 2x Barlow Lens, 1.25"
Buy new: $43.95 A nifty little tool. Barlows increase the magnification of an eyepiece without sacrificing your field of view. This one is especially useful given it's size - it's only a little longer than an eyepiece and can therefore be comfortably used and stored without any problems.
|
 | Astronomy Hacks by Robert Bruce Thompson
Buy new: $16.47 / Used from: $12.49 THE book for ALL astronomers when it comes to those tips 'n tricks and answers to all your "how can I?" questions. The authors are experienced amateur astronomers who want to share their experience and who aren't afraid to admit they're still learning. This book covers everything related to astronomy, including equipment, observing and even star party etiquette.
|
 | Sky & Telescope's Pocket Sky Atlas by Roger W. Sinnott
Buy new: $13.57 / Used from: $10.99 The Pocket Sky Atlas is conveniently sized, making it very portable and will easily fit into many eyepiece or telescope bags. The maps are detailed enough for binoculars or a finderscope so its is probably best used for locating some of the brighter objects. Anything faint and far away from bright stars may be a little harder to find. Generally speaking though, this atlas is indispensable.
|
 | Turn Left at Orion: A Hundred Night Sky Objects to See in a Small Telescope--and How to Find Them by Guy Consolmagno
Buy new: $18.47 / Used from: $14.00 Ive seen many books aimed at beginners but this one really does it for me. Most books have glossy photos that look great but give a completely unrealistic expectation of what youll see through a scope. Turn Left At Orion is very truthful no fantastic photos, but rather some very realistic sketches of what youll see and easy instructions to help you find the object. A must for every beginner.
|
 | The Grand Tour: A Traveler's Guide to the Solar System by William K. Hartmann
Buy new: $14.96 / Used from: $0.48 Save this book for those cloudy nights! If youve ever wanted to watch Saturn rise from the surface of one of its moons, this is the book for you. I had the first edition when I was a kid and I loved it. Since then its been revised with recent discoveries from Galileo and Cassini and is full of beautiful artwork that really spark your imagination. Itll make you wish for those clouds to clear...
|
 | Orion RedBeam II LED Flashlight
Buy new: $21.95 Don't leave home without it! A red flashlight will save your night vision when you're out in the field, peering at star charts. This Orion flashlight also allows you to adjust the strength of the beam. There are others you can buy but this is the one I use so I can't comment on the others. Use it or lose it (your night vision, that is)
|
 | The Night Sky 40°-50° (Large) Star Finder by David S. Chandler
Buy new: $11.95 / Used from: $9.99 A planisphere is essential for quickly dialing up a night and time to find out whats up. It wont tell you about the Moon or planets, but it will tell you which stars should be visible. That makes it indispensable for newbies trying to learn the constellations in the field. There are plenty available but a white one is easier to read in the dark with your red flashlight.
|
 | The Observer's Sky Atlas: With 50 Star Charts Covering the Entire Sky by E. Karkoschka
Buy new: $23.07 / Used from: $21.77 This pocket-sized atlas breaks the sky down into manageable chunks. Each map has a list of suggested deep sky objects and stars to observe and close-up maps showing where those objects are in the sky. As a plus, theres also a very useful planetary table at the back of the book. Perhaps not for the beginner, its certainly something an experienced astronomer would want in his collection.
|
Listmania!
