Phil Simpson

Guidebook to the Constellations (eBook, PDF)

Telescopic Sights, Tales, and Myths

• Format: PDF

Produktbeschreibung

This handbook is a guide to exploring the night sky and its wonderful telescopic sights. All eighty-eight officially recognized constellations in both hemispheres are presented in natural groups, related by their origin and location. The author, a former astronomy instructor and planetarium director, has for over thirty-five years, researched myths from all over the world to identify the most memorable stories which link multiple constellations in a single story. Thus, the interested observer may discover that it will be easier to use already known constellations to locate and remember new constellations. The author has found that showing each constellation figure with a simple line drawing is helpful for remembering each constellation. He includes photographs of many of the brighter celestial objects, as well as many accompanying drawings which illustrate how the telescopic views differ from the photographs.

One way to use this handbook, which is useful to beginners as well as experienced astronomers, is to read the myth or story that explains the constellation of interest, view the corresponding photograph, finder and detailed charts, and then go outside and find it! This method was successfully used with groups ranging from third graders to college astronomy classes. An index and seven appendices help the user find specific objects or subjects of interest. Other helpful features of this comprehensive guidebook include:

• Specific instructions for finding each constellation
• A list of the named stars in each constellation with the correct spelling, pronunciation, and origin of the star names
• Finder charts showing each constellation with a large area of the sky around it
• Detailed charts showing the location of the celestial objects in each constellation
• Constellation photographs
• Pointer stars and special star groups which can be used as aids in finding specific constellations

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Produktdetails

• Verlag: Springer New York
• Seitenzahl: 863
• Erscheinungstermin: 26. Juni 2012
• Englisch
• ISBN-13: 9781441969415
• Artikelnr.: 37659675

Autorenporträt

An active amateur astronomer for over 40 years, L. Phillip Simpson has worked as an instructor of astronomy at four different universities and colleges. During the 1980s he was Director of the Clyde W. Tombaugh Space Instruction Center. More recently he worked for Northrop Grumman as Product Team Leader for design and production of telescopes for the Space Based Infrared System. He is currently a part-time assistant at NM Mexico Skies (a leading guest observatory and internet telescope provider), instructing astrophotographers and visual observers.

Inhaltsangabe

How to Observe the Sky Using this Book.- The North Circumpolar Constellations.- The Andromeda Group.- The Orion Group.- The Hercules Group.- The Boötes Group.- The Corvus Group.- The Aquila Group.- The Argo Navis Group.- The Lyra Group.- The Gemini Group.- The Watery Part of the Sky.- Other Northern Constellations.- Modern Constellations Formed by Plancius.- Modern Constellations Formed by Plancius & Keyser.- Modern Constellations Formed by Hevelius.- Modern Constellations Formed by Lacaille.- Glossary of Terms.- Appendices.- Index.

Rezensionen

From the reviews:

"The book goes through each of the 88 constellations in use and also mentions some obsolete ones as well. ... This book also gives a lot of information about the various objects that might be of interest while observing the sky with a telescope - the tables include multiple stars, variable stars and star clusters where you can for example look up their magnitudes and spectral classes. ... Overall it's an excellent handbook to go through while looking for something to observe." (Kadri Tinn, AstroMadness.com, December, 2013)

"This book ... combines Simpson's experience of presenting the night sky to beginners with photographs and drawings by 13 other amateurs around the world. The result is a meaty tome of well over 850 pages, packed with information and illustrations that should keep any enthusiastic observer of the night sky busy for years. ... I can heartily recommend this book to all those learning their way around the sky, and who appreciate knowing the ancient stories of the stars as well as the modern science." (Ian Ridpath, The Observatory, Vol. 132 (1230), October, 2012)

"Guidebook to the Constellations is intended for observers wanting to move beyond a casual glance at the heavens. ... The book provides the visual depiction of each constellation in two different sketches, along with an image of the sky of the region. ... The book is illustrated with images from amateur astronomers. The appendixes provide an excellent summary of helpful definitions and reference material. Summing Up: Recommended. General audiences and lower-division undergraduates." (D. E. Hogg, Choice, Vol. 49 (11), July, 2012)

"The author has grouped those together which share common origins and myths to tell the tales and which can then be learned as a unit. ... There are plenty of images, all taken by amateurs, and, interestingly, many are shown both in their original format andprocessed to give the appearance in a medium sized telescope. ... the price and number of pages, it seems good value and very informative for those who want a single reference to the constellations and their objects." (Jonathan Gale, Plain Astronomy, Vol. 1 (1), March, 2012)