--- product_id: 235187 title: "NightWatch: A Practical Guide to Viewing the Universe" price: "£24.97" currency: GBP in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.co.uk/products/235187-nightwatch-a-practical-guide-to-viewing-the-universe store_origin: GB region: United Kingdom --- # NightWatch: A Practical Guide to Viewing the Universe **Price:** £24.97 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** NightWatch: A Practical Guide to Viewing the Universe - **How much does it cost?** £24.97 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.co.uk](https://www.desertcart.co.uk/products/235187-nightwatch-a-practical-guide-to-viewing-the-universe) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description Revised Fourth Edition: updated for use through 2025. The first three editions of NightWatch sold more than 600,000 copies, making it the top-selling stargazing guide in the world for the last 20 years. The key feature of this classic title is the section of star charts that are cherished by backyard astronomers everywhere. Each new edition has outsold the previous one because of thorough revisions and additional new material. NightWatch has been acclaimed as the best general interest introduction to astronomy. The fourth edition has improvements over the 3rd edition in every chapter, including: The famous charts, ideal for stargazers using a small telescope or binoculars A complete update of the equipment section, including computerized telescopes An enlarged photography section, including how-to instructions for using the new generation of digital cameras for astronomical photography, both with and without a telescope The tables of future solar and lunar eclipses, planetary conjunctions and planet locations, updated through 2025. This edition includes star charts for use in the southern hemisphere. There are also dozens of new photographs throughout the book that show the latest thrilling discoveries made by current space observatories and probes. Review: A Must-have, but... - I can't recommend Night Watch enough for a beginner. Dickinson's information is essential in beginning to understand how to observe the sky (day or night), how to select and purchase astronomical gear, and it comes with many sky charts to get you started with observation and with astrophotography. It is a delight to read and packed with useful and interesting information that is easy to understand even for those with little or no previous knowledge of astronomy. And the photographs are many and marvelous! The "but..." in my title refers to that fact that, as a few reviewers have noted, Night Watch is very much a BOOK in addition to a guide. This means that the charts and the tips on how to actually use them are surrounded by lots of TEXT. I love the text and think it is helpful and interesting, but it is important to read Night Watch BEFORE heading out to your backyard to stargaze. Otherwise you might be jaded like a reviewer or two I have seen who wait to crack open the book until their are outside itching to locate the Whirlpool Galaxy. If you already have some knowledge of stargazing and are looking for a quick grab-and-go handbook with long, detailed lists of objects to locate, you aren't looking for Night Watch. In conclusion, BEGINNERS - purchase with confidence! Dickinson can help anyone start stargazing, understand the mysteries of the objects in our skies, and purchase their first pair of binoculars or telescope. Night Watch may be the only observing guide you'll need. For the truly hard-core and those who own/will buy a telescope, I recommend also investing in a subscription to Astronomy magazine or Sky & Telescope. Don't forget your red flashlight - red to preserve your night vision. Dickinson mentions wrapping a flashlight in "red plastic," but he should add my very favorite old tip - buy a roll of red tail light tape and stick it on one of the old flashlights you've got lying around. Very cheap and effective! NON-BEGINNERS, if you're just looking for a long list of objects to find and how to find them, look elsewhere. Review: The reviews say it all, for any beginner (and even interm.) this book is a must! - The reviews say it all on this book. It gives you a great analysis of amateur stargazing and telescoping. I found the best thing was the back charts. He includes 20 charts of the constellations and what an amateur stargazer can expect to see within each constellation (what galaxy's, nebulas, binary stars, etc). It was awesomely educational. His comment on the Andromeda galaxy was spot on. I was so disappointed in what I saw the first time I looked at this galaxy cause all it was was a white blob. I was almost turned off right there, saying to myself, ARE YOU serious this is what Im going to see thru my scope, what a disappointment. But this guy really explains the best things to see in the sky and he harners your expectations by saying you will not see anything like you see in magazines because those pictures are photographed and layered for hours. Realizing that I got right back into it and read how there are ton of other things that are much better to look at and the reason the Andromeda galaxy is so blurry is the fact that its 2.5M Light Years away! Its actually the farthest object in the sky one can see with the naked eye (of course in optimal conditions). Realizing all that I moved on and was much more impressed of other objects he suggested...PLanets are the best in my view, Orion Nebula is awesome too, and binary stars are very cool. Understanding this, my love of stargazing is just beginning and the more I know the more I am completely in awe. His best advice, and he is SPOT on, is buy binoculars first. Learn and educate yourself of the sky before trying to blindly point your scope in the sky. The rewards will be great. Knowing your way around and educating yourself of the immense beauty of this universe is the biggest reward you will receive. BUY THIS BOOK! ## Features - Used Book in Good Condition ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #613,572 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #847 in Astronomy (Books) | | Customer Reviews | 4.7 out of 5 stars 1,745 Reviews | ## Images ![NightWatch: A Practical Guide to Viewing the Universe - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81MDXNznzFL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A Must-have, but... *by S***A on August 15, 2011* I can't recommend Night Watch enough for a beginner. Dickinson's information is essential in beginning to understand how to observe the sky (day or night), how to select and purchase astronomical gear, and it comes with many sky charts to get you started with observation and with astrophotography. It is a delight to read and packed with useful and interesting information that is easy to understand even for those with little or no previous knowledge of astronomy. And the photographs are many and marvelous! The "but..." in my title refers to that fact that, as a few reviewers have noted, Night Watch is very much a BOOK in addition to a guide. This means that the charts and the tips on how to actually use them are surrounded by lots of TEXT. I love the text and think it is helpful and interesting, but it is important to read Night Watch BEFORE heading out to your backyard to stargaze. Otherwise you might be jaded like a reviewer or two I have seen who wait to crack open the book until their are outside itching to locate the Whirlpool Galaxy. If you already have some knowledge of stargazing and are looking for a quick grab-and-go handbook with long, detailed lists of objects to locate, you aren't looking for Night Watch. In conclusion, BEGINNERS - purchase with confidence! Dickinson can help anyone start stargazing, understand the mysteries of the objects in our skies, and purchase their first pair of binoculars or telescope. Night Watch may be the only observing guide you'll need. For the truly hard-core and those who own/will buy a telescope, I recommend also investing in a subscription to Astronomy magazine or Sky & Telescope. Don't forget your red flashlight - red to preserve your night vision. Dickinson mentions wrapping a flashlight in "red plastic," but he should add my very favorite old tip - buy a roll of red tail light tape and stick it on one of the old flashlights you've got lying around. Very cheap and effective! NON-BEGINNERS, if you're just looking for a long list of objects to find and how to find them, look elsewhere. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The reviews say it all, for any beginner (and even interm.) this book is a must! *by B***3 on January 9, 2010* The reviews say it all on this book. It gives you a great analysis of amateur stargazing and telescoping. I found the best thing was the back charts. He includes 20 charts of the constellations and what an amateur stargazer can expect to see within each constellation (what galaxy's, nebulas, binary stars, etc). It was awesomely educational. His comment on the Andromeda galaxy was spot on. I was so disappointed in what I saw the first time I looked at this galaxy cause all it was was a white blob. I was almost turned off right there, saying to myself, ARE YOU serious this is what Im going to see thru my scope, what a disappointment. But this guy really explains the best things to see in the sky and he harners your expectations by saying you will not see anything like you see in magazines because those pictures are photographed and layered for hours. Realizing that I got right back into it and read how there are ton of other things that are much better to look at and the reason the Andromeda galaxy is so blurry is the fact that its 2.5M Light Years away! Its actually the farthest object in the sky one can see with the naked eye (of course in optimal conditions). Realizing all that I moved on and was much more impressed of other objects he suggested...PLanets are the best in my view, Orion Nebula is awesome too, and binary stars are very cool. Understanding this, my love of stargazing is just beginning and the more I know the more I am completely in awe. His best advice, and he is SPOT on, is buy binoculars first. Learn and educate yourself of the sky before trying to blindly point your scope in the sky. The rewards will be great. Knowing your way around and educating yourself of the immense beauty of this universe is the biggest reward you will receive. BUY THIS BOOK! ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Great Starting Point *by C***R on February 4, 2012* Purchase and read this book for a great start in the hobby of astronomy. Mr. Dickinson has produced and refined a (fourth-edition) book that is both informative and enjoyable. Like everyone else, I was anxious to purchase optical aids to help my understanding and enjoyment of the night sky. I found the sections on optical aids (binoculars and telescopes) to be especially helpful in this regard. I recommend reading this book prior to any binocular or telescope purchase...it will probably save you money. The book contains deep-sky charts with diagrams of all the major constellations suitable for outdoor use. Diagrams are presented to help one navigate the sky from star to star and locate objects of interest. I would definitely recommend this book (and a flashlight with a red lens) to a friend interested in getting a good start in this hobby at very small cost. The book also contains a shopping list of publications to be added in future as interest builds. ## Frequently Bought Together - NightWatch: A Practical Guide to Viewing the Universe - The Backyard Astronomer's Guide - Turn Left At Orion: Hundreds of Night Sky Objects to See in a Home Telescope - and How to Find Them --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.co.uk/products/235187-nightwatch-a-practical-guide-to-viewing-the-universe](https://www.desertcart.co.uk/products/235187-nightwatch-a-practical-guide-to-viewing-the-universe) --- *Product available on Desertcart United Kingdom* *Store origin: GB* *Last updated: 2026-05-22*