The Starlore Handbook

A dream come true for stargazers and all who have stood in awe of the night sky, The Star Lore Handbook is a complete, fully illustrated guide to identifying the eighty-eight recognized constellations and the principal stars that comprise them. Deftly weaving together astronomy, myth, and symbolism, author Geoffrey Cornelius tours the rich heritage of the stars and planets -- from meteors and orbits to astrology, moon worship, and astral tales of love and tragedy. Including a quick-reference table that lets beginners spot major constellations right away, this unique companion introduces not only modern scientific knowledge, but also the beliefs and folklore of Ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, China, medieval and Renaissance Europe, and Central and Native America. Wonderfully illustrated with specially commissioned maps and artwork, color photographs, and line drawings, this is an ideal guide to the timeless celestial marvels.

The starry night sky has always filled us with wonder. Down through the ages we have looked to the skies and have seen images of our heroes, gods, and monsters. Storytellers have illustrated their mythologies and legends with it, passing on to future generations the customs of their people. Many of these stories have survived to the present. In this Skylore from Planet Earth we explore some of the stories about the star cluster PLEIADES. Since The Pleiades is located almost directly over the earth's equator, people from the entire planet have looked to it for a reminder of their own traditions. Fifteen richly illustrated stories take the reader on a trip around the world, giving a glimpse into the histories and cultures of the planet's early civilizations. Six books in this series will feature other sky phenomena as seen from early cultures around the world. Read stories about the constellation ORION (available now), the planet VENUS, our MILKY WAY GALAXY, the SUN, and the MOON.

Introduction to the night sky and the principles of naked-eye astronomy using only elementary mathematics.

The starry night sky has always filled us with wonder. Down through the ages we have looked to the skies for guidance from the images of our heroes, gods, and monsters. Storytellers have illustrated their mythologies and legends with it, passing on to future generations the customs of their people. Many of these stories have survived to the present. In this Skylore from Planet Earth we explore some of the stories about Our MOON. People from the entire planet have looked to it for a reminder of their own traditions. Fifteen richly illustrated stories take the reader on a trip around the world, giving a glimpse into the histories and cultures of the planet s early civilizations. The six books in this series feature other sky phenomena as seen from early cultures around the world. Read stories about the constellation ORION; the star cluster PLEIADES; our galaxy, MILKY WAY; and the planet, VENUS. One more book is coming soon: the COMETS & METEORS.

The starry night sky has always filled us with wonder. Down through the ages we have looked to the skies and have seen images of our heroes, gods, and monsters. Storytellers have illustrated their mythologies and legends with it, passing on to future generations the customs of their people. Many of these stories have survived to the present. In this Skylore from Planet Earth we explore some of the stories about the star cluster PLEIADES. Since The Pleiades is located almost directly over the earth's equator, people from the entire planet have looked to it for a reminder of their own traditions. Fifteen richly illustrated stories take the reader on a trip around the world, giving a glimpse into the histories and cultures of the planet's early civilizations. Six books in this series will feature other sky phenomena as seen from early cultures around the world. Read stories about the constellation ORION (available now), the planet VENUS, our MILKY WAY GALAXY, the SUN, and the MOON.

A practical guide to viewing the universe.

Designed as an introduction to classical mythology for middle and high-school students, presents retellings of favorite myths, sidebar summaries, and review exercises with the answers at the back of the book.

What are some of the connections that bind us to the stars? How have these connections been established? And how have people all around the world and throughout time reacted to the night sky, the sun and moon, in their poetry, mythology, rituals, and temples? This book explores the influence of the sky on both ancient and modern civilization, by providing a clear overview of the many ways in which humans have used the stars as an ordering principle in their cultures, and which today still inspire us intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually. The book explores constellation lore from around the world, celestial alignments of monuments and temples, both from ancient and modern civilizations, and the role the sky has played in the cultures of the Greek, Egyptian, Babylonian, Native American, Chinese, Mayan, Aztec, and Inca. Models of the universe from each of these cultures are described clearly, and each culture’s explanation of the stars, planets, and other celestial objects are described. The roots of astronomy and astrology are presented with original imagery and reproductions of ancient manuscripts that portray the structure of the physical universe as conceived by a diverse array of human cultures over the centuries. Our own scientific Big Bang cosmology and the origin of stars and elements are discussed in a philosophical context, to explore how we as modern people learn about the Universe, and incorporate the findings of science into our world views. A concluding chapter provides a summary of modern science's effort to unlock the celestial secrets from the sky and from past civilizations, and what these answers mean for us today.