Other editions of book Smithsonian Handbooks: Stars and Planets

Authoritative text, charts and diagrams, photographs, and a systematic approach make DK's Smithsonian Handbooks: Stars and Planets the most comprehensive and concise pocket guide to observing the night sky.Each planet is illustrated and described in detail, with location charts and diagrams and a month-by-month guide to interesting features of the night sky. All 88 constellations are examined, along with objects they contain, such as notable stars, star clusters, nebulae, and galaxies. For those new to astronomy, a highly visual introduction explains many basic concepts and offers expert advice on the best methods and equipment for observation.This book is one of a series covering plants, animals, and other natural phenomena from around the world and is published in association with the Smithsonian Institution.

Authoritative text, charts and diagrams, photographs, and a systematic approach make DK's Smithsonian Handbooks: Stars and Planets the most comprehensive and concise pocket guide to observing the night sky.Each planet is illustrated and described in detail, with location charts and diagrams and a month-by-month guide to interesting features of the night sky. All 88 constellations are examined, along with objects they contain, such as notable stars, star clusters, nebulae, and galaxies. For those new to astronomy, a highly visual introduction explains many basic concepts and offers expert advice on the best methods and equipment for observation.This book is one of a series covering plants, animals, and other natural phenomena from around the world and is published in association with the Smithsonian Institution.

Published in associaiton with America's preeminent authority, the Smithsonian Institution. The clearest, most accessible guide to observingand understanding the night sky. Packed with easy-to-use charts & diagrams for accurate identification of all constellations, stars & planets. Concise & jargon-free text explains what to llo for and where, & describes each feature in detail.

In this new edition of their classic guide, Ian Ridpath and Wil Tirion bring the night sky down to earth with brand new sky charts, diagrams, and photos that enrich the clear, engaging text. Stars and Planets will delight both latent astronomers who have yet to touch a telescope and the more star-savvy who have spent many a night outside craning their necks behind a lens.The introduction presents the basics of astronomical observation while answering such questions as: How did constellations come to be? Do the stars within them have anything to do with one another? Do stars really flicker? Next comes the book's centerpiece: an excellent series of maps of the night sky from hemisphere to hemisphere, month to month and, above all, charts showing all 88 constellations, including some 5,000 stars. The text vividly relates the human history behind each constellation and notes their most prominent stars while offering sundry stimulating facts.The second section focuses on the astrophysics behind stars, galaxies, the sun, the planets, comets and meteors, and more. Striking full-color photos, maps, and illustrations appear on almost every page. The guide concludes with helpful tips on the optical tools of the trade and on astrophotography. Astrophysicists and amateur skywatchers agree that Stars and Planets is simply the most user-friendly, compact source of celestial information available. No one should leave home at night without it.Up-to-date full-color photos and data, including recent planetary imagesMonthly maps of the night sky as seen from latitudes throughout the worldCharts of all 88 constellations, with data and notes on bright stars and other objects of interestIllustrated introduction to stars, nebulae, galaxies, and the solar systemAdvice on choosing and using binoculars and telescopes

This is a new edition of the clearest, most authoritative guide to stars and planets you will find. From the planet Jupiter to a refracting telescope, discover all about the stars and planets in our solar system and the equipment you need to spot them. Each of the planets is illustrated and described in incredible detail while the complex process of locating planets in the night sky is made simple through charts, maps and diagrams. You'll find star charts to help you to locate and identify constellations and individual stars. Interesting features in the sky are examined in a monthly guide, complemented by absorbing accounts of all 88 constellations and the objects they contain. It is perfect for beginners or intermediate astronomers and pocket-sized so you can take it outside.

Each of the planets in the Solar System is illustrated and described in detail while the often complex process of locating planets in the night sky is made as simple as possible with unique charts and diagrams. For those new to astronomy a highly visual introduction explains many of the basic concepts and offers expert advice on the best methods and equipment for observation. This title includes a concise glossary that explains any scientific and technical terms used.