Secrets Of The Night Sky

From blue moons to Betelgeuse, it's all in this witty, fact-packed, profusely illustrated guide to the heavens by the author of Discover magazine's popular "Night Watchman" column.

From blue moons to Betelgeuse, it's all in this witty, fact-packed, profusely illustrated guide to the heavens by the author of Discover magazine's popular "Night Watchman" column.

Here's the perfect how-to book for recreational stargazers. It's loaded with practical advice to help new observers spend more time exploring the night sky and less time fumbling with equipment or wondering how, when, and what to observe. In Secrefs of Stargazing you'll discover how to: Quickly get started stargazing if you're the lucky recipient of a new telescope, Plan your observing sessions and record your observations, Stargaze in the city - despite the lights, Quickly and easily prepare your telescope for a night under the stars, Use star charts and discover star-hopping, See faint objects without actually looking at them, Observe in comfort, Decipher weather reports and understand sky transparency and seeing conditions, Find others in your area who share your love of the night sky. Whether or not you own a telescope, Secrets of Stargazing is loaded with tips and tricks that are guaranteed to make you a better observer. It's a volume that no novice stargazer should be without. Book jacket.

In this book in the Family Fun series, kids can learn all about the night sky with fun games, stories, information and more...

This fascinating narrative recounts the history of astronomy and, with more than 100 full-color illustrations, it shows readers how to find the planets and constellations in the night sky. In ancient times, people thought that the Sun, Moon, and stars were gods. They recorded their movements and imagined that the stars made pictures in the sky. The Greeks and the Romans related these "pictures" of animals and men--or constellations--to their legends. They also identified planets and named them for their gods--Venus, Mars, Saturn, and Jupiter. Their observations marked the first step in the development of astronomy, which today is a sophisticated science. Modern astronomers have followed the tradition of naming heavenly bodies after ancient gods. For instance, the solar system's outer planets weren't identified until after the telescope's invention, but with their discoveries they were named after Uranus, a Greek god of the sky . . . Neptune, the Roman god of the sea . . . and Pluto, the Roman god of the underworld. The author recounts the legends connected with many constellations, including Aquarius, Aries, Cancer, Orion, and others. This beautifully illustrated book helps readers navigate their way around the night sky as they learn the significance of heavenly bodies' names. Color photos and illustrations throughout.

Haunted by the memory of the mother who abandoned her at age seven, jewelry designer and artist Ivy Slovak recalls the years spent with her loving, itinerant father, wandering the desert, hoping to find the troubled, beautiful woman who had left them both.

Tales of the Night Sky shines fresh light on the mythological meaning and cultural significance of constellations, and includes a beautiful 18 x 24–inch poster illustrating 33 of the best-known among them. Astronomer and ordained ex-zen monk offers a modern approach to stargazing that reflects growing interest in popular and accessible science through mindfulness. Through a mix of both scientific fact and meditative insight, discover how the mysteries of the twinkly skies can connect us all more deeply to our inner selves. Noticing the bright constellations in the night skies above can foster a sense of curiosity, awe, and deep interconnection like nothing else on Earth. For each of the constellations, discover: Philosophy and lifestyle advice learned from the origin of the constellation Myths and cultural connections of the constellation Celestial events that occur annually The deep sky objects contained in the constellation, including nebulae and star clusters The stars and planets have been a constant source of fascination since the earliest times, and different cultures have tried to explain the existence of these heavenly bodies with a host of myths and legends. This book explains the folklore behind the names and shows how to locate the constellations in the night sky. The quest to discover the secrets in the night skies speaks to something deep in human nature. Become part of the resurgence in the lost art of "reading nature," to connect both with nature and also with the intuition, traditions, and wisdom of ancient cultures.