| Binocular Astronomy |  | Buy New: $24.95
Buy New from $24.95
Avg. Customer Rating:   (based on 9 reviews)
Sales Rank: 574206
Category: Book
Authors: Craig Crossen, Wil Tirion
Publisher: Willmann-Bell
Studio: Willmann-Bell
Manufacturer: Willmann-Bell
Label: Willmann-Bell
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Unknown), English (Published)
Media: Hardcover
Edition: 2
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 190
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.8
Dimensions (in): 11 x 8.5 x 1
ISBN: 0943396883
Dewey Decimal Number: 523.8
EAN: 9780943396880
ASIN: 0943396883
Publication Date: June 30, 2008
Shipping: Eligible for Super Saver Shipping
Availability: In stock soon. Order now to get in line. First come, first served.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 4 more reviews...
Stunningly thorough, perhaps a bit much for the casual user March 21, 2008
Wow, this one has all the information you want or need for binocular observation, and maybe more. If you enjoy astronomy and want one book for binocular astronomy, get this one. It will keep you busy with your binoculars for a long time.
The first chapter introduces the basics of star-watching: constellations, the celestial sphere, seasonal changes, and so on. It also includes a short discussion about choosing and using binoculars. The technical information is a little dated (the optics world has changed in the past 15 years!), but the rest is good solid information.
The next four chapters cover the sky by season. They each introduce the seasonal constellations, and the move straight to the good stuff. And what good stuff it is. Terrificly detailed descriptions of hundreds and hundreds of targets for you to look at, with drawings, charts, and photographs to help you find and identify them.
But be forewarned, this book is by and for amateur astronomers. If your interest in the night sky is very casual, a "twice-a-summer" affair, this book may overwhelm you. For example, it uses the Bayer and Flamsteed IDs for stars (Greek letters and numbers, respectively), and gives directions using degree measurements. You will need and use the star atlas at the rear of the book. Most of this can be quickly learned, but it does demand that you pay attention. This is a good thing. :-)
Chapter 6 describes and illustrates the structure of our own galaxy. It's interesting and very instructive.
Chapter 7 sends you out looking for galaxies. Galaxies, my friends, and with binoculars no less! But with a decent pair of household 10x50 binoculars and a dark sky, you'll be amazed at how the universe unfolds before you.
Appendix A covers the history of the constellations we use to navigate the sky; I found it good "cloudy night" reading. Appendix B covers the basics of stars (e.g., formation, evolution, and categorization), but there are better resources for this information. Appendix C is a very outdated bibliography; the most recent book noted is from 1991.
Finally, the book include indices for every object type, and the ten star charts of the "Bright Star Atlas", which as I said you will need and use.
Anyone with even a passing interest will learn something on nearly every page of this book.
I will say that this book could use an update in look and feel. It doesn't have the polish of, say, "Nightwatch" or even "Turn Left". With an edit and format makeover, a revised edition would just blow the competition away.
As it is, this book expects some effort on your part (which, repeat this, is a good thing). It has numerous detailed charts to guide you, but it could use even more.
Not all objects described are illustrated; that would triple the page count. And the photographs, printed on ordinary (non-glossy) paper stock, are poor cousins of what we've become accustomed to. But they're serviceable in the sense that you get an idea what the field will look like when you get to your target. But don't buy the book for the pictures.
These few negatives don't add up to even a one-star drop in my rating. For the amateur astronomer, this is the cream even if you're just starting the hobby.
But for the person with a passing, post-barbecue curiosity about the darkening sky, this is too much. For you, this is a two-star book; S&T's "Binocular Highlights" may be a better choice for you.
With this book in hand, a red flashlight to read by, and a clear sky above your lounge chair, your binoculars will reveal brand new beautiful and awesome sights for many years to come.
an outstanding resource for the binocular observer June 22, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I wrote this review in 2002 for a very well known astronomy website. In my opinion, this is an outstanding resource for the binocular observer. It is not a stand alone book/atlas. Few astronomy references are stand alone. In fact, in my original review I also stated, " The intermediate amateur not only uses a good set of star charts but also might own a deep sky object reference book. The charts are the road maps to the sky but the object references are the library in which we discover the meanings of the objects we view. No one reference seems to have it all. Where one reference book is found, usually another is not far away." Binocular Astronomy is one such object reference. A bonus is that it also provides a quick use atlas in the back of the book. However, the person wishing to become an avid observer will own and use a set of star charts along with this outstanding reference.
Ed Zarenski, CN Binocular Forum Moderator
from 2002
Binocular Astronomy, by Crossen and Tirion, $24.95, $30 to $60 used, 182 pgs. 8.5x11 hard. Organized by season. Lists about 250 objects visible in binoculars. Has a ten-page set of mag 6.5 star charts, The Bright Star Atlas, in the back of the book, nice for the binocular enthusiast who might not have a separate atlas. Chart scale is 29mm per 10 degrees. This book includes a data table to chart reference for every item identified in the text of the book. Larger size detail charts are included in each seasonal section. A great strength of the book is the outstanding sky photos with deep sky objects identified, making this a great choice for the beginner or avid novice. Some of these sky photos look exactly like the views thru my 10x50s and 15x70s. This can definitely be usable as more than a binocular guidebook and could easily be recommended for the avid novice telescope user. A great reference. Highly Recommended!
 Good guidebook, bad atlas March 5, 2007
3 out of 4 found this review helpful
Binocular Astronomy is an excellent introduction to the underappreciated art of exploring the night sky with binoculars. The book is first rate for small telescopes as well.
The text gives the sense of an observer who has spent many nights with binoculars. The lists of objects is exhaustive and the descriptions are useful. One of his great contributions to binocular observing is his recommendation of 10x50 binoculars, refuting the myth that "7x50s are ideal for astronomy." As he rightly points out, the sky background is darker in 10x50s, making for more contrast and ferreting out dimmer objects.
Be aware that to see all the objects Crossen lists, you will need a very dark sky and lots of experience. These lists go far beyond what a novice will see under a suburban sky.
The only real problem is the unfortunate inclusion of Tirion's Bright Star Atlas. It is not on a par with the rest of the book. The charts have annoying distortion near their top and bottom, their edges have no information to direct the user efficiently to adjoining charts (i.e.: "Continues on Chart 5"), and, worst of all, they are arranged in reverse order, which makes for ridiculous two-page spreads. Imagine opening a road atlas to a two-page spread of, say, the State of Montana and finding the eastern and western halves reversed. In place of one state, you have two disjointed halves. How could any cartographer be so colossally stupid?
Fortunately, there is a simple solution: when you buy this book, add Sky and Telescope's Pocket Sky Atlas for a mere $15 more. It is far, far better designed and goes a magnitude and a half deeper, showing three times as many stars, all of which will show up in your binoculars. It will greatly enhance your experience in the field.
The combination of Binocular Astronomy and Pocket Sky Atlas is unbeatable. Beginners, forget those department-store telescopes and get binoculars, along with these two books.
A must have for the amateur astronomer July 2, 2006
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
This is a must have book for the amateur astronomer. It has in-depth coverage of deep space objects. It lacks detailed charts, however, this is not the authors purpose. It rates a 5 on the strength of its meaty content. If you need a chart, buy one to accompany this book. A star wheel will also be useful.
brilliantly written and self-contained March 30, 2006
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
This is the only binoculars-specific astronomy book I own, but it is a beauty. Craig Crossen is a wonderful writer, one who makes you want to run out with your binos and check out the things he describes. He also manages to cram an entire mini-course on the structure of the Milky Way into his Binocular Astronomy book, and includes a good serving of the famous E. E. Barnard photographs of Milky Way starfields. Add to this the fact that the book ends with a reprint of Tirion and Crossen's Bright Star Atlas, and you are ready to go out and observe (provided you've remembered to bring your binoculars!). ALL amateur astronomy books should be this good, this complete and this inspiring.
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