NIGHTWATCH A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO VIEWING THE UNIVERSE (5th EDITION)

NightWatch: A Practical Guide to Viewing the Universe (5th edition)
A greatly revised and updated edition of the best-selling guidebook to stargazing

The fifth edition of NightWatch: A Practical Guide to Viewing the Universe (2023)
has been completely redesigned with a fresh look, new images, revised star charts and updated information.
The book retains all the content and advice readers have come to love.

What’s in the fifth edition?

With more than 800,000 copies in print, NightWatch has consistently been the best-selling guidebook to backyard astronomy for 40 years, recommended by reviewers and experienced amateur astronomers as the best source of instruction for all those aspiring to stargaze. 
In this expanded 208-page edition, you’ll discover all you need to know to begin backyard stargazing, with advice on how to find your way around the sky, the best equipment to buy and what to expect to see through binoculars and telescopes.

Chapters 1 to 3

Provide an introduction to what’s in the night sky and how it moves. One entire chapter is dedicated to “The Universe in Eleven Steps,” a cosmic zoom from Earth to the edge of the known universe.  

Chapter 4

Features NightWatch’s highly regarded seasonal star charts for the northern hemisphere, with pointer lines to help you easily locate the brightest stars and constellations.  

Chapter 5

Provides advice for anyone looking to purchase binoculars or a telescope, with recommendations of models to buy (and those to avoid), plus tips for using computerized scopes. 

Chapter 6

Presents the main categories of deep-sky objects  —  clusters, nebulas and galaxies — as well as an atlas of selected regions of the sky, mapping dozens of the best targets for small telescopes.  

Chapters 7 to 10

Explain in simple terms what you can expect to see when observing the Moon and planets, the Sun (safely), eclipses, comets, meteors and auroras. 

Chapter 11

Offers an introduction to digital astrophotography. Employing simple equipment and basic techniques, you’ll learn how to take photos of the night sky with your phone, DSLR or mirrorless camera.

Explain in simple terms what you can expect to see when observing the Moon and planets, the Sun (safely), eclipses, comets, meteors and auroras. 

Chapter 12

Celebrates the splendors of the southern-hemisphere sky for those planning a trip Down Under. Includes seasonal star charts of the southern constellations.

Designed for use indoors and outdoors.

NightWatch is helpful both as a reference book indoors and as a constellation guide under the stars at night. The seasonal charts in Chapter 4 (one pair is shown here) are ideal for learning your way around the sky.

Charts readable under red light.

The concealed spiral binding allows the book to open flat for easy use at the telescope. The 20 sky atlas charts in Chapter 6 (two are shown here) are labeled with text that works under red light, preferred for maintaining night vision.

What’s new in the fifth edition?

We’ve revised almost every aspect of NightWatch, with up-to-date information and new images.

• All-new seasonal star charts in Chapters 4 and 12.
• Revised star charts in Chapter 6 feature more deep-sky objects suitable for small telescopes. 
• Most photos replaced with new images from astrophotographers and from planetary probes and space telescopes such as James Webb. 
• Science information reflects the latest findings and theories.  
• Updated advice on buying and using telescopes and accessories.
• A revised chapter on shooting your own astrophotos discusses current equipment and techniques. 
• Information on coming astronomical events is current from now until 2035.
• Boasting 16 additional pages, this fifth edition is the biggest revision to NightWatch in its 40 years of helping stargazers get started.