Astronomy HacksBy Robert Thompson, Barbara Fritchman Thompson
This has become my bible of sorts. Always a good read, and plenty of things to keep the newbie busy. How to pick a scope, how to trick it out, computer gizmos to buy, etc. A must read.
The Stars: A New Way to See ThemH.A. Rey
Yes, the same H.A. Rey that wrote and illustrated Curious George books. He was also a scientist, and this book is a the coolest way to learn the constellations. My kids love it, I love it, you'll love it.
NightwatchTerence Dickinson
This is one I just got, and like the Hacks book, it is a great beginners guide to all things astronomy. Lots of pictures, easy to read, and it is spiral-bound to lay flat. The 2006 edition has all new goodies, too.
Sky Atlas 2000.0Wil Tirion
I just found the older 80's printing (black cover, spiral bound, unlaminated) at a half-price books store for under $9! Had to buy it, even if it is SO hardcore. This is an amazing book of star charts, well organized and full of great stuff to hunt down. The link is for the new edition, and has sprial bound laminated pages. Pricey, but a great resource.
Sky and Telescope's Pocket Sky AtlasRoger W. Sinnott
An easy to use field guide full of star charts. Many deep sky objects, easy to read (even at night), and a super bargain. If you're not going to spend $75 on SkyAtlas 2000.0, this $10 book is right up your alley.
3 comments:
I was actually just researching buying some kick arse binocs (Celestron SkyMaster 25x100) when I saw you're new blog. Funny. Geeky minds think alike, eh? Although living in a highrise in downtown Chicago, I would probably have better luck looking in windows than up at the stars.
Dave, who knew you'd been bitten by the bug too! Giant binoculars are great, but get a tripod for those bad boys. I get shaky just holding my 10x50s. My brother has some 25x100s, and they are rediculously large. In a good way :)
You could also try a 100mm short tube refractor telescope on a tripod - depends on your preferences!
Yeah, so far I've only seen little 100 x 100 .GIFs of the binoculars I was researching, so I have no idea how big they are in real life. I'm sure I'll be shocked just by the size of the box. "Holy crap! It doesn't even fit in the elevator"
My girlfriend, Monica, took me to the Adler Planetarium when they had the lunar eclipse a few months ago. It was pretty cool, so I've been thinking about it ever since.
I'm in Columbus this weekend visiting for my nephew's 13th birthday. Wish I had a car so I could stop by and visit you guys. I can't believe it's been like two years since the last time. Yikes.
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