Preface to the second edition

Summary

Stargazing Basics was first published in 2008, and written in the year or two before that. Amateur astronomy has changed in the years since. The equipment available from a growing number of manufacturers has increased. Computer technology has changed the hobby in many ways, from expanding online communities to smart phone apps; from computer-guided telescopes to completely new camera designs available even for those with modest budgets.

These changes are both good and bad for someone just starting out in stargazing. On the one hand, choices abound; there are many more possibilities. On the other, choices abound, and it can be pretty overwhelming to someone who is just starting out.

In this second edition, I will discuss many of these changes. Knowing what some of the new choices offer can be helpful. I've also added information on steps beyond the beginner stage. This edition also contains other improvements: updated tables on locating the planets, many new illustrations, larger star charts, and several pages of color images.

Still, though there have been changes, the basics remain the same. The underlying design and use of telescopes and other equipment is the same as it was eight years ago, and in some ways, as it was eighty years ago or longer. Starting simple is still the best idea, and that's what this book is still about.