From Powells.com
Entwining his personal reminiscences as a backyard stargazer with those
of fellow enthusiasts, Timothy Ferris introduces readers to the wonders
of amateur astronomy. "Amateur" appears as a misnomer when Ferris
examines the advances in astronomy that some backyard stargazers have
been responsible for. David Levy, Lubos Kohoutek, and Thomas Bopp all
have comets bearing their names as reward for their efforts, and Ferris
relates some wonderful stories of the enthusiasm and awe that lead to
discoveries of stars and galaxies. When Yuji Hyakutake discovered a comet
that went on to become a spectacular naked eye comet, his humble response
was, "I'm a bit perplexed by all the attention paid to me, when it
is the comet that deserves the credit." Fittingly, someone who knows
of what he speaks is former amateur turned professional astronomer George
Ellery Hale, who defined an amateur as "one who works because he
cannot help it." Remarkable for the international community it has
spawned and the democracy it embodies, the story of amateur astronomy
is fascinating. And, as Ferris lovingly details, so is the cosmos itself
from our giant neighbors, planets like Jupiter and Saturn, to the
superclusters spanning hundreds of light-years in diameter, to the quasars
whose light is older than the Earth itself. Seeing in the Dark
will encourage you to turn off the lights and open your eyes. Georgie, Powells.com