50 Things To See With A Small Telescope

by John A. Read

50 Things to See with a Small Telescope is composed of the go-to objects observed at public stargazing events all over the Northern Hemisphere. People of all ages frequently ask, “How did you find that so quickly?” Well, this book will explain just that! The planets in our solar system, the International Space Station, sunspots, birds, nebula, airplanes, and comets are just some of the items that his book will help you find!

If you have been having difficulties enjoying your small telescope, this book is for you. There is something interesting about pretty much everything in outer space and it is exciting how many pop-culture references are derived from things in the night sky! Viewing the stars referenced in Star Trek, or talking about a character in Harry Potter named after a constellation, is just another way to make stargazing that much more fun!

I am very excited to share my knowledge of astronomy and I am sure you will enjoy this book for years to come. By working through the 50 items in this book you will achieve a well-rounded understanding of amateur astronomy.

Genres: Science, Astronomy, Space, Nonfiction, Reference, Outdoors

178 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 19, 2013

About the author

Shortly after his wife bought him a twelve-inch Dobsonian Telescope for Christmas (to be fair, she got leather boots), he joined the Mount Diablo Astronomical Society, volunteering as many as four nights per week under California's cloudless skies. In 2013 he published his first book, 50 Things to See with a Small Telescope. In 2016, John left corporate America, and in 2020, completed a four year astrophysics degree.

He recently won the Simon Newcomb for excellence in Science Communication by the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, for his books: 50 Things to See on the Moon and 50 Things to See with a Telescope.

Reviews

[Pop Bop · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great For Older Kids Who Want to See Stuff

So, you have an older kid, (I'm thinking ten-ish and up), who just got an entry level telescope and wants to look at actual identifiable objects. This book is aimed right at that sweet spot.

It doesn't oversell what you'll be able to see, but it does direct you to all of the top visible gee-whiz sights. The author doesn't patronize or condescend, but rather welcomes you into this very rewarding hobby. The general tone is cheerfully conversational and the guidance is reliable. It doesn't have a sappy "dummies" vibe and it's not overly technical. In our experience this has been just a top-drawer and rewarding introductory guide. A solid choice.

[Cat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, goodness! I like books like this! They are kind of self-help, but not like regular self-help books. It's not talking at you...wordy. I love that it's interactive! Has lots of fun things to do for yourself. made me smile a lot and gave me food for thought, I want to purchase this book as a keeper for my collection. it would make a great gift, too! Know someone who needs a pick me up? They'd probably love this book. Lots of useful and entertaining ideas in it.

I received a Kindle Arc from Netgalley in exchange for a fair review.

[Allyssa Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a girl who has always loved space, I loved the NH edition.

[John Forder · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good introduction for novice astronomers -- although some of the items (birds, streetlights, etc.) are silly. Nevertheless, the majority of the items to see are worthwhile. It would benefit from better organization, as the order of presentation seems random.

[Adil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simple and informative

A helpful guide for beginners, an excellent gift for any age. Helps if the person already has a 🔭 and even if they don't, there's plenty to see with naked eye and this is great companion

[Vandana kumari · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed the book. 🙂

Book is very interesting. Book had 40% constellation stars but all are unique. Even it has covered almost all important objects we must-see in the sky.

[John Liepman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great for beginners

Very helpful on what to expect to see in your at home telescope. As well as other helpful information for beginners to read and understand easily.

[Angel Martinez]

have not read it yet

[Diarmuid O'Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating and Fun

This is a fascinating and fun beginner's guide or quick reference guide. Well worth reading and owning. It is well written and contains a lot of information.

[Preston Pendergraft · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a awesome little book. I really enjoyed the little anecdotes and popular references. Also this book gave me the idea to hunt down a geo-synced satellite.

[Ahmet Uzar · Rating 4 out of 5]

İnteresting and helpful book about space. I have discovered new knowledge.. Recommended.

[Stacey Brashears · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book

Very good book for beginners or intermediates. A book I'll use as a handy reference. For start added with binoculars or small telescope.;-)

[Julie Barrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

50 Things To See With A Small Telescope
Starts out with an intro from the author then moves into how much money you have to spend on a telescope and how inexpensive they can be.
There are many that can cost a fortune.
Being blind I've never really seen the stars like others. I can pinpoint one or two but never saw the meteor showers even although they are right in front of me.
I find it fascinating to learn about all them because one day I may be able to see them. I did find the stars in the west are more visible to me than here in Northeast.
There are other things you will need, also a bit of knowledge about the galaxies and sun, moon and stars.
Like the examples shown in diagrams of how to find them all, kind of like connecting the dots.
Liked the charts of the upcoming lunar and solar eclipses.

[Frank Holmes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting

Good for those who are new to telescopic viewing. Even describes a few types of telescopes and other viewing equipment.