Yearbook of Astronomy 2021

by Brian Jones (Editor)

Overview

Maintaining its appealing style and presentation, the Yearbook of Astronomy 2021 contains comprehensive jargon-free monthly sky notes and an authoritative set of sky charts to enable backyard astronomers and sky gazers everywhere to plan their viewing of the year’s eclipses, comets, meteor showers and minor planets as well as detailing the phases of the Moon and visibility and locations of the planets throughout the year. To supplement all this is a variety of entertaining and informative articles, a feature for which the Yearbook of Astronomy is known. In the 2021 edition the reader is presented with articles covering a wide range of topics including Male Family Mentors for Women in Astronomy; Henrietta Swan Leavitt and Her Work; Solar Observing; Obsolete Constellations; Lunar Volcanism; Pages From the Past: Collecting Vintage Astronomy Books; Māori Astronomy in Aotearoa-New Zealand and others.

In addition to the above is the first in a series of articles entitled Mission to Mars: Countdown to Building a Brave New World scheduled to appear in the Yearbook of Astronomy throughout the 2020s. These articles will keep the reader fully up to date with the ongoing investigations, research and preparations that are already underway, as well as those in the planning phase, all of which are geared towards sending a manned mission to Mars at or around the end of the decade. We are at the start of what promises to be an exciting journey.

The Yearbook of Astronomy made its first appearance way back in 1962, shortly after the dawning of the Space Age. Now well into its sixth decade of production, the Yearbook is rapidly heading for its Diamond Jubilee edition in 2022. It continues to be essential reading for anyone lured and fascinated by the magic of astronomy and who has a desire to extend their knowledge of the Universe and the wonders it plays host to. The Yearbook of Astronomy is indeed an inspiration to amateur and professional astronomers alike, and warrants a place on the bookshelves of all stargazers and watchers of the Universe.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781526771872
Publisher:	Pen and Sword
Publication date:	11/19/2020
Pages:	384
Sales rank:	1,137,955
Product dimensions:	8.20(w) x 5.80(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Brian Jones hails from Bradford in the West Riding of Yorkshire and was a founder member of the Bradford Astronomical Society. He developed a fascination for astronomy at the age of five when he first saw the stars through a pair of binoculars, and his interest took him into the realms of writing sky guides for local newspapers, appearing on local radio and television, teaching astronomy and space in schools and, in 1985, becoming a full time astronomy and space writer. He has penned 18 books to date which have covered a range of astronomy and space-related topics for both children and adults. His passion for bringing an appreciation of the universe to his readers is reflected in his writing.

Table of Contents

Editor's Foreword 8

Preface 14

About Time 15

Using the Yearbook of Astronomy as an Observing Guide 17

The Monthly Star Charts

Northern Hemisphere Star Charts David Harper 27

Southern Hemisphere Star Charts David Harper 53

The Planets in 2021 Lynne Marie Stockman 78

Phases of the Moon in 2021 81

Eclipses in 2021 82

Some Events in 2021 83

Monthly Sky Notes and Articles 2021

January 89

Astronomical Illustrations of the Nuremberg Chronicle Richard H. Sanderson 92

February 99

211 Borisov - Interstellar Comet Neil Norman 101

March 107

Alfred Fowler Jane Callaghan 109

April 113

Salyut 1: The First Space Station Neil Haggath 116

May 119

Thomas Henry Espinell Compton Espin: The Double Star Curate of Tow Law John McCue 121

June 127

The Star That Was Older Than the Universe: The Mystery of HD 140283 David Harper 129

July 135

Early Precariously Balanced Refractors Gary Yule 137

August 143

Spare a Thought for the Engineers Rod Hine 145

September 149

Burying the Sun Carolyn Kennett 152

October 156

Tinkering With Time: The British Standard Time Experiment at 50 David Harper 158

November 163

Your Name in Space Peter Red 165

December 171

Tycho Brahe Paul Fellows 174

Comets in 2021 Neil Norman 179

Minor Planets in 2021 Neil Norman 185

Meteor Showers in 2021 Neil Norman 191

Article Section

Astronomy in 2020 Rod Hine 203

Solar System Exploration in 2020 Peter Rea 212

Anniversaries in 2021 Neil Haggath 223

Mission to Mars: Countdown to Building a Brave New World Martin Braddock 232

Male Family Mentors for Women in Astronomy: En'hedu'anna to Eimmart Mary McIntyre 240

Henrietta Swan Leavitt and Her Work David M. Harland 251

Solar Observing Peter Meadows 263

The Meteorite Age Carolyn Kennett 272

'A Dignity That Insures Their Perpetuation' John C. Barentine 280

Lunar Volcanism: The View 50 Years after Apollo Lionel Wilson 291

Pages From the Past: Collecting Vintage Astronomy Books Richard H. Sanderson 300

The Chances of Anything Coming From Mars Jan Hardy 312

Mãori Astronomy in Aotearoa-New Zealand Pauline Harris Hemi Whaanga Rangi Matamua 322

Miscellaneous

Some Interesting Variable Stars Tracie Heywood 335

Some Interesting Double Stars Brian Jones 354

Some Interesting Nebulae, Star Clusters and Galaxies Brian Jones 357

Astronomical Organizations 359

Our Contributors 364

Glossary Brian Jones David Harper 372

Editorial Reviews

"As founder of the Zanesville Astronomy Club, a NASA Night Sky Affiliate, I would like to thank editor Brian Jones for putting together the perfect book for me and other NSN international coordinators to use in providing information to members during events. The astronomy resources and data compiled within the book will save me countless hours trying to obtain the data through numerous other sources when writing the monthly newsletter. I especially appreciate the information entered for each month in addition to the sections of Lunar & Solar Eclipses, Moon phases, Meteor Showers and Comets. The excellent Monthly Star Charts will make it easy for every event participant to know what's in their night sky. Lines connecting stars within the constellations on the Star Charts are quite fine and may be difficult to see at night. Having sections with Right Ascension and Declination of Double Stars, Clusters, Nebulae and Galaxies will make them easy to find. I will recommend this resource book to the 300+ members of our local organization. It will be with me every meeting and used often during 2021. East to read and well organized, I highly recommended this book for anyone interested in learning more about the night sky.”

Irene Baron