On a clear night, the vastness and beauty of the star-filled sky is awe-inspiring. In Stargazing: Astronomy without a Telescope Patrick Moore, Britain’s best known astronomer explains all you need to know about the universe visible to the naked eye. With the aid of charts and illustrations he examines how to ‘read’ the stars, to know which constellations lie overhead, their trajectory throughout the seasons, and the legends ascribed to them. In a month-by-month guide he describes, using detailed star maps, the night skies of both the northern and southern hemispheres. He also takes a look at the planets, the Sun and the Moon and their eclipses, comets, meteors, as well as aurorae and other celestial phenomena - all in accessible scientific detail. Astronomy is for everyone, and even with just the naked eye, it can become a fascinating and rewarding hobby for life.
• The author, Patrick Moore, is Britain’s best known astronomer
• Second edition of an extremely successful and well known book
• Accessible and comprehensive
Contents
1. Astronomy and astronomers; 2. The revolving sky; 3. Patterns of stars; 4. Star legends; 5. The stars themselves; 6. Stars of the far north; 7. Northern stars: the January sky; 8. Northern stars: the February sky; 9. Northern stars: the March sky; 10. Northern stars: the April sky; 11. Northern stars: the May sky; 12. Northern stars: the June sky; 13. Northern stars: the July sky; 14. Northern stars: the August sky; 15. Northern stars: the September sky; 16. Northern stars: the October sky; 17. Northern stars: the November sky; 18. Northern stars: the December sky; 19. Stars of the far south; 20: Southern stars: the January sky; 21. Southern stars: the February sky; 22. Southern stars: the March sky; 23. Southern stars: the April sky; 24. Southern stars: the May sky; 25. Southern stars: the June sky; 26. Southern stars: the July sky; 27. Southern stars: the August sky; 28. Southern stars: the September sky; 29. Southern stars: the October sky; 30. Southern stars: the November sky; 31. Southern stars: the December sky; 32. The equatorial sky; 33. Our star: the sun; 34. The craters of the moon; 35. The planets; 36. Space nomads; 37. Glows in the sky; Appendices; Index.
Reviews
‘This is an excellent primer for any newcomer to astronomy and an enjoyable and readable book … Every astronomer should have a copy. I shall stock it in my bookshop and heartily recommend it.’ Paul England, Astronomy Now
‘This book is well suited for novices to get acquainted with the stellar constellations, and for everyone interested in observing the sky with just the naked eye.’ Orion (Société Astronomique de Suisse)
‘… the illustrations and details of what to look for at different times of year are very helpful for beginners … this book excels at providing easy directions for exploring the night sky. Recommended for general readers.’ M. K. Hemenway, Choice
