THE BACKYARD ASTRONOMER'S GUIDE

By Terence Dickinson and Alan Dyer

Published by Firefly Books Ltd. 2002
Copyright © 2002

Contents of The Backyard Astronomer's Guide

Explore the Website by Chapter

Astronomy Links

What's New at the Site?

Profiles of Authors Dickinson and Dyer

Welcome to the support website for our greatly revised Second Editon of The Backyard Astronomer's Guide. First published in 1991, this book has long been in need of updating, in order to keep pace with the new technologies that have revolutionized the hobby over the last decade. It is hard to imagine now, but when the first edition of the book appeared, the world wide web was largely unheard of. Now the web is an integral part of the hobby, as witnessed by this site, a service we deemed essential to extend and update the book's content.

In preparing the book's Second Edition, we decided that a general tune-up would not be enough. We ended up taking the old book entirely apart for a complete overhaul. We rewrote every page, revising and expanding every topic to accommodate new equipment and techniques. The biggest visual change is the use of color throughout, as well as double the number of illustrations. At 336 pages, the new book is also 40 pages larger than its previous edition.

We hope you'll enjoy our reworking of The Backyard Astronomer's Guide and the supplemental information this website provides. The site will continue to evolve, so check back and click on What's New. In the meantime, click on Contact Us to e-mail us your comments and suggestions.

- Terence Dickinson and Alan Dyer
October, 2002

As a footnote, if you are looking for our friend Paul Mortfield's fine BackyardAstronomer.com website, then go to www.backyardastronomer.com

All material on the BackyardAstronomy.com website is Copyright ©2002 by Terence Dickinson and Alan Dyer. No part of the site's content may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the authors.

From the Book's Foreword

This book is by far the best I know for helping ordinary people become knowledgeable skygazers. Terry and Alan have spent most of their lives as backyard astronomers. And their jobs bring them constantly into contact with beginners who stand in astronomy's doorway, wondering how to come in. The guidebook they have written has such newcomers firmly in mind, and if you, too, feel the tug of the stars, there's no better place to begin than here.

- Robert Burnham
former Editor in Chief,
Astronomy magazine