Nightwatch : A Practical Guide to Viewing the Universe Hardback

This is the fifth edition of this established introduction to astronomy, but the first edition with UK specific content.

With more than 275,000 copies in print since its initial publication, Nightwatch has become the standard reference guide to stargazers around the world.

Terence Dickinson covers all the problems beginners face, starting with the fact that the night sky does not look the way a modern-city dweller expects.

He discusses light pollution, how to choose binoculars and telescopes, how to pronouce the names of stars and constellations, telescope mounts, averted vision and why the Harvest Moon looks especially bright.

Most of the photographs are taken by amatuers, which gives the section on astrophotography a particularly inspirational gleam.

The deep-sky star charts are incredibly comprehensive and all the tables of dates and times of future solar and lunar eclipses, planetary conjunctions and planet locations have been updated through to the year 2018. 'One of the best handbooks for the wannabe astronomer'.

Dr. Tim O'Brien, senior lecturer in astrophysics at Jodrell Bank Observatory.