By Alexander Merz · Published on · Details checked on 14 September 2026
A book is what you give when you don’t know which telescope fits – and surprisingly often it’s the better gift. Someone who reads a good book for a year then buys the right instrument instead of the first one they see.
The choice is confusing, though, because three very different kinds of book sit on the same shelf: coffee-table books to look at, practical books to take outside and yearbooks to look things up in.
To get started without any equipment, „Astronomie für Einsteiger“ from Kosmos (in German) is the safe pick – it’s also the best-selling book among our readers. If someone already owns a telescope and can’t get on with it, they don’t need an astronomy book but the „Fernrohr-Führerschein“ (in German). And for tracking down objects in the sky, there’s no way past the „Deep-Sky-Reiseführer“ (in German).
Three kinds of book – and what each is good for
Before you choose, you should know which kind you’re holding. The three are not interchangeable, and the most common disappointment comes from mixing them up.
| Kind | What for | How to spot it | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Introduction | Understanding what’s going on up there – without equipment | Lots of text, few charts, broad range of topics | 15–25 € |
| Practical book | Finding things and setting up properly | Finder charts, tables, often a handy format | 15–30 € |
| Yearbook | Looking up when to see what | Monthly chapters, year in the title | 9–20 € |
Starting from scratch
Our recommendation for starting out: Kosmos Astronomie für Einsteiger (German)
The classic starter guide: sky basics, observing and equipment explained so the first night out succeeds.
Price: € 20
This book is by far the best-selling one among our readers, and for good reason: it assumes nothing, explains in digestible portions and still gets you outside early on. It’s written in German.
If you prefer something more compact, go for „Hobby-Astronom in 4 Schritten” (in German) – same destination, fewer detours.
Short and straight to the point: Oculum „Hobby-Astronom in 4 Schritten“ (German)
German-language reference book.
Price: € 14.90
When there’s already a telescope
This is the case most books miss. People who have been given a telescope rarely fail on knowledge and almost always on operating it.
For everyone with an unused telescope: Oculum „Fernrohr-Führerschein in 4 Schritten“ (German)
German-language reference book.
Price: € 19.90
Then comes the second hurdle: you can work the instrument but you can’t find anything. The classic with the finder charts helps there (in German).
Finding objects: Oculum „Deep-Sky-Reiseführer“ (German)
German-language reference book.
Price: € 19.95
And if a year-long project is called for: working through the 110 Messier objects one by one is the classic that generations of amateur astronomers have grown up with.
The year-long project: Kosmos „Die Messier-Objekte“ (German)
German-language reference book.
Price: € 30
Yearbooks: the reliable Christmas present
Yearbooks have an unbeatable advantage as a gift: they’re new every year and still always right. Month by month they list what’s happening in the sky.
One note on timing: if you’re giving in December, take the edition for the coming year – it usually appears in the autumn.
For the year 2027: Kosmos Yearbook "Was tut sich am Himmel 2027" (German)
The compact German-language almanac for 2027: eclipses, planet positions and meteor-shower nights, month by month.
Price: € 12
The classic: Kosmos „Himmelsjahr 2026“ (German)
German-language reference book.
Price: € 19
Books for children
With children’s books one simple rule applies: the younger the child, the bigger the pictures. Text comes along by itself later.
| Age | Book | Why | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| from 6 | Kinder-Weltraumatlas (DK), in German | Clearly organised, well illustrated, for reading aloud and for browsing alone. | € 19.95 |
| from 8 | Mein großer Weltraumatlas, in German | ⭐ Our recommendationLarge format with pictures that stop adults in their tracks too – the book that doesn’t vanish onto the shelf after a week. | € 26 |
| from 10 | Entdecke den Weltraum durch dein Teleskop, in German | The bridge from book to instrument: concrete targets for the first few nights. | € 16 |
To go with them: our buying guides for a telescope for kids and a microscope for kids.
If you want more: the book for your own astrophotography
For the more advanced: „Astrofotografie für Einsteiger“ (in German)
The moment someone stops just looking at the sky and starts photographing it, the hobby turns into a second one: tracking, exposure series, stacking, image processing. A general astronomy book no longer covers that.
The extra ten euros or so over an introductory book are worth it for anyone who already owns a camera and has taken their first shot of the Milky Way. For everyone else it’s too early.
The next step up: dpunkt „Astrofotografie für Einsteiger“ (German)
German-language reference book.
Price: € 29.90
Frequently asked questions about astronomy books
Which book goes with a telescope given as a present?
A practical book that explains how to operate it – not a general introduction to astronomy. The „Fernrohr-Führerschein” (in German) is made exactly for that and heads off the most common outcome: a telescope that stands in a cupboard after two attempts.
Is a yearbook worth it when there are apps?
As a gift, yes. Apps show you the sky right now; a yearbook shows what there is to look forward to – and it lies around in plain sight, which is worth more than any notification for a hobby that’s easy to forget.
From what age do astronomy books suit children?
Picture books work from about four for reading aloud. From eight, atlases with more text pay off, and from around ten, practical books that let children look for things at the telescope themselves.
What’s the difference between the Deep-Sky-Reiseführer and the Messier catalogue?
The Messier catalogue covers 110 bright objects, which makes it a list you can finish – ideal as a year-long project. The Deep-Sky-Reiseführer goes far beyond that and is meant as a reference work, not a checklist.
Read on
- Astronomy gifts: ideas from 15 to 500 euros
- Telescopes for beginners: the honest buying guide
- Exploring the sky with a star chart
- Astrophotography: getting started, gear and practice
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