Of all the fields of popular natural history, few are as challenging for newcomers to “find the door into” as astronomy. While most everyone with at least one good eye can look up at the sky and enjoy the visual beauty of the moon and stars, going beyond this is, for most, bewildering. And to make matters worse, many of the guidebooks purporting to help people “get started” are often written by those so deep into the activity already that they cannot well communicate the basics to complete newcomers.
Which is why I was pleased to see the publication by Weldon Owen of The Total Skywatcher’s Manual; 275+ Skills and Tricks for Exploring Stars, Planets & Beyond as compiled by the Astronomical Society of the Pacific. Judging by my initial thumb-through, this new manual shows every indication – from its subject matter to the manner in which information is presented – of being a very useful guide to those seeking entry into the subject.
