Stargazing For Dummies

Stargazing is the practice of observing the night sky and its contents - from constellations through to planets and galaxies. Stars and other night sky objects can be seen with the naked eye, or seen in greater numbers and in more detail with binoculars or a telescope.

Stargazing For Dummies offers you the chance to explore the night sky, providing a detailed guide to the main constellations and also offering advice on viewing other night sky objects such as planets and nebulae. It's a great introduction to a fun new hobby, and even provides a fun way to get the kids outside while doing something educational!

• Gives you an introduction to looking at the sky with binoculars or a telescope
• Offers advice on photographing the night sky
• Without needing to get your head around mind-bending theories, you can take part in some practical physics

If you're looking for easy-to-follow guidance on getting to know the night sky, Stargazing For Dummies has you covered.

Introduction 1

Part I: What’s Up? Getting Familiar with the Night Sky 7

Chapter 1: The Changing Sky 9

Chapter 2: Look Up! Your First Stargazing Trip 23

Chapter 3: Binocular Astronomy 39

Chapter 4: Your First Telescope 57

Chapter 5: Taking It Further: Astrophotography 81

Part II: Joining the Dots: Learning Your Way Around the Night Sky 91

Chapter 6: The Fixed Stars 93

Chapter 7: The Wanderers 105

Chapter 8: The Constellations 131

Chapter 9: Mapping the Skies 149

Part III: Star Hopping 165

Chapter 10: Northern Polar Constellations 167

Chapter 11: Stars of December, January and February 183

Chapter 12: Stars of March, April and May 211

Chapter 13: Stars of June, July and August 241

Chapter 14: Stars of September, October and November 271

Chapter 15: Southern Polar Constellations 293

Part IV: The Part of Tens 309

Chapter 16: Ten Targets for New Stargazers 311

Chapter 17: Ten Things to Look for under a Dark Sky 315

Index 321

"Well done Steve Owens for a really fun book." (Astronomy Now, June 2013)

"Stargazing For Dummies is a terrific book... one of the best introductions to practical astronomy on the market.... This is the perfect book to get you started. Enjoy!" (BBC Sky At Night Magazine, June 2013)

"In my opinion Stargazing for Dummies should be treated as an essential handbook by anyone interested in the night sky and kept very close to your window, binoculars or telescope. You will find it to be very handy." (Meteorwatch.org, April 2013)

Steve Owens is a freelance science writer and presenter with a passion for astronomy. He has been the recipient of the 'Campaign for Dark Skies' Award for Dark Sky Preservation, and he was nominated for the Arthur C. Clarke Award for public science engagement.

Learn to:

• Navigate the night sky with the naked eye, binoculars or a telescope
• Identify key constellations and night-sky objects, wherever you are in the world
• Take your first steps toward night-sky photography

The fun, easy way to get into stargazing and start navigating the stars and planets – right away!

You don't need a degree in astrophysics to plumb the mysteries of the universe, and this book proves it. Stargazing For Dummies makes navigating the stars easy. From finding your way around our solar system to hunting for elusive deep-space objects, this book provides everything you need to get started on your journey through the cosmos.

• Meet the neighbours – get to know the celestial neighbourhood, from the Moon and Venus to Orion and the Seven Sisters
• Peek into the private lives of stars – learn the basic science of stars, such as what they're made of, the different types, how many there are, distances between them and more
• Magnify the magnificent – learn about binoculars and various types of telescopes, how to buy them and how to use them to see farther into the cosmos
• Connect the dots – learn how to recognise constellations and tell the difference between near stars, distant galaxies, globular clusters and nebulae
• Venture forth into the Cosmos – using detailed illustrations you'll confidently navigate the stars as seen in different seasons in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres

Open the book and find:

• Instructions on finding your way around the night sky with the naked eye
• A guide to buying a pair of binoculars or a telescope
• Tips for identifying key constellations
• Astronomy and astrophysics basics made easy
• The low-down on photographing stars
• Detailed illustrations for all the major constellations in both hemispheres