This book is probably the most challenging book I have had to review so far, in that to review it I had to spend a lot of time staring at the sky - on the nights when conditions allowed me to do so. Having never seriously looked at the night sky for things other than navigation and the occasional howling, this book gave me a rather serious education on astronomy in short order.
The book includes a complete illustrated constellation guide, equipment lists and instructions, comprehensive charts and diagrams, information on 50 Constellations and lots of information on hundreds of sky objects.
I was, literally, awash in the sky. The book is a great guide and remains so - I cannot honestly say that I have read the whole thing. I certainly have used it a lot over the last 2 months. While there is a part of me that wants to donate the book to my secondary school alma mater's Astronomy Club - there is another part of me that is saying, "not yet!".
To do a proper review of this book, I think, would take me all year. As such, I am going to review it on how easy it is to use for someone new to astronomy.
Opening The Book
This book is what they call a 'field observing guide'. This means that you take it with you in the field where you are looking at the sky. For myself, I used San Fernando Hill in Trinidad and Tobago - away from the ambient lights of the area run by the Ministry of (De)Forestry. In looking at the book at a desk and under the light of a red flashlight, I saw what was at first intimidating to be very usable. The layout is easy to handle in such lighting which is very important. You might want to invest in some Post-it Flags
For newcomers to astronomy, like myself, reading the first 65 pages is important. A lot of astronomy concepts are in there for you to refer to, and your first few times out with the book you will end up looking back. The 'observing equipment' section is a must before you go out in the field - trust me on this. I went out with an old pair of very strong binoculars (brand, unknown!) and was getting a bit dizzy. One of the counterpoints in the book suggested something so simple that I almost slapped myself: Sit down. Or lie down. Silly me.
Once I got a clear sky and found Polaris (which, admittedly, took me about an hour), I was well on my way to finding the outer constellations. This, by itself, was a really fascinating journey for me and despite my geography the book worked quite well for me. Being close to the equator does have some benefits.
All in all, I would say that it would take a day's reading and some preparation before you actually get to use this book properly. If you do get the book - take that time.
The Review
The fact that this is the first book on Astronomy that I have reviewed is balanced by the fact that I am part of the intended audience. While there may be some things that more experienced people may find good and bad, my own use of the book to date - over a period of two months - has been nothing short of stellar. The soft cover and flexibility of the book make it versatile for carrying around, but care should be taken as well to avoid ripping the cover.
As an introduction to astronomy, there are difficulties in explaining some astronomy concepts that are not simple to explain. I was blessed with a more scientific background, so I had little trouble with this, but I imagine that some people may find the first bits intimidating despite the good presentation by the authors. This is not a problem of the book or the authors, I think, but instead a part of understanding astronomy. To me, it was worth the effort. And once you get past that, its all downhill.
Illustrated Guide to Astronomical Wonders: From Novice to Master Observer (DIY Science)
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