| You can read this book from cover to cover if you like, but each hack stands on its own, so feel free to browse and jump to the different sections that interest you most. If there's a prerequisite you need to know about, a cross-reference will guide you to the right hack. The book is divided into four chapters, organized by subject:
Chapter 1, Getting Started -
Use the hacks in this chapter to move quickly from a standing start to full speed ahead. This chapter answers the most common newbie questions, including choosing the best telescopes and binoculars, and it helps you avoid the most common newbie mistakes. If you're just getting started, read this chapter through a couple of times before you do (or buy) anything. Even if you are a moderately experienced amateur astronomer, it's worth taking the time to study this chapter in detail. You'll probably pick up at least a few tips and tricks that are new to you.
Chapter 2, Observing Hacks -
This chapter covers observing activities, the heart of amateur astronomy. The hacks in this chapter explain everything from fundamental concepts, like stellar magnitude, to tips and tricks for seeing the most possible detail in very dim objects to organizing your records to sketching objects. Even very experienced astronomers are likely to pick up some tips and tricks from this chapter. We know, because some of the hacks we wrote about were new to us, suggested by our contributors and other experts.
Chapter 3, Scope Hacks -
Use the hacks in this chapter to tweak, modify, upgrade, and maintain your telescope. This chapter focuses largely (although not exclusively) on the incredibly popular Dobsonian telescopes, which are not just amenable to hacking, but purely beg to be hacked. You'll learn how to improve your scope's motions (finally, a use for all those AOL CDs...), improve its optical performance, and otherwise tweak and tune it for maximum performance.
Chapter 4, Accessory Hacks -
Accessorizing is half the fun in most hobbies, and amateur astronomy is no exception. This chapter explains what you need to know to choose, use, and maintain accessories properly. It's easy to go overboard when choosing astronomy accessories. If you follow our advice, you'll end up with only the accessories you need, at a price you can afford to pay. Conventions The following is a list of the typographical conventions used in this book:
Italics Used to indicate URLs, filenames, filename extensions, and directory/ folder names.
Color The second color is used to indicate a cross-reference within the text. You should pay special attention to notes set apart from the text with the following icons:  | This is a tip, suggestion, or general note. It contains useful supplementary information about the topic at hand. |
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 | This is a warning or note of caution, often indicating that you or your equipment might be at risk. |
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The thermometer icons, found next to each hack, indicate the relative complexity of the hack:  beginner  moderate  expert
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