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Bone, Neil Meteors Practical guide, covering naked eye observation, photography and radio detection. Very good. |
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Consolmagno, Guy & Davis, Dan Turn Left at Orion The new edition of this excellent book, packed with viewing tips and clear instruction. Also realistic drawings of what you can expect to actually see. |
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Kitchin, Chris Photo-Guide to the Constellations: A Self-Teaching Guide to Finding Your Way Around the Heavens The photographs of the sky as it actually looks under a variety of conditions, coupled with a detailed guide to star-hopping and other useful techniques, will enable you to quickly and easily gain a working knowledge of the constellations. |
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Levitt, I.M. & Marshall, Roy Star Maps for Beginners Now in its 50th edition, this is an excellent guide to viewing the heavens. |
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Levy, David H. Observing Variable Stars: A Guide for the Beginner A good introduction to this fascinating branch of astronomy, where the amateur still makes a valuable contribution. Has good charts and seasonal observing suggestions. |
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Moore, Patrick (ed) The
Astronomy Encyclopedia An excellent and comprehensive encyclopedia; ideal basic reference for new astronomers. |
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Newton, Jack & Teece, Philip The Guide to Amateur Astronomy This highly regarded book is packed with practical advice and hints from everything from chosing your first telescope to CCD imaging techniques. Of interest to beginners and experienced amateurs. |
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Ridpath, Ian Dictionary of Astronomy A very thorough quick reference, written in the clear, understandable style that we have come to expect from Ridpath. Highly recommended. |
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Ridpath, Ian and Tirion, Wil Collins Gem: Stars This little "gem" is often overlooked by serious astronomers, but its small format (8cm x 11.5cm) gives you a star atlas in your shirt pocket! Separate chart for each constellation, down to mag 5. Lots of DSOs, including the Messiers, are marked. Recommended |
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Ridpath, Ian & Tirion, Wil The Monthly Sky Guide Clear and simple introduction for beginners of all ages. Recommended. |
City Astronomy
The UK edition is entitled Astronomy from Towns and Suburbs
Yes, it's possible, even with all that light about!
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Upgren, Arthur Night Has a Thousand Eyes Thiis is, quite simply, the best introduction to naked eye astronomy yet written. Upgren weaves a remarkable book that takes the reader to a greater depth of understanding and knowledge than any other book aimed at a similar readership. The style is captivating and the explanations have a simplicity that comes from a mastery of the subject matter. Highly recommended. |