Publisher Description

From blue moons to Betelgeuse, it's all in this witty, fact-packed, profusely illustrated guide to the heavens by the author of Discover magazine's popular "Night Watchman" column.

Author Biography

Author of Secrets of the Night Sky and Discover magazine's "Sky Lights" column, Bob Berman is the director of the Overlook and Cobb-Matthieson Observatories and lives near Woodstock, New York.

Review

"Berman's book asks for little--knowledge of a few constellations like Orion and the Big Dipper--and delivers much: the sun, moon, colorful stars, moving planets, and smears of light that are galaxies."-- "Booklist""Truly exceptional."-- "Christian Science Monitor"

Description for Teachers/Educators

From blue moons to Betelgeuse, it's all in this witty, fact-packed, profusely illustrated guide to the heavens by the author of Discover magazine's popular 'Night Watchman' column. Unburdened by technical jargon and perfect for the backyard astronomer and beginning student, this stargazer's guide explores dozens of cosmic marvels that can be seen by the unaided eye. Why does the moon seem brighter in winter? What causes the dreamy magic of the Northern Lights? How can you differentiate between a military and a weather satellite? With an exuberant sense of humor and a poetic sense of wonder, Secrets of the Night Sky answers these questions and more. All the objects this book describes can readily be viewed from anywhere in North America and Europe, and more than 160 illustrations capture the universe's unforgettable astral occurrences. A stellar primer on everything from the Doppler effect to black holes, there is no more practical guide to the heavens.

Details