NightWatch: A Practical Guide to Viewing the UniverseWith 250,000 copies in print since its initial publication in 1983, NightWatch has become a standard reference guide for stargazers throughout North America. The new Third Edition expands on that success with a completely revised and updated text, more than 100 new color photos and diagrams and 16 additional pages that cover such! new astronomical pursuits as computerized telescopes, reviews of new telescope designs and accessories, and astronomy on the Internet. All charts, tables and diagrams have been updated and, in some cases, redesigned for easier use. Improved spacecraft measurements of the distances to the stars (recently released by the European Space Agency) are included in the charts, along with additional observing tips for stargazers using binoculars and telescopes. An expanded chapter on Astrophotography lists the best modern films and cameras for skyshooting. The new NightWatch is faithful to the "ultra-simplified, no jargon" philosophy of the original, and at the same time, offers substantially more practical information for the novice and intermediate-level amateur astronomer. The Royal Astronomical Society of Canada called the first edition "the best of its kind"- the new Third Edition is better still. It is still an abundantly illustrated, wide-sized volume designed for easy reference during many starlit nights. |
Contents
CHAPTER ONE DISCOVERING THE COSMOS | 8 |
CHAPTER THREE BACKYARD ASTRONOMY | 26 |
CHAPTER FOUR STARS FOR ALL SEASONS | 38 |
CHAPTER FIVE STARGAZING EQUIPMENT | 60 |
CHAPTER SIX PROBING THE DEPTHS | 82 |
CHAPTER SEVEN THE PLANETS | 120 |
CHAPTER EIGHT MOON AND SUN | 136 |
CHAPTER NINE SOLAR AND LUNAR ECLIPSES | 146 |
CHAPTER TEN COMETS METEORS AND AURORAS | 154 |
CHAPTER ELEVEN PHOTOGRAPHING THE NIGHT SKY | 164 |
CHAPTER TWELVE RESOURCES | 170 |