![When We Left Earth - The NASA Missions (4-Disc Set) [Blu-ray]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/514eMbEkSvL._SL75_.jpg) | When We Left Earth - The NASA Missions (4-Disc Set) [Blu-ray]
Buy new: $30.99 / Used from: $23.85 An excellent series detailing the history of NASA's missions from Mercury through today. It does an excellent job of recreating the tension and excitement of watching the missions unfold in real-time.
Only the new footage is in HD, and there are issues with the transfer including noticeable black dirt across multiple scenes. Still, it's a must-have of anyone with an interest in spaceflight.
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![For All Mankind - (The Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51G7IvFNwQL._SL75_.jpg) | For All Mankind - (The Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray]
Buy new: $23.99 / Used from: $29.88 For All Mankind is a classic documentary of the Apollo missions with a wealth of previously unseen footage directly from NASA's archives. The blu-ray edition is absolutely jaw-dropping, especially when considering the age of the source material.
Criterion is typically overpriced, but this is one release that's well worth the price tag.
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![Wonders of the Solar System (2pc) [Blu-ray]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51Az9S97QGL._SL75_.jpg) | Wonders of the Solar System (2pc) [Blu-ray]
Buy new: $51.99 / Used from: $51.97 Yet another breathtaking nature series from BBC. Charismatic and engaging, Physicist Brian Cox of the LHC is your tour guide through some of the most scientifically interesting locations in the solar system while comparing and connecting them with the most similar places on our own planet.
Think Planet Earth meets Cosmos.
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 | Cosmos: Carl Sagan (7 DVD Set)
Buy new: $75.49 / Used from: $57.99 Arguably the best nature series of all time. Carl Sagan remains one of the most inspiring scientific voices of the 20th century and Cosmos is perhaps his most precious legacy.
And although it's quite dated, scientific updates are provided as a subtitle track with this release. In some episodes hardly any updates are required, even after 30 years.
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 | Atlas of the Messier Objects: Highlights of the Deep Sky by Ronald Stoyan
Buy new: $39.15 / Used from: $35.40 A fantastic book of the highest quality, detailing the history of the Messier catalog and full of information on each of its 110 objects. One of the best books out there for learning about the most classic deep-sky objects that have been fascinating astronomers for many years.
Just don't expect to keep it with your observing kit as it is rather large and heavy.
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 | Astronomy: A Visual Guide by Mark A. Garlick PhD
Buy new: $21.80 / Used from: $1.67 THE coffee table book for astronomy. Very accessible, as it's mostly pictures and brief introductions to a wide range of astronomical topics. This is a book that anyone can pick up, flip to a random page and find something interesting and fun to look at.
Especially notable since it often sells for around $0.50 used here on Amazon, which is truly a steal for such a book.
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 | Turn Left at Orion: A Hundred Night Sky Objects to See in a Small Telescope--and How to Find Them by Guy Consolmagno
Buy new: $18.47 / Used from: $14.49 The classic beginner's guide for finding interesting things to look at through a small telescope. A must have for anyone just starting out in astronomy.
Still a staple of my observing kit even today.
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