This book makes a fine companion to the Sky Observer's Guide, and introduces the beginning astronomer to stars, constellations, and other celestial wonders.

This book is also available in paperback for field reference.  These paperbacks are designed to fit nicely into pockets.  

This fascinating look at the interplay of astronomy, chemistry, geology, and biology starts with the discovery of the famed AHL 84001 meteorite in the Allan Hills of Antarctica in the summer of 1984. It was known right off to be a strange looking space rock, but it would be almost two decades before its Martian identity was confirmed. Then NASA scientists analyzed it closely, and a team concluded it had five key markers of Martian biology; even President Clinton in 1996 hailed the discovery on TV. Immediately many in the biological community attacked their findings, and the last decade has seen the pendulum swing greatly between those supporting and debunking the team's findings. In this furious and at time acrimonious series of conferences, papers, and debates, we have all learned a lot more about the nature of life of earth, the time span of biological evolution, and just as with the famous "Pluto IS a PLANET!!" debate last year, had to go back and redefine exactly what we mean by terms like "life, fossil, and even organic"....Highly recommended!!