Enjoyed it very much 
By A2J326FQI9M28T on 2007-02-20
I received one of the first copies hot off the press and took it and a good pair of binoculars with me on a recent vacation with dark skies.
The book is compact (6 ½ x 9 inches), spiral bound, and the cover folds back flat for easy handling in the dark. Print quality is excellent, text is easy to read in the dark (with a red flashlight!) and illustrations are sharp and uncluttered. The pages are coated to prevent damage from dew and the book seems very durable for field work. Overall the quality and design is excellent.
There is an introduction followed by a concise illustrated chapter on choosing binoculars for astronomical viewing, which explains important topics such as understanding magnification and the size of the objective lenses for a pair of binoculars, field of view in the night sky, making binocular choices, other binocular features to look for, tests for sharpness and optical alignment, and special types like image-stabilized and big binoculars. This is a nice section for those who know little about binoculars to help guide them into making good choices and avoiding problems.
The main portion of the book is essentially a compilation of many of Mr. Seronik's excellent Binocular Highlights columns from Sky & Telescope magazine. There are 99 Highlights, presented 1 on each page, all visible from North America. They are roughly divided up into four sections based on which time of year the object is best seen - December to February, March to May, June to August, and September to November. Each page is divided in half - on the top half there is a close up section of a star chart which shows the highlight. A circular binocular "field of view" with a black background on the chart shows what to expect when you are viewing. The bottom half of each page contains the text description of the object and other points of interest. These are well written, clear and enjoyable. To get you oriented to the right part of the sky there are fold-out star maps inside the front and back covers which show the entire sky, one for each season, with all the highlights for that section marked with a numbered red circle.
It's easy to find your way around. Pick the right star chart (February in my case) fact south and the sky roughly matches the chart. Then refer to the detailed chart on the highlight page for final directions. Since binoculars show you a right side up, correctly oriented image, there's little confusion. Some of the highlights were very, very easy to see and are great confidence builders, like the Pleiades , the Hyades, the Beehive cluster, Orion's Sword, and the bright star Betelgeuse in Orion. Several required a little attention to the star chart but were easily visible (open clusters M41 in Canis Major, the Double Cluster of NGC 884 and 869 in Perseus, and the clusters M46 and M47 in Puppis). Others were more challenging, like Kemble's Cascade in Camelopardalis, and the red carbon star U Hydrae, but I found every one I looked for with a little perseverance. In the end I enjoyed wandering through over half the objects in the book - the ones that were visible at the times I was observing. Some will be easily visible even in light polluted city skies; others will obviously require better visibility in a dark sky with no moon.
Final thoughts: if you have a pair of binoculars and can see the sky at night you should try this book - it gives a nice, well presented list of some of the most interesting things to see.
An okay compilation of articles from Sky & Telescope magazine 
By AMZ22N92PNDIA on 2007-02-17
As a long time binocular astronomer, I always look forward to a new book on the topic. This book, a compilation of articles that have appeared over the years in Sky & Telescope magazine, is a nice addition to my library, although it is not the best book on the topic. Still, it offers some good charts (again, copied from the magazine) to highlight the articles themselves. There is a good amount of empty space on each page, however, that could have been filled with a drawing or small-scale photos of the featured object. Instead, the space was just left blank -- sloppy job on the part of the composition editor.
I was disappointed with the author's discussion of binoculars up front. He tries to discuss the pros and cons of various types of binoculars as well as what to look for in a pair. But nowhere does he mention optical coatings on the lenses and prisms -- a serious oversight.
This book opened up a whole new world of astronomy to me
By A1R6KGK8TRJAGV on 2007-07-04
It was late one night a couple of weeks ago. I had been observing Jupiter and four of her moons with my Orion 90 mm refractor for several minutes when I felt the stiffness arch up my back into my neck. I'm in good shape for a guy in his early 40s, but still I'm more prone to aches and pains than when I was a younger man. Then I brushed against the scope tube and spent several minutes finding the planet once more. The cost was sore muscles along my spine and that inevitable thought: "there has to be a better way to do astronomy than this!"
Anyone who has ever used a telescope for any length of time at all can relate to the story above. That is why I am so happy to have discovered this book.
Don't know anything about binoculars? No problem. Seronik tells you how they work and what kind are best for astronomy. In fact, I must caution you now to NOT BUY A PAIR OF BINOCULARS FOR ASTRONOMY UNTIL YOU READ THIS BOOK. The insights it gives kept me from making a very expensive mistake!
I had a pair of Meade 12x50s stashed away in a closet which turned out to be more than up to the job.
After covering how binoculars work and what kind to use for stargazing, Seronik takes the reader on a tour of many splendid deep sky objects perfect for the binocular user. Believe it or not, there is plenty of stuff up there that looks incredible when seen through their wide field of view and low magnification.
This book is user friendly from cover to cover. It's not padded with needless fluff or technical details incomprehensible to the average person. However, it is written in an engaging, friendly style that makes it a delight to read.
All in all I am very satisfied with this book and recommend it enthusiastically to everyone interested in stargazing.
Binocular Highlights
By A1682VB2OC93FK on 2007-12-16
Finally a simple to "understand and enjoy" guide for observing the night sky's treasures with my Canon IS binos.
When I see the night sky is clear, I quickly grab the Canon IS10x30's with this book (and red flashlight, of course), sit on a chair on my back deck and check out whatever is in view at that time. Gary does a good job to assist in making binocular observing an enjoyable past time. The book is well thought out and the charts are easy to read with a red flashlight in the dark. Helps make "quick Grab and Go" on a cold night a lot easier - especially on a cold night. Well worth the investment.
Not stellar, but useful
By A2TPZNR2ZFFQ8J on 2008-01-20
I have been satisfied, but not overwhelmed with the book. I do like the charts, which always highlight the field of view for typical 10x50s. And the writer sometimes notes nearby objects along with the one on hand. But I agree with a previous reviewer that page space is not always used well. I'd say it's worth the price, especially if you're new to the pastime. I'd also recommend it for anyone using a small "department store" telescope; stay with the low-power eyepiece, and enjoy the sights from this book. Note that some "small telescope" books (say, Consolmagno & Davis) include most of the same objects, and highlight their binocular visibility-.
- Great Book
By A124XOAV4S8PQC on 2008-02-25
This is a great book for anyone interested in what can be observed with binoculars in the skys above. It list object by the seasons of the year , each has a good sky map to find them. It gives good information about what they are and what they look like. It's brief, but covers the objects well, and the book is made to take out with you. Great buy for the money.
- Great Book
By A37N43FERL9T4O on 2007-05-12
This is an excellent book for both beginner and veteran observer alike. Charts are well marked and use actual star photos and not drawings as some books. The advice given on the best choice of binoculars to use is especially helpful to those just starting out. The selection of targets is varied and will in some cases prove a real challenge especially to the new observer but persistance will pay off in many enjoyable hours under the stars. Highly recommended !
- Binocular fun
By A1185QN569IVJK on 2007-09-23
I have been using Binocular Highlights for about three months. It is exactly what I have been looking for!
Where I live, Western Washington State, star gazing is often thwarted by clouds and rain. So using a telescope is often more trouble that it is worth. But, a quick venture into the mist with binoculars; now this made sense to me. However, I needed advice on which binoculars would be good to use and a manageable list of things to look for with binoculars. This is when, like a stroke of good luck, this neat, well written and very handy booklet, Binocular Highlights, was placed into my hands. I used the author, Gary Seronik's recommendation and bought a pair of Canon Image Stabilized binoculars. And have had a great time going through the pages of his book and successfully finding most of the objects listed. I am thoroughly pleased.
I can recommend this book to anyone with a general interest in astronomy or for someone who is just looking for something easier to use than a full blown telescope.
- Great little book for binocular astronomy
By A7GKCL7SZF7TO on 2007-11-21
I used this book at the recent Okie-Tex star party to try it out. I was successful in finding every object that appeared above the horizon. OK, I admit, I have done a bunch of binocular work, but I worked hard to follow only the book as if I was a beginner. A nice little book, not exhaustive by any means, but fun and very "workable" under the stars. If you enjoy binocular astronomy, you will enjoy this book, even if you are experienced. If you are a beginner and have the good sense to begin with binoculars, this book will serve you well.
- Good for telescopes, too
By A3NNM295B5M7T3 on 2008-05-14
Although the book is aimed at binocular observers, it also makes a nice, portable "best of the sky" guide for people with small telescopes or anyone just starting out with a telescope. It's particularly attractive for those of us who like to take a telescope when we travel. Travel telescopes are usually small, and often we're using them to show the wonders of the sky to interested friends, relatives, or fellow travelers. That means that most of the time we're going to be looking at the best and brightest celestial objects, and the 99 chosen here are a great start for experienced observers and probably all that newcomers will need for a while. The book folds flat and has just one or two objects per page so it's easy to use and not at all intimidating or overwhelming. I like it better as a telescopic observing guide than many of the guides written just for telescope users.
- Great Binocular Primer
By A2L5GVBOGA496F on 2007-03-09
For those unfamiliar with astronomical use of binoculars, this is the guide for you.
- GARY NEEDS GOD!
By A3G2GM3CF604B0 on 2008-03-03
Read Gary Seronik's introduction only if you've been looking for a reason to commit suicide. "When the view is fine...we are transported far from our daily cares and concerns, into the true vastness and AWFUL INDIFFERENCE of the universe." Then he quotes a Frenchman: "The greatest mystery is not that we have been FLUNG AT RANDOM between the profusion of matter and of the stars, but that within THIS PRISON we can draw from ourselves images powerful enough to DENY OUR NOTHINGNESS." A page and a half into the handbook and I almost want to chuck it--and my binoculars--and my life--out the window! Fortunately, my faith informs me that we have value and meaning and purpose, that our existence is not random, so I guess I'll proceed to page three.
- star gazing
By A3EMMAXAFKISWS on 2008-04-07
I thought it would have information about planets. Very difficult to understand unless you really know what you're doing.
- Binocular highlights
By A1DFJ3PNGI1HO5 on 2007-05-13
I am very satisfied with the book. It has the information I was looking for.
- Just what we expected.
By A39ZZ5UY5ZXXG6 on 2008-09-09
Binoculars are our start into star gazing. We wanted to try the lesser cost method of viewing the stars before selecting a telescope. This book helps greatly in locating the stars and planets. We plan to purchase a "go to" telescope to take the guess work out of the locating. But for now, this book and our Nikon 10 x 50 binoculars, will suffice.
|
