Product Description

This comprehensive work takes you on a personal tour of the universe using nothing more than a pair of binoculars. More comprehensive than any book currently available, it starts with Earth's nearest neighbor, the moon, and then goes on to explore each planet in the solar system, asteroids, meteors, comets and the sun. Following this, the reader is whisked away into deep space to explore celestial bodies including stars that are known and many sights less familiar. The final chapter includes a detailed atlas of deep-sky objects visible through binoculars. The appendices include guidance on how to buy, care for and maintain astronomical binoculars, tips and hints on using them, and detailed information on several home-made binocular mounts.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #243333 in Books
• Published on: 1990-10-04
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 304 pages

From Library Journal
Many works for amateur astronomers emphasize the use of telescopes, but this book shows the wealth of astronomical work that can be done with binoculars. Relegating technical details on binoculars to appendixes, Harrington, a freelance astronomy writer, introduces the reader to the solar system, stars, galaxies, and nebulae in general. He then provides a constellation-by-constellation survey, providing data on the most view-worthy deep-sky objects visible through binoculars. Throughout the book, the author carefully and consistently notes the capabilities and limitations of binoculars. Strongly recommended for public and academic libraries.
- Jack W. Weigel, Univ. of Michigan Lib., Ann Arbor
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From the Publisher
This comprehensive work takes you on a personal tour of the universe using nothing more than a pair of binoculars. More comprehensive than any book currently available, it starts with Earth's nearest neighbor, the moon, and then goes on to explore each planet in the solar system, asteroids, meteors, comets and the sun. Following this, the reader is whisked away into deep space to explore celestial bodies including stars that are known and many sights less familiar. The final chapter includes a detailed atlas of deep-sky objects visible through binoculars. The appendices include guidance on how to buy, care for and maintain astronomical binoculars, tips and hints on using them, and detailed information on several home-made binocular mounts.

Customer Reviews

A great into to observing
If someone was to ask me what their first astronomy purchase should be, I'd say a pair of 7x50 binoculars, a comfy lawn chair and this book.

A Useful Book
I am a professional scientist and have an 8" amateur telescope (Meade) plus a variety of binoculars plus books and software.

Here is the problem. Living in the city and living a hectic life the opportunities to observe the sky and one's schedule rarely mix in any ideal fashion. Often I am in the coutryside when the light conditions are near perfect - a cold night in Canada in the country where there is no light is truly amazing - so I like to keep one good 7x50 pair in my car with this book.

It is a nice backup. Almost 300 pages, lots of stuff, 1000 objects listed, nice index, easy to read. Not many photos and they are black and white. Quick reference manual.

Jack in Toronto

A terrific book now even better with new star atlas CD-ROM
I have used this book since it first came out almost ten years ago, and have always found it a big help when planning an observing session with my binoculars. It talks about sky objects that are ignored by just about every other book out there, but that are *easily* visible through binoculars! Guess none of the other binoculars books bothered to really research the topic.

But now, the book has gotten even better with the new Touring the Universe Through Binoculars Atlas CD-ROM. A great value for the price too! I first looked for it on Amazon.com, but I guess they don't sell it. (hey, Amazon! hint hint). I ended up buying it right through Harrington's home page. Together, the book and CD are the most complete survey of the binocular sky ever created! My advice is to buy the book here and get the CD separately. If you like binocular observing as much as I do, they make a great team.