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).

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 book presents the substance of celestial bodies for the amateur observer: the planets, the stars, and the galaxies. The sun is the local link to the other stars, the nexus of cosmic evolution. The solar system is made up by the sun and all the celestial bodies orbit it. This system is of special interest for the observing amateur. The Handbook of Practial Astronomy spans astronomy, education and computing. Like many other fields of science, astronomy has become digitized and data rich in recent years. Besides the references at the end of each chapter, there are the notes in the margins with astronomical news and observing highlights on the web.