SkyWatch 2021 Is Here!
Diana Hannikainen Sky & Telescope
The Complete 12-Month Guide to Stargazing
SkyWatch is back! And it’s brimming with material for all who wish to experience the thrills and excitement of successful amateur astronomy.
SkyWatch’s focus this year is very much on welcoming the fledgling astronomer into the fold, without ignoring the more seasoned practitioner. Full-length articles cover areas essential for kickstarting an observing career or rekindling a dormant one. Readers will learn all they need to know when they take that big first step into buying observing equipment. Equally important is knowing how to use it and which exciting targets are accessible at different times of the year. Astrophotography is a popular hobby many observers would like to dip their toes into — a step-by-step primer guides readers through the process of taking images of their favorite objects that they can keep forever.
And, of course, SkyWatch 2021 continues the tradition of its annual suite of sky charts and events for the coming year, from January through December. Each month not only outlines what to look for in the planets and when the phases of the Moon occur, but predictable events such as meteor showers and eclipses are also highlighted. Additionally, the monthly columns in SkyWatch 2021 are replete with astronomical concepts — observational, scientific, and historical — which are used to guide the reader through that month’s sky.
What’s inside:
- Twelve sky charts with descriptions of what to see each month
- How to use a star chart
- What to look for when buying a telescope
- What’s in the sky and when is the best time to look for it
- Getting to know your telescope
- How to use familiar patterns in the sky to find more difficult targets