The Constellations

Perfect for stargazers and armchair astronomers of all ages, CONSTELLATIONS is a beautifully illustrated, fascinatingguide to all 88 constellations, including an illustrated star map for each. In CONSTELLATIONS, award-winning astronomy writer Govert Schilling takes us on an unprecedented visual tour of all 88 constellations in our night sky. Much more than just a stargazer's guide, CONSTELLATIONS is complete history of astronomy as told by Schilling through the lens of each constellation. The book is organized alphabetically by constellation. Profiles of each constellation include basic information such as size, visibility, and number of stars, as well as information on the discovery and naming of the constellation and associated lore. Beyond details about the constellation itself is information about every astronomical event that took place or discovery made in the vicinity of the constellation. In the constellation of Cygnus (the Swan) we encounter the location of the first confirmed black hole. A stop at Gemini (the Twins) is a chance to say hello to the dwarf planet Pluto, and in Orion (the hunter) we find the location of the first identified gamma-ray burst. Stunning star maps throughout the book by acclaimed star mapmaker Wil Tirion show us the exact location of every constellation, the details of its structure, as well as its surrounding astronomical neighbors.

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.

A classic for all ages—the “wonderful” guide to the night sky by the creator of Curious George (Horn Book). Containing star charts, a guide to the constellations, and details about seasons and the movement of the objects we see in the sky, this classic book makes H. A. Rey’s passion for astronomy evident on every page. New updates concentrate on the planetary and solar system information in the latter part of the book. Facts and figures for each planet have been revised, and new scientific information has been added, such as Pluto’s reclassification as a dwarf planet. There's also a brand-new online resource that allows readers to track the positions of the planets in the night sky till the year 2100. “An excellent introduction to the heavens, to satisfy and stimulate a child’s interest…a very useful book.”—Kirkus Reviews “Persuades the reader that astronomy is not only easy—it’s fun.”—The New York Times “Excellent.”—Saturday Review

Large, double-page illustrations introduce stargazers of all ages to 22 major constellations, among them Aquarius, the water bearer; Orion, the hunter; Gemini, the twins; as well as Canis Major, Taurus, and Leo. Accompanying text relates mythological story behind each constellation's name and identifies its principal stars.

Ptolemy's Almagest is one of the most influential scientific works in history. A masterpiece of technical exposition, it was the basic textbook of astronomy for more than a thousand years, and still is the main source for our knowledge of ancient astronomy. This translation, based on the standard Greek text of Heiberg, makes the work accessible to English readers in an intelligible and reliable form. It contains numerous corrections derived from medieval Arabic translations and extensive footnotes that take account of the great progress in understanding the work made in this century, due to the discovery of Babylonian records and other researches. It is designed to stand by itself as an interpretation of the original, but it will also be useful as an aid to reading the Greek text.

What figures do the constellations of the night sky represent? What are the properties of the stars that they comprise? And which constellations are 'new', and which have become extinct? This unique reference book gathers together more information on the constellations than any other single work to date. The constellations can be readily compared, and a general view of them developed, using the tables that make up the first part of the book. These tables provide a wealth of information, covering all the essential properties of the constellations. In the second part of the book, each constellation is taken in turn, with a star chart and map illustrating the associated celestial figure and supported by a comprehensive list of essential properties. This highly illustrated volume provides the most complete reference to date, covering all factual aspects of the constellations for astronomers, both amateur and professional, educators and science writers.The author: Michael Bakich is currently the Planetarium Director for Kansas City Museum. He is an experienced writer and regularly writes columns for newspapers and the astronomy magazine Sky and Telescope.

Summer romance meets a passion for the environment in this timeless young adult novel. When Julia’s mother announces that she might be selling the family’s campground to a real estate developer, Julia is crushed. How could she stand to leave her childhood home? Then Julia finds an unlikely ally — the developer’s son, Nick — who wants to help her family raise the money they need to keep the campground running. Can Julia trust him to conspire against his own father? And could she ever trust him with her heart? This tender story reminds readers of summer’s possibilities … and how sometimes love is written in the stars.

"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.