Stars and Planets

by Ian Ridpath

Overview

Eyewitness Stars and Planets handbooks are ideal for field use or as home references. Each photograph has ample identifying information, plus diagrams to provide a comprehensive, concise guide. A practical guide to the night sky that can be used by amateur astronomers anywhere in the world. Features entries on all 88 constellations of the northern and southern hemisphere skies and a set of clear, easy-to-use star charts allow the reader to identify unknown objects at any time of the year, Eyewitness Stars and Planets Eyewitness handbooks are ideal for field use or as home references. Each photograph has ample identifying information, plus diagrams to provide a comprehensive, concise guide.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780744058093
Publisher:	DK
Publication date:	09/06/2022
Series:	DK Handbooks
Pages:	224
Sales rank:	108,837
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.30(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Ian Ridpath, an amateur astronomer, is an author and broadcaster on stars and planets for a general audience. He is the editor of, among other titles, Norton's Star Atlas, The Oxford Dictionary of Astronomy, and The Monthly Sky Guide. Wil Tirion is among the world's foremost celestial photographers and illustrators.

Table of Contents

Section I
Introduction 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

What People are Saying About This

David H. Levy

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.

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.

Mitchell Begelman

A concise and beautifully illustrated guide to the sky's best sights,and to the science behind them.

Editorial Reviews

"This marvelously dense field guide tells you everything you need to know to find your way around the sky, whether you are an eager novice who is just looking around or a serious observer using binoculars or a telescope."

Discover

"The handy size, copious illustrations, maps and charts, as well as the latest in astrophotography throughout . . . practically beg[s] astronomers to take [Stars and Planets] along to star parties."

Astronomy

"For those who gaze at the night sky, seeking the familiar patterns known to sailors and shepherds, this field guide will be an invaluable companion."—-Bruce E. Fleury, Science Books & Films

"[A] first-class pocket field guide to the sky.... The charts, by Wil Tirion, are what we would expect of this master of celestial cartography; they are uncluttered, easy to read, and compress many (but not too many!) objects in a small space.... [A] very nicely produced book."—-John Mosley, Planetarian

From the Publisher