With amateurs, students, and teachers of astronomy in high schools and colleges particularly in mind, the Handbook of Practical Astronomy is an essential source to demonstrate trends and variety of astronomical observations.

"The Compendium of Practical Astronomy is unique. The practical astronomer, whether student, novice or accomplished amateur, will find this handbook the most comprehensive, up-to-date and detailed single guide to the subject available. It is based on Roth's celebrated German language handbook for amateur astronomers, which first appeared over 40 years ago.With amateurs and students and teachers of astronomy in high schools and colleges particularly in mind over 10 leading astronomers have worked under the careful editorship of Günter Roth to cover all aspects of practical astronomy. TOC:Why Astronomy (G.D. Roth).- Fundamentals of Spherical Astronomy (M. Gottwald/F. Schmeidler).- Applied Mathematics and the Computer (M. Gottwald/F. Schmeidler).- Optics and Telescopes (B. Weisheit/H. Nicklas).- Mountings and Drives (B. Weisheit/H.G. Ziegler)).- Astrophotography (K.-P. Schröder/H. Lüthen).- Fundamentals of Spectral Analysis (G. Rupprecht/R.Häfner).- Principles of Photometry (H.W. Duerbeck).- Fundamentals of Radio Astronomy (M.J. Neumann/P. Wright).- Modern Sundials (F. Schmeidler).- Historical Exploration of Modern Astronomy (G.D. Roth).- The Social Astronomer (V. Witt).- The Sun (K. Reinsch/M. Delfs/E. Junker/P. Völker).- The Moon (G.D. Roth).- Eclipses and Transits (C. Treichel).- Occultations of Stars (C. Treichel).- Artificial Earth Satellites (C. Treichel).- Observation of the Planets (G.D. Roth).- Minor Planets (H. Böhnhardt).- Comets (H. Böhnhardt).- Meteors (F. Schmeidler).- Noctilucent Clouds, Polar Aurorae, and the Zodiacal Light (Ch. Leinert).- The Terrestrial Atmosphere and its Effects on Astronomicak Observations (F. Schmeidler).- The Stars (K.-P. Schröder).- Variable Stars (H.W. Duerbeck).- Binary Stars (H.W. Duerbeck).- The Milky Way and its Objects (K.-P. Schröder).- Extragalactic Objects (J. Feitzinger)."

Why Astronomy?.- Fundamentals of Spherical Astronomy.- Applied Mathematics and the Computer.- Optics and Telescopes.- Telescope Mountings, Drives, and Electrical Equipment.- Astrophotography.- The Nature of Light and Matter: Fundamentals of Spectral Analysis.- Principles of Photometry.- Signals from Space: Radio Astronomy for Beginners.- Modern Sundials.- An Historical Exploration of Modern Astronomy.- The Social Astronomer.- Earth and Solar System.- Stars and Stellar Systems.