Periodicals and Books

Periodicals

General Interest Observing Astronomy Books

Listed in MLA format for your convenience. the additional info provided will help your online searches and are provided in no particular order – especially not alphabetically .

  • Dickinson, Terence. NightWatch – A Practical Guide to Viewing the Universe.  Buffalo: Firefly Books, 2006.  Now in its 4th edition.   ISBN-13:  978-1554071470.
Comment by member, Dave Allen:  Nightwatch by Terence Dickinson has carried me from naked eye, to binoculars,and my first telescope and that’s where I am right now. I put together an ORION 8 inch reflector dobsonian with a point to computer and have used the information in the book to work my way at the Universe along with charts. It also has a section on Photographing the night sky. The book is very easy for me to read with my High School Education.
  • Dickinson, Terence and Dyer, Alan.  The Backyard Astronomer’s Guide. Buffalo: Firefly Books, 2008.  Now in its 3rd edition. ISBN-13:  978-1554073443
  • Consolmagno, Guy & Davis, Dan M. Turn Left At Orion.  Cambridge:  Cambridge University Press. 1989.  (10th printing 2010).
  • Ferris, Timothy.  Seeing in the Dark.   New York:  Simon & Schuster. 2002.  ISBN:  0-684-86580-7
  • Sinnot, Roger.  Sky and Telescope’s Pocket Sky Atlas.  Cambridge:  Sky Publishing, 2006.  ISBN-13: 978-1931559317.
  • Rey, H. A. The Stars – A New Way To See Them.  HMH Books, 2008, 2nd Edition.  ISBN-13: 978-0547132808. Originally published in the 1950’s, this Curious George author’s work is appropriate for ages 12 and up and still stands up after all this time.
  • Harrington, Philip S.  StarWatch: The Amateur Astronomer’s Guide to Finding, Observing, and Learning about Over 125 Celestial Objects.  Hoboken:  Wiley, 2003.  ISBN: 0471418048. StarWare: the amateur astronomer’s guide to choosing, buying, and using telescopes and accessories.  Hoboken:  Wiley,  2007.  4th Edition. ISBN-13: 978-0471750635. Touring the Universe Through Binoculars – A Complete Astronomer’s Guidebook.  Hoboken:  Wiley,  1990.  ISBN: 0471513377. Also see Phil’s website at http://www.philharrington.net/
  • National Audobon Society. National Audobon Society’s Field Guide to the Night Sky. New York:  Knopf.  1990-98.  ISBN:  0-679-40852-5
  • Ottewell, Guy.  The Astronomical Calendar. Universal Workshop. 2011. This publication is annual.  The year of publication is for the year coming.  For example, 2011 publication is for use in the calendar year 2012.
  • Ridpath, Ian, Ed., Norton’s Star Atlas and Reference Handbook, 20th edition. New York:  Pi Press.  2004.  ISBN:  0-13-146164-2
  • Rukl, Antonin.  Atlas of the Moon.  Waukesha: Kalmbach Publishing.  1990-96.  ISBN:  0-913135-17-8

Special Interest Observing Astronomy Books

  • American Association of Variable Star Observers.  AAVSO Manual for Visual Observing of Variable Stars.  Boston, MA   (on-line) http://www.aavso.org/visual-observing-manual.  ISBN 1-878174-66-5
  • Greenberg, Richard.  Unmasking Europa.  New York:  Copernicus Books (Springer Publishing), 2008.  ISBN: 978-0-387-47936-1
  • Levy, David. David Levy’s Guide to Variable Stars, 2nd edition.   Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2006.  ISBN-13: 978-0521608602
  • Morrison, David, Wolff, Sidney and Fraknoi, Andrew. Abell’s Exploration of the Universe (Abell’s Exploration of the Universe, 7th ed).  San Diego: Harcourt College Pub; 1995. ISBN-13: 978-0030010347
  • Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, (RASC).  Observer’s Handbook 2012.  2011. ISBN-13: 978-0981329260.
This publication is annual. The year of publication is for the year coming. For example, 2011 publication is for use in the calendar year 2012.  (NB:  JSillasen – this publication is provided with membership in the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, http://www.rasc.ca)

Telescope Making Books

  • Thompson, Allyn J.  Making Your Own Telescope.  Dover Publications, 2011.  ISBN-13: 978-0486428833.
  • Texereau, Jean.  How to Make A Telescope, 2nd Edition. Richmond:  Willmann-Bell. 1984.  ISBN-10: 0943396042.
  • Brown, Sam.  All About Telescopes
  • Richard Berry.  Build Your Own Telescope, 3rd Edition. Richmond:  Willmann-Bell. 2001.   ISBN-13: 978-0943396699.
  • Ingalls, Albert , ed.  Amateur Telescope Making Vol’s 1-III.  Richmond:  Willmann-Bell.   Originally printed in the 1920’s.  1996. ISBN-10: 0943396492.
  • Kriege,  David and Berry, Richard.  The Dobsonian Telescope, 1st Edition.  Richmond:  Willmann-Bell.  1997. ISBN-10: 0943396557.

Astrophotography Books

  • Lodriguss, Jerry.  A Beginner’s Guide to DSLR Astrophotography, 3rd Printing.  Published on CD by the Author, GA.  2011. An Advanced Guide to Astrophotography with DSLR Cameras, 6th Printing.  Published on CD by the Author, GA. 2011. Photoshop for Astrophotographers.  Published as a download only by the Author, GA. 2004.  http://www.astropix.com/ This is also Jerry’s “Catching the Light” astrophotography website.
  • Wodaski, Ron.  The New CCD Astronomy.  Duvall:  New Astronomy Press.  2002.  ISBN:  0-9711237-0-5.

Publishers of Astronomy Related Books

This section is a members quick reference resource and does not imply an endorsement by ASGH.

Books by Club Members

Bob Gendler CCD Photographs. These are a must-see at  http://www.robgendlerastropics.com/ He has a large collection and they are superb. Adjectives fail…

  • Gendler, Robert. A Year in the Life of the Universe.  Minneapolis:  Voyageur Press.  2006.
  • Gendler, Robert. Capturing the Stars – Astrophotography by the Masters. Minneapolis:  Voyageur Press. 2009.
  • Gendler, Robert. Treasures of the Southern Skies.  New York:  Springer. 2011