The clearest, most accessible guide to observing the night sky.
Introducing the Handbook of Stars and Planets - the perfect beginner's guide to the night sky!
With a highly visual introduction that explains the basic concepts of astronomy and gives advice on the best methods and equipment for observation, including binoculars and telescopes, exploring the cosmos and more has never been easier or more accessible. Each of the planets in the Solar System is described and illustrated in detail, with images taken from space probes as well as from the ground, showing them as you can expect to see them.
More than 160 star charts were made especially for this book by the Royal Greenwich Observatory. There is a separate detailed chart for each of the 88 constellations, adding up to a complete atlas of the sky. The text for each constellation reveals its history and mythology and lists notable stars, galaxies, nebulae, and other objects. Alongside the constellation profiles is a month-by-month guide, including a set of charts and a user-friendly text guide that picks out the highlights above your head each month.
Soar into the pages of this awe-inspiring astronomy book to explore:
- Introduction section provides an accessible primer on the basics of astronomy and skywatching
- Equipment section includes a guide to the main kinds of binoculars, telescopes, and camera equipment
- Practical advice also includes observing the sky with the naked eye
- Profiles of planets and constellations include color-coded data tables, delivering fast facts for quick reference
- Accesible text explains concepts clearly and guides the reader from beginner to intermediate-level astronomer
This newly updated guide to the Solar System includes new discoveries, revised data, and the latest images from space probes! The revisions to constellation and monthly sky guides include new data on stars and other objects such as galaxies, as well as a refreshed guide to binoculars, telescopes, and cameras. Complete with jargon-free text written by one of the foremost popularizers of astronomy and an authority on the history of constellations, the DK Handbook of Stars and Planets is the perfect introduction to stargazing! So whether you’re a budding astronomer or an intermediate space savvy, this great guide to the night sky is suitable for children aged 12+ and adults alike, and promises something for everyone to explore, discover and love!
ISBN-13: 9780744058093
Media Type: Paperback
Publisher: DK
Publication Date: 09-06-2022
Pages: 224
Product Dimensions: 5.50(w) x 8.30(h) x 0.70(d)
Series: DK Handbooks
Ian Ridpath is a keen amateur astronomer whose writing has established him as one of the world’s leading authorities on starwatching. His articles have been published in newspapers and books all over the world, and he has written more than 40 books. He is currently the editor of Norton’s Star Atlas (the longest-established star atlas in the world) and of the authoritative Oxford Dictionary of Astronomy. He is also the editor of The Antiquarian Astronomer, the journal of the Society for the History of Astronomy. Ian is a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society and a member of the International Astronomical Union (IAU).
What People are Saying About This
From the Publisher
"A concise and beautifully illustrated guide to the sky's best sights, and to the science behind them."—Mitchell Begelman, author of Turn Right at Orion: Travels through the Cosmos
"Ridpath and Tirion are an unbeatable team. Ridpath writes concisely and movingly about the sky, and Tirion's charts are beautifully done and easy to follow. This is a superb guide to the night sky."—David H. Levy, author of Shoemaker by Levy (Princeton) and co-discoverer of the comet Shoemaker-Levy 9.
Table of Contents
Section IIntroduction 4
The Star Charts 19
Northern and Southern Hemisphere Skies 20
Monthly Skies Throughout the Year 24
The 88 Constellations 72
Section II
Stars 263
Double and Multiple Stars 278
Variable Stars 279
Milky Way, Galaxies and the Universe 283
The Sun 292
The Solar System 298
The Moon 302
Moon Maps 313
Eclipses of the Sun and Moon 334
Mercury 338
Venus 342
Mars 347
Five-year positions for Mars, Jupiter and Saturn 356
Jupiter 366
Saturn 371
Uranus, Neptune and Pluto 375
Comets and Meteors 379
Asteroids and Meteorites 383
Astronomical Instruments and Observing 385
Basic Astrophotography 393
Index 395
