See It with a Small Telescope: 101 Cosmic Wonders Including Planets, Moons, Comets, Galaxies, Nebulae, Star Clusters and More

I compared several books for the new telescope owner and this one nailed the right content level for anyone after about 5th grade (including adults).Well organized, it clearly presents exactly the information needed without condescending cartoons and artwork that distracts. It was exactly what I was looking for.For a 6th grader with a first telescope who is interested but not committed, I also picked two others: "Sky Gazing: A Guide to the Moon, Sun, Planets, Stars, Eclipses, and Constellations" (interesting background topics) "50 Things to See on the Moon: A first-time stargazer's guide" (good details on Moon observing)I picked the above three books over the following that were also examined: "50 Things to see with a Telescope - Kids" Too glossy and scattered ... might be fun to read through, but not as helpful at the telescope. Free formatted white-on-black text wrapping around images made the presentation hard to follow. "Turn Left at Orion" Good resource for already-committed observers high school and above, but more mechanical and less context offered and it is not going to inspire a novice, young or old. "50 Things to See in the Sky" I like this and it almost made the cut for inspirational value, but the print is so tiny and faint, its a chore to read the good content. Not a fan of section headings like "Get High" either. "The Stars: A New Way to See them" A classic, but not immediately practical (or perhaps overwhelming) for a telescope session. Good fundamentals on dynamical astronomy toward the back ... high-school and above. "Exploring the Night Sky: The Equinox Astronomy Guide for Beginners" General basic background information on astronomy, but not geared to looking at things. "National Geographic Backyard Guide to the Night Sky" Nice background information to read, though not for connecting with telescope.

This book is exactly what my children needed to get started on a summer (and hopefully, a lifetime) of exploring and enjoying the world of the night sky with their telescope. This book set up realistic expectations and contains practical information regarding using a small telescope successfully. It helped them understand the wonder of what they were viewing by reminding them that they are viewing objects whose light has taken possibly a million years to reach their eyes. That concept is so difficult to comprehend; it is good as a constant reminder. The author’s reminder to be patient was also important, for modern young people who don’t need to be patient for many things.The other way this book sets the reader up for success is information on how to read and use star charts (the night sky is moving – charts in a book are not) and some basic terminology to someone new to the field can communicate with others. Most appreciated is the magnitude scale, so people new to viewing won’t become frustrated trying to view something beyond the capability of your own small telescope. This book has everything needed to get started using a small telescope.

This book is AMAAAAZING. I mean, obviously because it involves space but the book itself, is really a solid find. It is a weird shape book, making it hard for my bookcase and type A personality, but I got over it and so should you. What is so spectcular about this book is that it includes star maps for 90 different stars. Isn't that incredible? THe layout of the book is just mindblowing to be honest. The intro was super helpful, as a novice, I loved the quick start information about understanding the telescope, photographyand the sky itself. I love that you get the object type, constellation, magnitutde, coordinates and some other facts right of the bat. It made reading about each star easy and interesting. Having a little blurb about what made each star interesting is awesome - it allows you to have a better understanding about something out of this world. As an idiot with telescopes, it helps knowing how to find stars like the crab nebula. Knowing the constellation and what stars it's near to, helps tremendously. I cannot recommend this book enough! It's a great addition for any space nerd.

I really enjoyed this- I have another telescope book I bought earlier, and while that one was nice too, this has coordinates and a much more detailed drawing plus more photos accompanying what it is you’re looking for- for example, the map of M41 also has all the surrounding constellations marked. Sure, some of those symbols I don’t even know, haha, but if you’re looking to be educated in addition to seeing some cool stuff, this has it! This book assumes you have a telescope you like, it does not offer guidance in buying one. It DOES contain a chapter on photography with your telescope that seems pretty detailed- I don’t have any intention just yet because then I’d have to buy a camera too. I would say this book is informative with enough cool photos that you could possibly just use this book to remind yourself of the things you learned before in school without the telescope itself. Of course, don’t do that. Have a telescope.

I'm building my second telescope thanks to a video made by the author and I feel Mr. Kalif has done a great job putting this book together.

I have always loved looking at the stars. They are beautiful and amazing. I had a telescope as a kid and when I came across this book I thought it was time to buy another. The author really put together a cool book that is informative and easy to understand. Everything you need to find your stars in this book (minus the telescope of course). You are given the constellation, proper magnitude, coordinates, best season to see, and what stars might be nearby if you're searching by proximity.I also love the star maps. Gives you extra help to find what you need.What are you looking for? The moon? Mars? The Crab Nebula? The Southern Pinwheel Galaxy? Betelgeuse? They're all in here. My favorite part in this book is the star cluster. I have been able to spot stars with and without the telescope. I am excited to get a better telescope and really explore the infinite abyss.