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square_peg
Postmaster
Reged: 03/26/04
Posts: 36712
Loc: Maple Valley, WA
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My very thoughtful daughter bought me two astronomy books for father's day. A Guide To Skywatching, 2002 Edition, by David Levy and Atlas of the Universe, 2003 Border's Edition, by Patrick Moore. The Moore book is a coffee table book full of pictures of spacecraft, chapters on various mission and lots of interesting trivia, but seems of little value as an atlas or guide for amateur astronomers. The Levy book is full of useful information and easy to read star charts. I only wish it was ring-bound so it would lay flat. Already in my collection were Nightwatch by Dickinson and The Sky at Night, 'a complete interactive kit', by Robin Kerrod. I like both of these last two, but Nightwatch gets the most use, by far. Do any of you have strong opinions about any of these books? Which would be your favorite? 
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Tom (Pegster)
DSH-8 (GSO Dob)
15x70 Oberwerks
ED80/SVP
WO 66P
Sears Discoverer EQ 60/900
8x42 Regals
History is Philosophy teaching by examples.
Thucydides
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Fiske
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 03/14/04
Posts: 2230
Loc: Missouri / United States
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I rarely meet an astronomy book I can't find something to like about (even if Patrick Moore's name appears on the cover).  And to get astronomy books for Father's Day -- what could be better?
I picked up a copy of Fred Schaaf's A Year of Stars earlier this year and think it's a wonderful guide for observers of all experience levels. It comes with some star maps, but I don't think they're all that useful.
If you don't have a copy, you might look for the Crossen/Tirion Binocular Astronomy. Even though it is for binoculars, most of the objects are also good for small to even medium sized scopes. The book includes a version of the Bright Star atlas and some of the best descriptive text you'll find anywhere.
For Father's Day my wife gave me Owen Gingerich's The Book Nobody Read (about Copernicus' de Revolutionibus) and Peter Hamilton's Pandora's Star. I was delighted.
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Fiske Miles
Nikon 8x42 LX / 12x50 SE Binos
Mini Borg 60ED, TV-101, AT80Ach, XT-8, C11/CI-700, 22-Inch Dob
Way too many Nagler eyepieces
http://www.fiskemiles.blogspot.com/
www.fiskemiles.com
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Tim2723
The Moon Guy
Reged: 02/19/04
Posts: 5762
Loc: Northern New Jersey
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You have a very thoughtful daughter who is also a good shopper!
Here's a trivial bit of advice that will soon get lost in the stacks but for what it's worth:
Once apon a time I was the organist for a local church. I had tons of sheet music that came bound as softcover books. They wouldn't lay flat, so I took them to my local printer who drilled three holes in the margin and the cut the spine off with a hydrolic cutter used for that purpose. I put the pages in three ring binders and the problem was solved. Ruins the resale of the book, but I never intended to sell them anyway.
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Intes MK-66 Deluxe (6" f/12 Maksutov)
Celestron C-102HD (4" f/10 achromat)
Celestron C-102AZ (4" f/5 achromat)
Orion 6LT (6" f/8 classic Newtonian)
Orion Apex 90 (90mm Mak spotter/grab-n-go/little fun scope)
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ArizonaScott
Postmaster
Reged: 04/29/04
Posts: 5864
Loc: Scottsdale, AZ
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Wow! That's quite a kid you got there! My 6 & 8 year olds like to give me red lights, astro books, and hand drawn cards with astro drawings on them. Don't ya just love it?
My favorite book is and always will be Nightwatch. It's what got me interested in DSO's and I always refer back to it even though it's a "beginners" book. The charts are great for newbies. I also love any book by Stephen James O'Meara. His drawings and descriptions are unequalled and interesting to read. Keep collecting those books. If I find one I don't like I take it to a used bookstore and trade it for something else. My collection always rotates!
Happy reading,
Scott
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Scott
10" LX200 Classic, Konus 200, Orion ST80, ETX90 OTA, 60mm Celestron alt-az, Obie 20x80's, Meade 10x50's
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square_peg
Postmaster
Reged: 03/26/04
Posts: 36712
Loc: Maple Valley, WA
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Quote:
Once apon a time I was the organist for a local church. I had tons of sheet music that came bound as softcover books. They wouldn't lay flat, so I took them to my local printer who drilled three holes in the margin and the cut the spine off with a hydrolic cutter used for that purpose. I put the pages in three ring binders and the problem was solved. Ruins the resale of the book, but I never intended to sell them anyway.
Type is too close to the binding for that. I have the equipment at the office to do it, but I'd lose a few words on each page.
Thanks for the advice, though.
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Tom (Pegster)
DSH-8 (GSO Dob)
15x70 Oberwerks
ED80/SVP
WO 66P
Sears Discoverer EQ 60/900
8x42 Regals
History is Philosophy teaching by examples.
Thucydides
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square_peg
Postmaster
Reged: 03/26/04
Posts: 36712
Loc: Maple Valley, WA
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Quote:
Wow! That's quite a kid you got there! My 6 & 8 year olds like to give me red lights, astro books, and hand drawn cards with astro drawings on them. Don't ya just love it?
My favorite book is and always will be Nightwatch. It's what got me interested in DSO's and I always refer back to it even though it's a "beginners" book. The charts are great for newbies. I also love any book by Stephen James O'Meara. His drawings and descriptions are unequalled and interesting to read. Keep collecting those books. If I find one I don't like I take it to a used bookstore and trade it for something else. My collection always rotates!
Happy reading,
Scott
My daughter is 21 years old and was thoughtful enough to get me a bottle of Beam's Choice to boot.
Nightwatch charts work well for me. I've almost given up goto.
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Tom (Pegster)
DSH-8 (GSO Dob)
15x70 Oberwerks
ED80/SVP
WO 66P
Sears Discoverer EQ 60/900
8x42 Regals
History is Philosophy teaching by examples.
Thucydides
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