Photo-guide to the Constellations: A Self-Teaching Guide to Finding Your Way Around the Heavens (The Patrick Moore Practical Astronomy Series)

"l hope that people all around the world never forget what a wonderful thing it is to lie on your back and look up at the stars" Pete Seeger What is the fascination that constellations hold for people? There are probably as many different answers to that question as there are people. For many, though, the constella­ tions are the stepping-off point into the fabulous, mind-bending discoveries and concepts of modern astronomy. For others it is their long and intriguing history that beckons. For some people the constellations provide the means for navigation and orientation over the surface of the Earth, and of course there are the millions who place some faith in horo­ scopes. But for most people the patterns in the sky are a beautiful part of their environ­ ment to be treasured alongside the forests, fields and rivers that make life worth living. However just as we are losing our green environment to pollution, so we are losing our sky. The glow from cities across the world swamps the stars in the night sky. Astronomers have had to retreat to remote mountain tops to escape that light pollution. The rest of us must make do with what is available. From the centre of a city, or any other brightly lit area, probably no stars at all will be visible even on the clearest of nights. From the suburbs, the brighter stars should normally be seen. There Are Many Books On Finding Your Way Round The Night Sky, But The Photo-guide To The Constellations Is Unique In Showing Photographs Of How The Sky Really Looks Under A Variety Of Different Seeing Conditions, From City Outskirts To The Almost-perfect Skies Deep In The Countryside. Along With A Detailed Step-by-step Guide To Star Hopping And Other Useful Techniques, These Make This An Invaluable Guide For All Newcomers To Astronomy. Intoduction -- Finding The Constellations: Introduction. Northern Hemisphere Observers. Southern Hemisphere Observers. Equitorial Observers -- The Individual Constellations -- The Sky Throughout The Year -- Appendices -- Index. Chris Kitchin. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 143-144) And Index. Front Matter....Pages i-x Introduction....Pages 1-7 Finding the Constellations....Pages 9-78 The Individual Constellations....Pages 79-114 The Sky throughout the Year....Pages 115-132 Back Matter....Pages 133-149 The purpose of this book is to provide you with the means whereby you may learn to find your way around the sky.