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There are many books on finding your way round the night sky, but the Photo-guide to the Constellations is unique in showing photographs of how the sky really looks under a variety of different seeing conditions, from city outskirts to the almost-perfect skies deep in the countryside. Along with a detailed step-by-step guide to "star hopping" and other useful techniques, these make this an invaluable guide for all newcomers to astronomy. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Diagrams are very good;Photos are disappointing.
The book's main goal is to assist the reader in learning the sky pattern. This book has very nice wide-angle diagrams which show from 3 to 10 constellations each. There are helpful, dotted "star-hopping" lines and narration.Now for the photos:The author writes that there are 3 photos for every part of the sky: 1) from a very dark location, 2) from a less dark location, and 3) from a city location.This is so the reader could see how light pollution affects the sky's appearance.The photos are disappointing.First, it is hard to see anything in them unless you have magnifying glasses or are looking under strong light.Secondly, for each part of the sky, the 3 photos don't exactly match.This impedes side-to-side comparisons of the same part of the sky.The book would be much better, if for each diagram there was only one: more easily viewable photo matching exactly what is in the diagram. ... Read more

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This title explores: the myths and the modern meanings behind the constellations, why each constellation has a certain name, where they are found in the night sky, the best times for spotting constellations, and looks at how humans have explored outer space using different space craft. ... Read more

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This is a clear, vivid text with charts and maps showing the positions of the constellations the year round. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (81)

Best constellation book ever! Illustrated better, making them easier to learn!
I love this book! I can't recommend it highly enough. The illustrations are so much better than other star books I've seen because they're simple and they make sense. If the constellation is a bear, he draws it in a way that looks like a bear. He writes it in a way that if you just want to dive in and start finding constellations, you can. If you want to know more of the hows and why's behind them, he gives that too. I think this is a GREAT book for parents and grandparents to use with their children to learn about the beautiful night time sky together. I also think it's great for adults who haven't ever learned learned the constellations, but would like to. It's very doable. I just love it.

The best book to understand the motion of the stars, earth, planets and moon!
I have purchased a few of these books for people. IMHO, this is one of the best books to help explain and show you the aparent motion of the stars and real motion of the planets and moon.I have read many books on the subject, but this one seems to explain it in a way that is easily understandable. Some sections require reading more than once! The introduction to the stars and constellations are fairly basic, but get the point across. There is a companion book called "The Constellations" that is geared towards a younger audience or just beginners. I enjoyed them both.

The real difinitive guide to learning the constellations
At 45 years old I was not able to pick out any constellations other than Cassiopeia and the big dipper asterism. After attending the Bryce Canyon astronomy session one night I became determined to learn all the constellations. This book was by far the most compelling and interesting and allowed me to see the constellations very quickly and identity the major stars within them as well. With this knowledge I'm finding I can quickly translate the chicken scratch meaningless lines drawn the traditional way and I can still identify the major stars and planets.

I give a 5-star rating to this book and I'm buying it for my pre-teen nephews who are interested in astronomy at the moment but can't identify with the ridiculous traditional lines either. The fact that this is still the best selling book on constellation identification is indicative of it's usefulness - all these positive comments are truly a testament as well.

Stars
My husband is a star watcher and his mother had given him this same book when he was a child. Our children loved this book too and with birthdays coming up I decided to purchase this for them. Threecopies later they are all thrilled. The updated version is even better than my husband's--wonderful book!! Easy to find the constellations in book and sky.

The Stars, by Curious George's dad
this is an excellent book that makes stargazing possible. Unlike other patterns you can't even see in the sky, this book shows sensible, logical patterns to look for in the night sky. ... Read more

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Purchase includes free access to book updates online and a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Chapters: List of Nearest Stars, Sculptor, Ngc 300, Sculptor Galaxy, List of Stars in Sculptor, Gliese 1, Cartwheel Galaxy, Ngc 55, Sculptor Dwarf Galaxy, Ngc 7793, Hd 4208, Hd 4208 B, Hd 4113, Wd 0137-349, Ngc 288, Sculptor Dwarf Irregular Galaxy, Hd 4113 B, Hd 9578, Kappa Sculptoris, Lambda Sculptoris, Hd 9578 B, Epsilon Sculptoris, Alpha Sculptoris, Delta Sculptoris, Tau Sculptoris, Sn 2009gj, Sigma Sculptoris, Zeta Sculptoris, Eta Sculptoris, Theta Sculptoris, Beta Sculptoris, Xi Sculptoris, Gamma Sculptoris, Iota Sculptoris, Mu Sculptoris, Pi Sculptoris. Excerpt:Observation data Epoch J2000.0 Equinox J2000.0 Alpha Sculptoris ( Scl / Sculptoris) is a star in the constellation Sculptor . Alpha Sculptoris is a blue-white B-type giant with an apparent magnitude of +4.30. It is approximately 680 light years from Earth . It is classified as an SX Arietis type variable star and its magnitude varies by 0.01. The luminosity of Scl is around 1700 times that of the Sun while its surface temperature is 14,000 kelvins . The radius of Alpha Sculptoris is calculated to be 7 times solar while its mass 5.5 times that of our own star. Spectral variations observed in this star where once believed to be caused by an orbiting black hole but are now known to be the result of chemical variations in its atmosphere . Websites (URLs online) A hyperlinked version of this chapter is at Observation data Epoch J2000.0 Equinox J2000.0 Beta Sculptoris ( Scl / Sculptoris) is a star in the constellation Sculptor . Beta Sculptoris is a blue-white B-type subgiant with an apparent magnitude of +4.38. It is approximately 178 light years from Earth . A hyperlinked version of this chapter is at Cartwheel Galaxy The Cartwheel Galaxy (also known as ESO 350-40 ) is a lenticular galaxy about 500 million light-years away in t... ... Read more

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Purchase includes free access to book updates online and a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Chapters: Eta Corvi, List of Stars in Corvus, Antennae Galaxies, Ngc 4038 Group, Beta Corvi, Vv Corvi, Ngc 4027, Alpha Corvi, Hd 104067, Hd 104067 B, Gamma Corvi, R Corvi, Delta Corvi, Hd 111031 B, Hd 111031, Sn 2007sr, Epsilon Corvi, Sn 2004gt. Excerpt:Observation data Epoch J2000 Equinox J2000 item Constellation : Corvus item Right ascension : 12 08 24.8 item Declination : -24° 43 44 item Apparent magnitude (V) : 4.00 item Characteristics item Spectral type : F0 IV-V item U-B color index : -0.02 item B-V color index : 0.33 item Variable type : ? item Astrometry item Radial velocity (Rv) : +4.4 km/s item Proper motion ( ) : RA: 100.18 mas /yr Dec.: -39.33 mas /yr item Parallax ( ) : 67.71 ± 0.75 mas item Distance : 48.2 ± 0.5 ly (14.8 ± 0.2 pc ) item Absolute magnitude (MV) : 3.17 item Details item Mass : 1.2 M item Radius : ? R item Luminosity : ? L item Temperature : 7,000 K item Metallicity : ~25 % item Rotation : 16 km/s item Age : ? years item Other designations item Alchiba, Al Minliar al Ghurab, Al Chiba, 1 Crv, GJ 455.3, HR 4623, CD -24° 10174, HD 105452, GCTP 2796.00, SAO 180505, IRAS 12058-2426, HIP 59199. Alpha Corvi ( Crv / Corvi) is a star in the constellation Corvus . It has the traditional names Alchiba (Arabic "tent") or Al Minliar al Ghurab. It is known as (the Right Linchpin) in Chinese. Alchiba belongs to the spectral class F0 and has apparent magnitude +4.00. It is 48 light years from Earth . This star is suspected of being a spectroscopic binary , although this has not yet been confirmed. References (URLs online) See also (online edition) A hyperlinked version of this chapter is at Antennae Galaxies The Antennae Galaxies (also known as NGC 4038 / NGC 4039 ) are a pair of interacting galaxies in the constellation Corvus . T... ... Read more

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Purchase includes free access to book updates online and a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Chapters: Sextans, List of Stars in Sextans, Baby Boom Galaxy, Sextans A, Y Sextantis, Ngc 3115, Bd-08°2823, Hd 92788 B, Sextans Dwarf Spheroidal, Hd 92788, Sextans B, Bd-08°2823 B, Hd 86081 B, Bd-08°2823 C, Alpha Sextantis, Lhs 292, Uy Sextantis, Beta Sextantis, Hd 86081, Gamma Sextantis, Ngc 3169, Epsilon Sextantis, Delta Sextantis. Excerpt:Observation data Epoch J2000.0 Equinox J2000.0 Alpha Sextantis ( Sex / Sextantis) is the brightest star in the constellation Sextans . It is a white A-type giant with an apparent magnitude of +4.48. It is approximately 287 light years from Earth . Alpha Sextantis is considered an informal "equator star", as it lies less than a quarter of a degree south of the celestial equator . In 1900, it was 7 minutes of arc north of the equator . As a result of movement of the Earth's axial tilt , it crossed over to the Southern Hemisphere in December, 1923. References (URLs online) Websites (URLs online) Astronomy Knowledge Database A hyperlinked version of this chapter is at Observation data Epoch J2000.0 Equinox J2000.0 item Constellation : Sextans item Right ascension : 10 00 47.7213 item Declination : 09° 31 00.046 item Apparent magnitude (V) : 9.86 item Characteristics item Spectral type : K3V item Apparent magnitude (B) : 10.93 item Apparent magnitude (J) : 7.960 item Apparent magnitude (H) : 7.498 item Apparent magnitude (K) : 7.323 item B-V color index : 1.071 item Astrometry item Proper motion ( ) : RA: 373.95 mas /yr Dec.: 25.35 mas /yr item Parallax ( ) : 23.76 ± 1.61 mas item Distance : 137 ± 9 ly (42 ± 3 pc ) item Absolute magnitude (MV) : 6.74 item Details item Mass : 0.74 ± 0.07 M item Radius : 0.66 ± 0.09 R item Surface gravity (log g ) : 4.13 ± 0.26 item Luminosity : 0.20 L item Temperature : 4746 ± 63 K item Metallicity : -0.07 ± 0.03 item Ro... ... Read more

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An Illustrated Guide to the constellations, sun, moon, planets and other features of the heavens. Includes 150+ Color Illustrations ... Read more

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An essential item of equipment for beginners and experienced observers, Philip's Planisphere enables the user to locate stars, constellations and planets, and work out sunrise and sunset times for every day of the year. Simply turn the oval panel to the required date and time to reveal the whole sky visible from your location. This brand new edition of the Philip's Southern Planisphere is larger, clearer and easier to use, while remaining lightweight and portable. The new map, drawn by renowned celestial cartographer Wil Tirion, shows stars down to magnitude 4 (stars visible with the naked eye), as well as many deep-sky objects. On the back of the planisphere are tables giving the positions of the four visible planets - Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn - for every month until 2012. The Southern 35[degrees] Planisphere is suitable for use in Australia, New Zealand, southern Africa and Southern America. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Bravo
I'm very happy with this item. Very good quality versus price. It's a good start point for the beginner astronomer. ... Read more

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Chapters: Sagittarius, List of Stars in Sagittarius, Sagittarius A*, Sagittarius Dwarf Elliptical Galaxy, Sagittarius Window Eclipsing Extrasolar Planet Search, Ross 154, Terzan 7, Messier 22, Ngc 6822, Ogle-2006-Blg-109l, Messier 54, Ogle-Tr-10b, Lagoon Nebula, Sgr 1806-20, Trifid Nebula, Alpha Sagittarii, Lbv 1806-20, Hd 169830, Pistol Star, S2, Sagittarius Dwarf Irregular Galaxy, Ogle-2003-Blg-235/moa-2003-Blg-53, Moa-2007-Blg-192lb, Hd 179949 B, Ogle-2006-Blg-109lc, Ogle-Tr-56b, Ogle-2006-Blg-109lb, Wr 102ka, Omega Sagittarii, 62 Sagittarii, Bubble Nebula, Macho-1997-Blg-41, Omega Nebula, Ogle-2005-Blg-169lb, Wr 104, Hd 172051, Sigma Sagittarii, Xi Sagittarii, Hd 181720, 59 Sagittarii, Rho Sagittarii, 60 Sagittarii, Ogle-2003-Blg-235lb/moa-2003-Blg-53lb, Sakurai's Object, Chi Sagittarii, Gliese 783, Messier 69, Sweeps-10, Nu Sagittarii, Psr J1748-2446ad, Mu Sagittarii, Messier 28, Hd 171238, Hd 169830 C, Vx Sagittarii, Hd 169830 B, Sagittarius Star Cloud, Beta Sagittarii, Messier 75, Kappa Sagittarii, Theta Sagittarii, Messier 70, Epsilon Sagittarii, Hd 181720 B, Messier 55, Omicron Sagittarii, Hd 190647 B, Delta Sagittarii, Upsilon Sagittarii, Hd 171238 B, Hd 187085 B, Tau Sagittarii, Lambda Sagittarii, Moa-2007-Blg-400lb, Red Spider Nebula, Messier 25, Zeta Sagittarii, Messier 21, Messier 23, Pi Sagittarii, Messier 18, Cl* 1806-20, Hd 164604, Gamma Sagittarii, W Sagittarii, Hd 164604 B, Gcirs 13e, Ngc 6818, Psi Sagittarii, V725 Sagittarii, Ring Nebula, Kw Sagittarii, Macho-98-Blg-35, Ngc 6723, V4641 Sagittarii, Ngc 6578, Phi Sagittarii, Terebellum, Ngc 6565, Ngc 6520, Ngc 6522, Ngc 6530, Iota Sagittarii, V1059 Sagittarii. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 285. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: This is the list of notable stars in the constellation Sagittarius, sorted by decrea...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=8591834 ... Read more

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Chapters: Virgo, Spica, 70 Virginis, List of Stars in Virgo, Sombrero Galaxy, Messier 87, Messier 58, 61 Virginis, Ross 128, 3c 273, Psr B1257+12, Messier 90, Virgo Cluster, Pg 1159-035, Virgo Stellar Stream, Messier 84, Gamma Virginis, Beta Virginis, Messier 60, Messier 49, Wasp-16, Messier 89, Abell 1835 Ir1916, 70 Virginis B, Psr B1257+12 B, Psr B1257+12 A, Ngc 5713, Psr B1257+12 C, Messier 86, Messier 61, Messier 59, Wolf 424, Qs Virginis, Ulas J133553.45+113005.2, 61 Virginis B, Chi Virginis, 61 Virginis C, Hw Virginis C, 61 Virginis D, Hd 125612 B, Hd 106252 B, Hd 114783 B, Wasp-16b, Hd 130322, Chi Virginis B, Ugc 8091, Hd 130322 B, Hd 126614, Delta Virginis, Hd 102195 B, Eyes Galaxies, Ngc 4261, Ngc 4526, Hd 125612 C, Hd 107148 B, Hd 125612 D, Hd 126614 Ab, Psr B1257+12 D, Ngc 5258, Epsilon Virginis, Ngc 4536, Qs Virginis B, A1689-Zd1, Ngc 5257, Rxj1242-11, Abell 1689, Zeta Virginis, Ngc 4567 and Ngc 4568, Ngc 4309, Ngc 5068, Theta Virginis, Ngc 4216, Psi Virginis, Ngc 5170, Fl Virginis, R Virginis, Ngc 5334, Phi Virginis, Eq Virginis, Great Diamond, Mu Virginis, Markarian's Chain, Lambda Virginis, Ngc 5010, Ngc 4639, Ngc 5300, Iota Virginis, Pi Virginis, Rho Virginis, Ngc 4420, Tau Virginis, Dt Virginis, Ngc 5247, Omega Virginis, Ngc 5364, Sigma Virginis, Ngc 4984, Nu Virginis, Lbqs 1429-008, Ngc 5087, Omicron Virginis, Xi Virginis, 109 Virginis, Kappa Virginis, Upsilon Virginis, 110 Virginis. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 317. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: Spica (α Vir / α Virginis / Alpha Virginis) is the brightest star in the constellation Virgo, and the 15th brightest star in the nighttime sky. It is 260 light years distant from Earth. A blue giant, it is a variable of the Beta Cephei type. Spica is believed to be the star that provided Hipparchus with the data w...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=8591899 ... Read more

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Chapters: Canes Venatici, Whirlpool Galaxy, Messier 94, Cor Caroli, List of Stars in Canes Venatici, Beta Canum Venaticorum, Ngc 4631, M94 Group, Messier 106, M51 Group, Ngc 5195, Canes Venatici Ii, Ngc 5033, La Superba, Ngc 5005, Canes Ii Group, Ugc 8320, Ngc 4631 Group, Ngc 4625, Sunflower Galaxy, Hat-P-12, Ngc 4244, Ngc 5229, Messier 3, Ugc 8331, Hat-P-12b, Ngc 5023, Ngc 4449, Ngc 4656 and Ngc 4657, Ugc 8313, Ngc 4627, Ngc 4214, Gliese 521, Am Canum Venaticorum, Ngc 4151, 25 Canum Venaticorum, Great Diamond, 3c 288, 3c 285, R Canum Venaticorum, 20 Canum Venaticorum, 21 Canum Venaticorum, Ngc 5112, 4 Canum Venaticorum, 19 Canum Venaticorum, Ngc 5371, 24 Canum Venaticorum, 6 Canum Venaticorum. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 151. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: The Whirlpool Galaxy (also known as Messier 51a, M51a, or NGC 5194) is an interacting grand-design spiral galaxy located at a distance of approximately 23 million light-years in the constellation Canes Venatici. It is one of the most famous galaxies in the sky. The galaxy and its companion (NGC 5195) are easily observed by amateur astronomers, and the two galaxies may even be seen with binoculars. The Whirlpool Galaxy is also a popular target for professional astronomers, who study it to further understanding of galaxy structure (particularly structure associated with the spiral arms) and galaxy interactions. Sketch of M51 by Lord Rosse (William Parsons) in 1845What was later known as the Whirlpool Galaxy was discovered in 1774 by Charles Messier, and is designated as M51. Its companion galaxy, NGC 5195, was discovered in 1781 by Pierre Méchain. It was however not until 1845 that the Whirlpool became the first to be recognized as a spiral. This was achieved by Lord Rosse employing a 72-inch (~1.83 m) reflecting telescope ...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=715308 ... Read more

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A reconstruction of the Chinese sky of two thousand years ago, based onanalysis of the first star catalogue in China and other sources. Presented insix well-sized star maps for 100 BC, it is especially important for thehistory of astronomy. The Han sky, with five times more constellations thanPtolemy knew, reflects diverse human activities. The way in whichconstellations were grouped discloses a systematic cosmology, uniting universeand the state.The work of the three Han schools is comparable to Ptolemy's Almagest.With three detailed Appendices on the constellations of the three schools,well illustrated to demonstrate the relation between sky and human society,this book is valuable not only for astronomy historians and sinologists, butin general for scholars interested in the ancient cultures of Asia. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Putting the Chinese constellations on the cultural map
This book is a significant contribution to the study of ancient astronomy and astrology. It opens up a whole new world of knowledge, unfamiliar to the majority of western academics and researchers, that will prove to be a reliable foundation stone for innumerable future studies.
Its importance relies on two main factors. Firstly, through the process of reviewing and analysing all the historical materials at their disposal the authors have succeeded in making a trustworthy reconstruction of the ancient Chinese constellation map. Secondly, and perhaps of greater importance to the wider study of ancient astrology, it investigates the origins and meanings of the Chinese constellations. From a cultural and historical point of view this is of inestimable value, as the constellations reveal so much about the society that created them. This aspect of the book is truly fascinating as the authors attempt to describe the overall structure of the heavens and how man-made meanings are ascribed to this structure in the form of constellation groupings. In both aspects `The Chinese Sky during the Han' proves itself a groundbreaking study.

The Han Period [206 BCE to 220 CE] was a seminal epoch in Chinese history; it could rightly be called China's `Classical Age. During this era all the familiar elements of traditional Chinese culture - the Yin-Yang philosophy, the theory of the 5 elements, Heaven and Earth, Confucian morality - were brought together for the first time to form the philosophical foundations of all the sciences and arts of the day. Thus the underlying principles of Chinese medicine and divination, astrology and alchemy, were all formalised during this brief but dazzling era.
The historical evidence actually indicates that many of the traditional constellations were first created in the earlier Warring States period [476-221 BCE].During this time of social and political upheaval several different schools of stellar cartography grew up, each with its own constellations and traditions. Sadly much of this material is irretrievably lost - for instance the star-lore of the Hairen or Marine People, which might have told us so much about the use of the stars in ancient navigation. The Warring States period was eventually ended by the political ascent of Qin Shi Huangdi who was the first emperor to unify China (he incidentally lent his first name `Qin' to the whole country). It was only in the succeeding Han period that the different schools of constellation lore were unified into a coherent system.
In all some 283 constellations were recognised in traditional Chinese astronomy. This rather daunting figure (in comparison with the 48 traditional Greek constellations) is fortunately resolved into what we may call primary and secondary groupings. The primary organisation of the heavens, attributed to the school of Shi Shen, divided the heavens into 120 constellations. These were then complimented by two further astronomic schools (the schools of Gan De and Wuxian) that filled out the intervening spaces with supplementary asterisms that harmoniously developed the ideas expressed in the original scheme of Shi Shen. The combined infrastructure created by the three schools constitutes the cultural bedrock upon which the edifice of Chinese astrology was built. It reveals, in a surprisingly intimate and instructive way, the very essence of the refined and articulate culture that created it.
The constellations were thought of as Celestial Officials, who like their earthly counterparts had specific functions and duties in their administrative spheres. The rationale underpinning Chinese astrology is very similar to the Mesopotamian model - rulers believed that they held a mandate from heaven to rule over the earth, heaven would send them good and bad signs such as eclipses, comets, meteorite showers etc to warn the king, and it was the duty of astrologers to explain to their rulers what the heavens portended by such signs.
Outside of academic circles, `The Chinese Sky during the Han', is only for the serious researcher, who will find therein a wealth of fascinating information. It presents a detailed picture of an integrated ideological construction transposed onto the stars. This book is a significant step in our understanding of the Chinese heavens and it further fully affirms the importance of ancient astronomy and astrology in broader historical studies.

Chapter one is a general survey of Chinese astronomy and serves as an introduction to the methods and materials utilised in the main body of the book. It discusses the basic nature of the constellations as seasonal markers, and as a historical phenomenon in their own right and finally as a cultural expression reflecting the cosmological and philosophical views of their creators.
Chapter two comprises a very useful survey of the history of the constellations in ancient China. Starting with the very earliest star-gazers in the latter half of the 3rd millennium who used the Four Cardinal Asterisms to determine the solstices and equinoxes the authors go on to describe the early appearance of asterisms belonging to the Chinese Lunar Mansions. Even though the first complete set of 28 mansions can only be dated to the 5th century BCE, there is sufficient evidence to show they originated many centuries earlier. Throughout the book the authors wisely avoid searching for the origins of the lunar mansions and their relationship to other series; instead they focus on their symbolism and use in astrology. The authors then describe the first systematic exposition of the heavens, called the Tianguan shu or `Monograph of Celestial Officials'. This seminal text written by Sima Qian (145-87 BCE), the Prefect Grand astrologer who organised the great calendar reform of Emperor Wu, describes the stars in terms of a centralised imperial court located in the northern regions that ruled over the outer provinces which were represented by the more southerly constellations.
Chapter three describes in greater detail the stars recognised in the primary model traditionally ascribed to the astrologer Shi Shen. Like many traditional literary works, the writings of Shi Shen have been supplemented and expanded upon over the succeeding centuries. Even though Shi Shen probably lived in the earlier Warring States period many of his `quotations' bear the indelible mark of the Han period. The final redactions of Shi Shen's work, dated to the last centuries of the 1st millennium CE, form the material basis of the authors first comprehensive reconstruction of the Chinese heavens - resulting in a series of five star maps that correlate the Chinese constellations with their Greek equivalents.
Chapter four details the later development of the two secondary schools of constellation lore. These are traditionally attributed to the astrologers Gan De and Wuxian - the former being a rather vague historical figure and the latter probably entirely mythical. By tradition their respective schools added a further 118 and 44 constellations to the original 120 recognised by Shi Shen.
Chapters five and six are the most accessible and the most interesting for astrologers. Chapter five explores the idea that the stars and constellations are organised as an imperial court. At the centre lies the royal court, which is transposed onto the polar stars. Around it, set in various buildings, can be found the court's bureaucratic organisations busily running all celestial affairs on behalf of their masters. Elsewhere various military buildings and even armies are depicted among the stars; they are chiefly deployed in the more outlying areas represented by the constellations of the southern skies.
Understandably parts of the ecliptic are likened to a road with its gates and passes, and there are celestial rivers, the greatest being the Milky Way cascading through the skies, boats and all. Woven into this geo-political matrix are various themes concerning the social and religious life of the people and of course imagery reflecting the passing of the seasons. Like their Greek counterparts the Chinese also placed gods and legendary figures among the stars as well as mystical concepts such as Santai, the ladder to heaven (found in the region of Ursa Major's feet). The whole complex far from being a daunting array of information starts to be resolved into clear structures informed by an elegant philosophical rationale. As the authors say `we see an entire cultural complex projected onto the sky, characterising an imperial society' (page 96).
Chapter six explores the several large-scale organisational features found in the Chinese heavens. One of the principle structures divides the stars into Five Palaces based on the sun's annual journey through the four cardinal palaces and the fifth central palace in the north. Other areas of the skies are dominated by seasonal activities such as hunting and harvesting. There also appears to be a strict social hierarchy displayed in the stars as the army, largely drawing its personnel from the peasantry, seem to be deliberately placed in the lower, less `dignified', regions of the skies, whereas the imperial court lies in the exalted regions of the northern skies.
The three appendices list the names of all the constellations found in the three schools alongside a brief description of their nature and meaning. This constitutes a veritable mine of previously difficult to obtain information that will prove essential to the deeper study of the Chinese heavens.
At the very end of the book the authors present a set of constellation maps that details the locations of the constellations belonging to all three schools.

This study allows scholars and researchers to explore a detailed and coherent system of celestial lore from a variety of perspectives - from its seasonal symbolism to its astrological applications and on to its philosophical and cultural basis. It would certainly prove to be an excellent source for any cross-cultural study of the heavens and in particular it will prove very helpful in investigating the undoubted links between early Chinese astronomy and the ancient astronomies of India, Egypt and Mesopotamia.

Presentation matters
While I am in no position to evaluate the accuracy of the content of the book, I will offer a few remarks on the presentation of that information. Brill is a noted publisher of academic books, and the work in question is clearly aimed at an audience of scholars and academic libraries (note the list price!). However, the book fails miserably to adhere to basic standards of academic writing. For example, the format of most footnotes is irregular, and not in accord with standard Sinological practice. Should a reader wish to cross reference a claim made by the authors using the notes provided, the original source would be difficult to locate. Furthermore, the text would have benefitted from the hand of a skilled copy editor. For example, three of four references to the Han astronomer Luoxia Hong in the work consist of virutally identical sentences! One would expect more from Brill, and at the cost , one should demand better. Thus, while the information in the text may be accurate and important, the presentation of the material calls serious doubt to the entire enterprise.

A Marvelous Read
Whether you know nothing or know a lot about Chinese astronomy, you can feel confident in buying this book because it is simply EXCELLENT.

This is good for even non-Astronomists!
This is the first book on this subject so far that hasn't gotten too technical and hung up on mathematics. Although, there is that as well. The part I like best is the way the star maps correlate modern recognizable constellations to the Chinese ones. I was able to find two of the Lunar Lodges this way! ... Read more

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The idiosyncratic ideas expressed in the four partsof Mazzaroth, and its appendix Mizraim, are all basedon solid research-misapplied, perhaps, in light of Rolleston'ssteadfast Christian outlook, but fully documented and withsources quoted length. The whole work provides the reader with anamazing compendium of obscure material on ancient mythology,symbolism, and etymology, with comprehensive biblical referencesand a wealth of learned and detailed footnotes. Much of theinformation is set out in a tabular form that inevitably remindsthe reader of S. L. MacGregor Mathers's book of correspondencesthat we know as 777. And this may not be coincidental.Foreword by R. A. Gilbert. Fold-out insert. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Notes from the early 1800s on the ancient star constellations
This book was a pioneering work by an English lady on the star constellations. This is a fascinating book of her notes and discoveries on the beliefs of early civilizations about the original 48 star constellations. The first constellation was The Virgin, sometimes referred to as "the virgin who will conceive." (Remember that Mary was a virgin when she gave birth to Jesus.) The second constellation was sometimes called The Desire of Nations. It showed a young male child being held by the Virgin. The ancient Jews and Arabs said that the meaning of the original 48 constellations were explained by Enoch, and that they told the story of God's plan for mankind from beginning to end. This book is basically notes on the meaning of the constellations. If you like this book, there are others that you will also want to buy, that explain the "Gospel in the Stars" in more detail.

Burnt at the stake!
Not so lang ago, this book - with two similar volumes, written by Joseph Seiss and Ethelbert Bullinger, resp. - would - together with its authors - have been burnt at the stake by the Church. Although the authors are devout Christians, who want to show that the Gospel story is "written in the sky" in the constellations of the Zodiac, everything that has to do with astrology - and astronomy, they would have burnt Galileo too had they been given the chance - is considered "heresy" by the Church, just because it might bring people up to ideas. And what are these ideas that the Church is so afraid of? That the stories involving the constellations of the Zodiac were around centuries before Christianity? And that Christianity has simply hijacked these stories, mixed them up with some Greek philosophy, anti-semitism and hatred of women, pasted it all hastily - in order to head off more sophisticated creeds like Judaism and Islam - together (in the 15th century AD) to an incomprehensible heap of hooey, and sold it as "the greatest story ever told", which people were forced to believe on pain of gruesome torture and excecution. And up to this very day the crap is proclaimed from the pulpit!
Since burning at the stake is now no longer allowed, these books are now simply "silenced to death", and - were it not for amazon.com and the Internet - would be gathering dust - with so many other intelligent works that bring out the real truth about the origins of Christianity - on a long-forgotten bookshelf in an antiquity shop.

Meaning in the Stars?
The essence of astrology is that there is "meaning" in the stars, e.g. that when Jupiter is in Leo, it means something.Other forms of divination presume to find meaning in other things in nature, e.g. that the arrangement of tea leaves or chicken entrails or the lines in one's palm have some esoteric meaning.These "Gospel in the Stars" books presume to find Biblical meaning in the constellations.

In our efforts to "prove all things, hold fast to that which is true," we should be very wary of the notion that a 19th century scholar, using Medieval sources, discovered an antedeluvian prophecy of Jesus in the constellations known to Aratus in 275 B.C.A reader seeking a Scriptural and scientific work on Biblical astronomy should instead read the 1908 work, "The Astronomy of the Bible" by noted solar astronmer E.W. Maunder.

Intensive study on Biblical Astronomy
Indeed a MUST HAVE for any advanced student of Biblical Astronomy.This book consists of many extensive informational charts and lists relating to the subject. While not the easiest read it is certainly a very valuable tool for the advanced student. ... Read more

Product Description
Deep-Sky Name Index 2000.0 pulls names of clusters,galaxies, nebulae, and stars together in a handy reference book.Itlists all names in an easy-to-use index format with the type ofobject, constellation in which the object is located, synonyms ifany, and accurate epoch 2000.0 coordinates for use with star atlasesand telescopes. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Our "Dirty Little Book".
Many observers refer to certain deep sky objects by their common names. Some objects are referred to by more names than just one. For instance, if you saw a reference to the "Cygnus Loop" in Sky & Telescope magazine, would you know they were talking about the Veil Nebula? Can you recall the NGC numbers associated with the Whirlpool Galaxy? The Messier number? How about the NGC number of Hubble's Variable Nebula (along with its coordinates)? For some advanced and veteran observers these things are seemingly second hand knowledge, and with some degree of cordial jealousy we salute their powers of retention.

It's always an impressive occasion at a star party when someone calls out from the darkness for an NGC number, and a correct response promptly resonates from somewhere else. Things like that usually draw muttered comments from everyone that the responder's brain must be wired with microchips and diodes.

If you're searching through a star chart for an object by its common name, you're going to have a problem. Virtually all charts show objects only by their catalog numbers. So if you need to know the designation for the California Nebula, you'll have to summon help. Call out through the darkness, and hope somebody remembers. But that gets old after a while, and the answers may stop coming back. Does it matter? If it does, and if you have difficulty remembering this kind of stuff (and who doesn't?) then this index will be an important tool for you, and for many others.

The Deep Sky Name Index lists all the common objects, i.e.: - all of the Messiers, their NGC numbers, their coordinates, and common names. It also lists all the most prominent NGC objects, with cross-references to any others, plus their common names and coordinates. Ditto for prominent IC objects. In addition, it lists all the brighter stars by common names, Arabic names, and Bayer designations. Objects are listed both alphabetically, and by their numeric designations. Redundancies are included so you aren't often confronted with "Bode's Galaxy; see M-51".

Objects are listed by type, constellation, synonyms, and epoch 2000 coordinates. At the alphabetic location of each constellation is an itemized list of all common and popular objects, all the brighter stars, their coordinates, and all the different spellings of their Arabic and common names. Moreover, there's the Greek alphabet on page 4, and a complete list of constellations by both nominative and genitive forms starting on page 5. Extremely handy.

The book allows almost any common object to be cross-referenced to its constellation, and to any of its other numeric or common designations. Not every known object is there of course, but the ones of common and popular interest are all represented (a very extensive list).

(NOTE: As an unfair test, I looked for the "Whale Galaxy", a rather esoteric object in Canes Venatici. It was not listed by either its common name or by NGC #4631. There are other omissions, but you're not likely to find another work this handy that includes much more. It would not be possible to include everything, and still be convenient or "handy").

The Deep Sky Name Index can be an extremely useful tool. So useful in fact, that we've assigned it a place on our "Honorable Mention List" of Required Reading for the amateur astronomer. We call it our "Dirty Little Book" because it gets so much use, and is ragged and worn almost beyond recognition. Beginners and novices will appreciate its educational value in bringing to light all the various object names that confront them, and where they are located. Observers more advanced will find it useful for working with charts, and converting familiar but meaningless "names" into proper designations and vital statistics.

Very highly recommended.

Excellent for what it is.
I doubt you'll find yourself reading through this book for entertainment, but it is a very useful book for the amateur astronomer.Can't remember the name of Beta-Algol?Just look it up.Can't remember the Bayer's designation for Alnitak? Its in there.I guess this is the real strength of the book.Being able to crossreference from one catalog designation to another.Stars dominate the book (I would guess because they dominate the other astronomical objects,) but you can find stuff about the more common nebulae and galaxies.I can't remember if the entire NGC catalog is represented at the moment or not.I don't, however, ever remember looking one up in the book and not finding it.

My only complaint would be the cover and binding.As you can see this is a spiral bound notebook (about 6"x8"?), and the cover is a posterboard-like material.I have my doubts as to how well this book is going to hold up for very long.

The book is a handy tool to have, and it is certainly worth the nominal cost. ... Read more

Product Description
Describes some of the constellations that can be seen in the night sky, such as Ursa Major and the Big Dipper. Includes how to use constellations to find specific stars. ... Read more

Product Description
There are monsters up in the sky. Fire-Breathing Dragons. Ferocious Lions. Deadly Scorpions. Killer Whales.

There are brave heroes in the sky. Mysterious Pulsing Stars. Desolate Planet. Exploding Suns. Far Galaxies.

The Stargazer's Guide to the Galaxy is all you need to enter the exciting world waiting for you in the night sky!

You'll find plenty of easy-to-follow star maps to help you spot constellations like Draco the Dragon, the Big Dipper, the Zodiac signs and more! The maps shows the Northern and Southern hemispheres in each season, for year-round star-gazing no matter where you live!

Read the exciting tales, myths and legends that gave the constellations their names!

Learn fascinating facts about the wonders of space and our galaxy, and about the scientists who discovered them!

Let The Stargazer's Guide to the Galaxy be your ticket to a wild and wonderful trip through space from right in your own backyard!
... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Star Quality
This is a great book for beginners as well as the more experienced astronomer.The glow in the dark feature made it a favorite bedtime book for my young son.It has provided our family with hours of fun and wonder. ... Read more

Product Description
Chapters: List of Stars in Circinus, Psr B1509-58, Beta Circini, Hd 129445, Sn 185, Circinus Galaxy, Hd 129445 B, Alpha Circini, Ngc 5315. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 32. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: The constellation Circinus is a small constellation in the southern sky, first defined in the 18th century. Its name is Latin for compass, referring to the drafting tool used for drawing circles; it should not be confused with Pyxis, a constellation that represents a mariner's compass. Circinus was introduced in the 18th century by Nicolas Louis de Lacaille, whose fascination with secular science led him to name the constellations he defined after scientific instruments. Circinus is located at a declination of −50 to −60 degrees, and hence the whole constellation is visible only south of the 30° north latitude. ...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=8591434 ... Read more

Product Description
A dream come true for stargazers and all who have stood in awe of the night sky, The Star Lore Handbook is a complete, fully illustrated guide to identifying the eighty-eight recognized constellations and the principal stars that comprise them. Deftly weaving together astronomy, myth, and symbolism, author Geoffrey Cornelius tours the rich heritage of the stars and planets -- from meteors and orbits to astrology, moon worship, and astral tales of love and tragedy. Including a quick-reference table that lets beginners spot major constellations right away, this unique companion introduces not only modern scientific knowledge, but also the beliefs and folklore of Ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, China, medieval and Renaissance Europe, and Central and Native America. Wonderfully illustrated with specially commissioned maps and artwork, color photographs, and line drawings, this is an ideal guide to the timeless celestial marvels. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A great way to increase your enjoyment of the constellations
I tend to be very wary of astronomy books.I enjoy going out at night and looking at the night sky, but don't like to get a whole lot more technical than that.After having learned to identify some of the constellations,this book provided me with the perfect next step.It gives you just enoughbackground knowledge to make your tour through the sky infinitely moreenjoyable.The author presents simple and easy to understand informationon both classic and modern constellations.I would recommend it as theperfect "not too technical" book about the lore surrounding thenight sky.

A great guide to the mythology behind the constellations
Cornelius tells the stories found in the stars in an entertaining, informative way.Each constellation is studied in detail-- from the meanings (greek, arabic, or otherwise) of the star names, to a descriptionof the objects visible through binoculars, to the myths associated with thefigures.This book is a must-have for any amateur or professionalastronomer. ... Read more