Stargazing For Dummies

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 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

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

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.