When you shop through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. This educational content is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice.
20 Best Books On Astronomy For Beginners (2023 Update)
Are you looking for the Best Books On Astronomy For Beginners? If so, you’ve come to the right place.
Choosing the Best Books On Astronomy For Beginners can be difficult as there are so many considerations, such as Celestron, Lion Brand, Penguin Random House, Usborne, WHSmith, Amazon.com. We have done a lot of research to find the Top 20 Best Books On Astronomy For Beginners available.
The average cost is $16.95. Sold comparable range in price from a low of $3.60 to a high of $52.10.
Based on the research we did, we think Collins Stargazing: Beginner's Guide to Astronomy [Book] is the best overall. Read on for the rest of the great options and our buying guide, where you can find all the information you need to know before making an informed purchase.
20 Best Books On Astronomy For Beginners (19 Sellers)
| Product Image | Product Name | Features | Check Price |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
Features:
- How to plan your stargazing
- What you can see with your eyes
- How to choose binoculars and telescopes and what you can see using them
Features:
- Binding type: paperback
- Publisher: firefly books ltd
- Year published: 1987-01-01
Features:
- Your updated guide to exploring the night sky.
- Includes updated schedules of coming eclipses of the sun and moon and a revised planetary appendix.
- Covers recent discoveries in space, such as water on the moon and pluto's demotion from "planet" status.
Features:
- A 20-page full-color atlas of the milky way provides location and context for hundreds of celestial objects mentioned throughout the book.
- Accessory catalog spotlights the best of the accessories and flags the frivolous and irrelevant.
- Three practical appendices: polar aligning your telescope; optics cleaning and collimation; testing your telescope optics.
Features:
- Series: explore more
- Binding type: hardback
- Publisher: princeton architectural press
Features:
- This is a clear, vivid text with charts and maps showing the positions of the constellations the year round.
- Binding type: paperback.
- Publisher: harpercollins publishers inc.
Features:
- Kids is an excellent first book or addition to any kid amateur astronomer's bookshelf
- Eric newell, carolina skygazers. read more age range: 7
- 12 years grade level: 4
Features:
- Hardcover, 528 pages, published august 2020.
- Explores every aspect of the cosmos, from the big bang to the edge of the known universe.
- Marvel at the wonders of the universe, from stars and planets to black holes and nebulae, in this exploration of our solar system and beyond.
Features:
- Choose the telescope that's right for your budget.
- Identify prominent stars and major constellations.
- See bright nebulae and globular clusters.
Features:
- Mint condition
- Dispatch same day for order received before 12 noon
- Guaranteed packaging
Features:
- Discover how to locate constellations like those near orion the hunter from season to season throughout the year.
- Find out how to use the sea of crises as your guidepost for further explorations on the moon’s surface.
- Further investigate deep sky wonders, extra solar planets, and beyond as the glorious vista of creation comes alive!
Features:
- The famous charts, ideal for stargazers using a small telescope or binoculars.
- A complete update of the equipment section, including computerized telescopes.
- The tables of future solar and lunar eclipses, planetary conjunctions and planet locations, updated through 2025.
Features:
- Compact size to carry in a backpack or pocket
- Introduction
- How to identify birds
Features:
- Overview of the solar system
- Understanding the lunar phases
- Understanding solar and lunar eclipses
Features:
- Hardcover, 480 pages, published september 2016.
- *a new york times bestseller.
- Welcome to the universe is a personal guided tour of the cosmos by three of today's leading astrophysicists.
$19.95
5.0
Features:
- Suggested age: 22 years and up
- Number of pages: 400
- Format: paperback
$3.60
4.5
Features:
- Binding type: hardback
- Publisher: parragon
$4.85
5.0
Features:
- Binding type: hardback
- Year published: 2000-11-21
- Number of pages: 6
$6.95
5.0
Features:
- Binding type: hardback
- Year published: 2000-11-21
- Number of pages: 6
$5.73
4.7
Features:
- Series: cool
- Binding type: hardback
- Year published: 2014-08-07
1. Collins Stargazing: Beginner's Guide To Astronomy [Book]
Product Details:
This is an iintroductory guide to the night sky, from the royal observatory greenwich. offering complete advice from the ground up, stargazing is the perfect manual for beginners to astronomy, introducing the world of telescopes, planets, stars, dark skies and celestial maps. discover how to tackle light pollution, how to stargaze with just your eyes, and what equipment is best for beginners. this book explains the best ways to plan your stargazing experience and the keys things to look out for on specific dates throughout the year. with seasonal star charts, constellation charts and facts about our solar system, stargazing is packed full of useful information and guidance for both the northern and southern hemispheres. bridging the gap between human curiosity and the need for scientific expertise, stargazing allows a complete novice to understand our place in the cosmos and enjoy the beautiful and extraordinary wonders of the night sky.
Reviews:
Bought this for my grandson and he loves itbarryt112
U was disappointed for two reasons. Although listed as a beginning book, it was way more advanced than my 8 year old grandson would appreciate. The second reason is that the first book I ordered evidently go lost in the mail and the second one took forever to get to me. I think all books should be sent in a higher class mail automatically.Rosalee
2. Exploring The Night Sky: The Equinox Astronomy Guide For Beginners [Book]
Product Details:
200,000 sold to date exploring the night sky is aimed at novice star gazers anxious to expand their astronomical repertoire beyond the big and little dippers. dickinson has designed a superb introduction to astronomy that is clear, concise, beautifully illustrated and very user friendly no matter what the child's age. the book is divided into three sections. the first is a 10-step voyage from the earth's vicinity to the distant reaches of the universe. organized by increasing distance from the earth, it touches on the moon, mars, pluto, comets, the three stars of alpha centauri, the center of the milky way, the large magellanic cloud, the andromeda galaxy, and vantage points at 10,000,000 light-years from earth and 300,000,000 light-years from earth. the second section, alien vistas, is a sequence of 10 close-up looks at some of the most interesting objects mentioned in the first section, including all the planets of the solar system, stars, black holes and quasars, and makes speculations about extraterrestrial life. the final section is a guide to viewing the night sky, which enables readers to go outside on any clear night of the year and identify celestial objects. there is a glossary with explanations of unfamiliar terms and for pronunciations. exploring the night sky is a clearly written, well-illustrated introduction to astronomy for anyone interested in the universe around us.
Reviews:
I bought this book for my Granddaughter for Christmas. It has quality color and good content for the beginner.
Love it we bought along with a telescope for our grandson.Donna
3. Astronomy For Dummies [Book]
Product Details:
Your updated guide to exploring the night sky do you know the difference between a red giant and a white dwarf? from asteroids to black holes, this easy-to-understand guide takes you on a grand tour of the universe. featuring updated star maps, charts, and an insert with gorgeous full-color photographs, astronomy for dummies provides an easy-to-follow introduction to exploring the night sky. for as long as people have been walking the earth, those people have looked up into the night sky and wondered about the nature of the cosmos. without the benefit of science to provide answers, they relied on myth and superstition to help them make sense of what they saw. if you know what to look for, you can make out planets, stars, galaxies, and even galactic clusters comprising hundreds of millions of stars and spanning millions of light-years. whether you're an amateur astronomer, space enthusiast, or enrolled in a first year astronomy course, astronomy for dummies gives you a reason to look into the heavens. includes updated schedules of coming eclipses of the sun and moon and a revised planetary appendix covers recent discoveries in space, such as water on the moon and pluto's demotion from "planet" status collects new websites, lists of telescope motels, sky-watching guides, and suggestions for beginner's telescopes and suppliers provides free online access to chapter quizzes to help you understand the content ever wonder what's out there in the big ol' universe? this is the book for you!
Reviews:
Encadernação e acabamento muito simples, qualidade de impressão um pouco fraca. Vale pelo conteúdo.
Great information for those new to astronomymutley2800
4. The Backyard Astronomer's Guide [Book]
Product Details:
The modern classic, completely updated. the newest edition of the backyard astronomer's guide includes the latest data and answers the questions most often asked by home astronomers, from beginners to experienced stargazers. terence dickinson and alan dyer provide expert guidance on the right types of telescopes and other equipment; photographing the stars through a telescope; and star charts, software and other references. they cover daytime and twilight observing, planetary and deep-sky observing, and much more. with over 500 color photographs and illustrations, the backyard astronomer's guide is one of the most valuable, beautiful and user-friendly astronomy books ever produced. new and updated for this edition: a 20-page full-color atlas of the milky way provides location and context for hundreds of celestial objects mentioned throughout the book. a chapter on astrophotography with digital cameras specifies what equipment works best and how to use it to collect a color gallery of celestial portraits. telescopes for recreational astronomy features assessments of a wide range of new telescopes, from models for beginners to those for veteran astronomy enthusiasts, with special emphasis on computerized telescopes and how they work. accessory catalog spotlights the best of the accessories and flags the frivolous and irrelevant. three practical appendices polar aligning your telescope; optics cleaning and collimation; testing your telescope optics. any serious home astronomer must have this superb guide as an ongoing reference.
Specifications:
| Language | English |
| Release Date | September 2008 |
| Length | 368 Pages |
| Dimensions | 1.3" x 9.3" x 10.9" |
Reviews:
For the most part, I found the book easy to understand. There were some chapters that had a few technical terms, but overall I was impressed. The book covers the basics of astronomy to the professional level. What to use, how to buy, what to buy, where to buy, and the list goes on! It might seem a little pricy, but well worth the money!Serpico66
5. 50 Things To See In The Sky: (Illustrated Beginner's Guide To Stargazing With Step By Step Instructions And Diagrams, Glow In The Dark Cover) [Book]
Product Details:
This hip and handy guide helps you learn the science behind blue skies, sun dogs, and the solar eclipse, and shows you how to observe nocturnal wonders such as lunar halos, martian ice caps, and far-off galaxies. fifty celestial phenomena come to life with expert tips from astrophysicist sarah barker and stylish illustrations by maria nilsson. any explorer can become an adept observer with their guidance, and more ambitious stargazers will be able to discover more distant sights with the help of binoculars, a telescope, or a local astronomy group. with a glow-in-the-dark cover, 50 things to see in the sky is a perfect complement to your next camping expedition and a wonderful gift for anyone who marvels at what lies in our celestial sphere.
Reviews:
We purchased a telescope for our grandson for Christmas. I thought it might have some interesting objects.Ka De
Just right to get someone interested in astronomy.GERALDINE B.
6. The Stars: A New Way To See Them [Book]
Product Details:
The go-to guide to the stars for beginners and experts alike. with clear, readable text, easy-to-follow diagrams, and a sprinkling of h. rey's irrepressible humor, the stars: a new way to see them gives sparkle to the constellations and makes the mechanics of the universe intelligible to even the novice astronomer. this updated version of the classic text includes revised facts and figures for planets and new scientific details, this is a clear, vivid astronomy reference book. as learning through literature puts it: "the stars: a new way to see them is a great introduction to astronomy. it's readable and easy to understand. but don't assume it's light on details. not a bit! this reference book has 100+ pages packed with information. it's filled with illustrations of the constellations, our solar system, and the universe. you could easily use it as a spine for an astronomy study or as a reference throughout the year when questions come up."
Reviews:
It makes it easy for us now and than star gazers to locate planets, constellations,etcbarbeo
Great book not as well known as his Curious George stories. Informative and great to share with children.pretzelcats
7. 50 Things To See With A Telescope – Kids: A Constellation Focused Approach [Book]
Product Details:
From the author of the bestselling book 50 things to see with a small telescope, this colorful edition explores the constellations with young readers, guiding them to dozens of galaxies, nebulae, and star clusters. every page features a helpful "telescope view", showing exactly how objects appear through a small telescope or binoculars.while a member of the mount diablo astronomical society in california, john read taught thousands of students how to use telescopes and explore the night sky. now, he's sharing this knowledge with you! even without a telescope, this introduction to the night sky is essential for every child's collection.
Reviews:
8. Universe: The Definitive Visual Guide [Book]
Product Details:
Marvel at the wonders of the universe, from stars and planets to black holes and nebulae, in this exploration of our solar system and beyond. universe opens with a look at astronomy and the history of the universe, using 3d artworks to provide a comprehensive grounding in the fundamental concepts of astronomy, including the basic techniques of practical astronomy. the core of the book is a tour of the cosmos covering the solar system, the milky way, and galaxies beyond our own. explanatory pages introduce different celestial phenomena, such as galaxies, and are followed by catalogues that profile the most interesting and important examples. a comprehensive star atlas completes the picture, with entries on each of the 88 constellations and a monthly sky guide showing the night sky as it appears throughout the year as viewed from both the northern and southern hemispheres.
Specifications:
Reviews:
There are many books about the history and development of astronomy. This book, while squeezed in small fonts, is full of updated information for the latest advances of this field. The accompanying images and side notes are super helpful to follow the main content of the texts. I highly recommend this book for a new amateur diving into the magic of the Universe.undisolde
This truly is a beautiful book. So much so I have on order another.Spaceman
A very pretty book, full of colour illustrations. The text often leaves a bit to be desired: often too small, in an unserifed font, white on black. Often I felt some of the double-page colour spreads could have been reduced in size and the space given over to larger, black, serifed text on a white background. Usually, I used Google and/or Wikipedia to get more depth on the many astronomical features. Some links to NASA and ESA websites would be of benefit. There was almost no astrophysics: it is though they have gone out of their way to avoid any mathematics at all. A few formulae might provide some enlightenment. Overall, I feel the book is good value for money and keeps me reasonably entertained during Covid isolation.Charles
9. 50 Things To See With A Small Telescope [Book]
Product Details:
Updated for 2020! 50 things to see with a small telescope explores the planets, stars, galaxies and nebulae visible right from your backyard! the book includes easy to follow star maps and eclipse charts updated through the year 2030. with the "telescope view" feature, you will see how objects appear when viewed through a small telescope. this book will help you: choose the telescope that's right for your budget identify prominent stars and major constellations see bright nebulae and globular clusters explore the moon and planets view comets and asteroids track the space station and spot satellite flairs so much more!
Specifications:
Reviews:
Short and informative.foah47
Great quick reference guide!Lisa
great for anyone to use, and helps so muchlfpo-44
10. A Child's Introduction To The Night Sky: The Story Of The Stars, Planets, And Constellations–And How You Can Find Them In The Sky [Book]
Product Details:
Children eight and up will enjoy this conversational but information-packed introduction to astronomy and stargazing, which includes the achievements of the great scientists, the history of space exploration, the story of our solar system, the myths behind the constellations, and how to navigate the night sky. whimsical color illustrations on every page and handy definitions and sidebars help engage younger readers and develop their interest. the special star wheel helps locate stars and planets from any location at any time of year. this is the third in black dog & leventhal's successful series including the story of the orchestra and a child's introduction to poetry.
Specifications:
Reviews:
This book was for our grandson. He is 9 years old and just loves the book. We had given him his telescope the previous year. We thought this would renew his interest in the stars. He loves to read and now he is able to experiment and share this interest with his mom and dad. Great food for minds both young and old alikekathogorma_0
For those with kids just setting out with a telescope and an interest in everything out there in the sky. Nice illustrations, good text, well written. We like it as a side reference, distracting our ambitious child from the more detailed astronomy books that are a bit ahead of him.StraboPtolemy
11. Exploring The World Of Astronomy: From The Center Of The Sun To The Edge Of The Universe [Book]
Product Details:
Discover how to find constellations like the royal family group or those near orion the hunter from season to season throughout the yearhow to use the sea of crises as your guidepost for further explorations on the moon's surfaceinvestigate deep sky wonders, extra solar planets, and beyond as god's creation comes alive! think you know all there is to know about our solar system? you might be surprised at some of the amazing details that you find when you begin exploring the world of astronomy! from the rugged surface of the moon to the distant and mysterious constellations, this book provides an exciting educational tour for students of different ages and skill levels. learn about a blue moon, the 400-year storm on jupiter, and what is meant by "the zone of life." discussion ideas, questions, and research opportunities help expand this great resource on observational astronomy into an unforgettable educational course for middle school to high school students!
Specifications:
Reviews:
my sons love this book!vs
12. Nightwatch: A Practical Guide To Viewing The Universe [Book]
Product Details:
The first three editions of nightwatch sold more than 600,000 copies, making it the top-selling stargazing guide in the world for the last 20 years. the key feature of this classic title is the section of star charts that are cherished by backyard astronomers everywhere. each new edition has outsold the previous one because of thorough revisions and additional new material. nightwatch has been acclaimed as the best general interest introduction to astronomy. the fourth edition has improvements over the 3rd edition in every chapter, including: the famous charts, ideal for stargazers using a small telescope or binoculars a complete update of the equipment section, including computerized telescopes an enlarged photography section, including how-to instructions for using the new generation of digital cameras for astronomical photography, both with and without a telescope the tables of future solar and lunar eclipses, planetary conjunctions and planet locations, updated through 2025. this edition includes star charts for use in the southern hemisphere. there are also dozens of new photographs throughout the book that show the latest thrilling discoveries made by current space observatories and probes.
Reviews:
By crook this is a good book!! I needed a book on Astronomy, but money is scarce in this economy. Off to Booktopia l went, and l spent. What a great buy, now I'm on a high. Book is spiral bound and you it will astound. Large and glossy, not made in Aussie, but easy to read….with a coffee. Full of backyard Astronomy info, that will open the sky like a window. Now I'm flying through the stars, checking out bizarre Mars. Thanks Booktopia, a great bargain, it's just great, l had not long to wait, although I'm in a different state. So go buy this book, or by crook, you'll be overtook and it'll sell out. The book is a bargain and not just by a margin!!Karlos
13. Peterson First Guide To Astronomy [Book]
Product Details:
Completely revised with all-new photographs and covering astronomical events through 2019 the second edition of the peterson first guide to astronomy provides an up-to-date introduction to astronomy for beginners, featuring all-new photographs of recent events — such as one taken from the messenger spacecraft, which launched in 2004 and entered its orbit around mercury in 2011 — and predictions for future events through 2019, including meteor showers, comets, and eclipses. the book encourages readers to go out into the field, using the maps that show the positions of the stars throughout the year as a guide. this new edition maintains the easy-to-use condensed format of the original, and makes it easy to proceed to the full-fledged peterson field guide to stars and planets for more in-depth information.
Reviews:
Compact, precise, and a very useful reference. I like it! Easy to read…easy to understand! Great book!t2bz1027
14. An Introduction To Basic Astronomy Concepts (Black And White Edition): A Visual Tour Of Our Solar System And Beyond (With Space Photos) [Book]
Product Details:
Also available in full-color in paperback (isbn 978-1478169383) and as an e-book. note that this paperback edition is black and white. this book provides a highly visual introduction to a variety of basic astronomy concepts: overview of the solar system understanding the lunar phases understanding solar and lunar eclipses understanding the seasons evidence that the earth is round models of our solar system laws of motion in astronomy beyond our solar system this edition is black and white. this book features numerous nasa space photos. (nasa did not participate in the writing or publication of this ebook.) many diagrams, like the heliocentric and geocentric models or explaining the phases of the moon, were constructed by combining together nasa space photos instead of simply drawing circles. the content is suitable for a general interest audience, as well asthose who may be learning astronomy and are looking for somesupplemental instruction that is highly visual and focused on a varietyof fundamental concepts. teachers who purchase one copy of this book or borrow one copy of this book from a library may reproduce selected pages for the purpose of teaching astronomy concepts to their own students. this book is also available in a full-color edition.
Specifications:
| Language | English |
| Release Date | June 2012 |
| Length | 188 Pages |
| Dimensions | 0.5" x 5.5" x 8.5" |
15. Welcome To The Universe: An Astrophysical Tour [Book]
Product Details:
The new york times bestselling tour of the cosmos from three of today's leading astrophysicistswelcome to the universe is a personal guided tour of the cosmos by three of today's leading astrophysicists. inspired by the enormously popular introductory astronomy course that neil degrasse tyson, michael a. richard gott taught together at princeton, this book covers it all—from planets, stars, and galaxies to black holes, wormholes, and time travel.describing the latest discoveries in astrophysics, the informative and entertaining narrative propels you from our home solar system to the outermost frontiers of space. how do stars live and die? why did pluto lose its planetary status? what are the prospects of intelligent life elsewhere in the universe? how did the universe begin? why is it expanding and why is its expansion accelerating? is our universe alone or part of an infinite multiverse? answering these and many other questions, the authors open your eyes to the wonders of the cosmos, sharing their knowledge of how the universe works.breathtaking in scope and stunningly illustrated throughout, welcome to the universe is for those who hunger for insights into our evolving universe that only world-class astrophysicists can provide.
Reviews:
I got my book in timely manner and it looks fantasticmarnic-cicouss
16. The Astronomy Bible: The Definitive Guide To The Night Sky And The Universe [Book]
Product Details:
Interest in astronomy continues to grow stronger for readers of all ages. recent astronomy titles, like history of astronomy, have shown consistently strong sales. the astronomy bible is a comprehensive guide to the study of what lies beyond our planet. with this book readers can easily navigate the night sky, identify the constellations, and find planets, comets and galaxies. topics include: the history of astronomy how to observe the sky the solar system the moon the planets the sun and the stars comets and meteors galaxies, black holes and quasars what lies beyond… moon and planet maps star finder charts constellation maps. well priced, informative and fully illustrated, this is a valuable companion for stargazers of all ages.
Specifications:
| Language | English |
| Release Date | January 2015 |
| Length | 400 Pages |
| Dimensions | 1.1" x 5.5" x 6.5" |
Reviews:
Great gift for my Granddaughter. She will love this book. Great buy.veha-4704
17. Astronomy: The Definitive Guide To The Universe [Book]
Product Details:
Specifications:
| Language | English |
| Release Date | April 2006 |
| Length | 256 Pages |
| Dimensions | 10.5" x 1.0" x 8.5" |
Reviews:
What a great beginners guide to the Cosmos. The color photos are spectacular and several graphs are included. The book begins with the our solar system and works itself outward into deep space. Comets and Asteroids are included. A wonderful addition to your astronomy collection.azjedi
Very informative and easy to read.cowbellpete1
18. Astronomy: A Comprehensive Guide To The Universe [Book]
Product Details:
Reviews:
this is a basic guide to an astronomy class. it won't replace required reading. it mentions early astronomers and their accomplishments. it does an overview of our solar system, the terrestrial planets and the jovian planets, their moons, and it touches lightly on galaxies and the big bang theory. it does not cover deep space in any detail. it is tri-fold, laminated, and punched for a 3-ring binder.ka0use
19. Astronomy: A Comprehensive Guide To The Universe [Book]
Product Details:
Reviews:
this is a basic guide to an astronomy class. it won't replace required reading. it mentions early astronomers and their accomplishments. it does an overview of our solar system, the terrestrial planets and the jovian planets, their moons, and it touches lightly on galaxies and the big bang theory. it does not cover deep space in any detail. it is tri-fold, laminated, and punched for a 3-ring binder.ka0use
20. Cool Astronomy: 50 Fantastic Facts For Kids Of All Ages [Book]
Product Details:
Inside this mega-jam-packed book are fifty fact-tastic ways to advance and improve your astronomy skills so you’ll never feel alone in the universe again! learn amazing space-related tricks such as how to watch a solar eclipse safely and mapping stars from your own back garden, right down to expertly simplifying the supermassive numbers and distances involved in the space between space so you’ll never forget them. with cool astronomy, you’ll discover everything you need to know about the universe, from asteroids to the zenith point … and almost everything in between!
Specifications:
Reviews:
Good quality for ex-library used booksusalavit-0
Arrived on time, great for kidsandedw-8371
I love to buy books for kids. I believe this one will give hours of fascinating reading.Ellen
