If you ever needed a book to help you explore the wonderful night skies from down under, be it Australia, South America, South Africa or New Zealand, this is it!.

With hundreds of full colour star charts and maps of the Moon and planets of our Solar System, this book will ensure you get the most out of a pair of binoculars or a small telescope from suburban and dark country sky locations.

Beautifully illustrated with many tips and advice on how to both understand, observe and even pho- tograph the night sky, including the stars, galaxies, nebulae, Sun, Moon, asteroids, comets and planets from the back yard, this book is your essential guide and reference to the celestial wonders of the Southern Night Sky.

Information on common telescope designs and tips for observing the night sky.

Over 100 Star Charts and Maps
Take a tour of the most fascinating celestial objects with accessible star charts and maps of planets. Each full colour chart presents realistic visual star brightness for most urban areas and keys to objects visible with most small- to medium-size telescopes.

Hundreds of Images
Images taken by the authors and other Southern Hemisphere astronomers show what can be achieved by amateurs using cost-effective cameras and telescopes.

The Solar System
Maps to navigate the primary features of the Moon plus a comprehensive table of lunar targets accessible with most telescopes. How to observe the Sun, our family of planets, meteor showers, asteroids and comets.

Telescopes and Photographing the Stars
Packed with information on telescopes, binoculars and other accessories for getting the most out of a night under the southern stars. Plus information on astroimaging and processing pictures on your computer.