Dean Regas' new book is aimed at beginning amateur astronomers. // Michael E. Bakich
I just received a new book that I think will appeal to beginners who want to observe the sky.
100 Things to See in the Night Sky by Dean Regas (222 pp., softcover, Adams Media, New York, 2017, ISBN 978–1–5072–0505–1) is an easy-to-understand book that will serve as a great first guide to the heavens.
Regas has been the astronomer for the Cincinnati Observatory since 2000, and the cohost of the syndicated astronomy program Star Gazers since 2010. He’s written one other book, Facts From Space (Adams Media, 2016).
Regas divided his current book into three main parts: 1) The Sun, Moon, and Naked-Eye Planets; 2) Stars and Constellations; and 3) Beyond Stargazing. Throughout the second part, he includes simple diagrams of the constellations he discusses to help you identify them.
For each object, the book offers a definition of what the object is, the difficulty level, a description, and a guide to finding it. Regas smartly included lots of objects in the “Easy” and “Medium” difficulty levels to guarantee success.
With Christmas fast approaching, 100 Things to See in the Night Sky would make a nice gift for children 10 and up or any budding astronomer on your list.