Product Description

Now in full colour throughout, the sixth edition of Ian Ridpath and Wil Tirion’s famous guide to the night sky is fully revised and updated for planet positions and forthcoming eclipses up to the end of the year 2007. With one chapter for each month of the year, this easy-to-use handbook is an ideal first guide to the sky. It will help the reader to identify constellations, star clusters, nebulae, galaxies and metor showers, to plot the movement of planets, or to witness solar and lunar eclipses. Most of the features discussed are visible to the naked eye and all can be seen with a small telescope or binoculars. The Monthly Sky Guide offers a clear and simple introduction to the skies of the northern hemisphere for beginners of all ages.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #526768 in Books
• Published on: 2003-05-28
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 64 pages

Review
'Wil Tirion's charts are justly famous. With Ian Ridpath's words, the combination is hard to beat.' Popular Astronomy 'For those who want to learn about the constellations and bright stars this book is all that they'll need.' Astronomy Now '... charts big and detailed enough to be used easily ...' Sky Publishing Corporation 'What adds greatly to the value of the Guide is the obvious enthusiasm of the authors and their ability to convey it.' Journal of the British Astronomical Association 'I have not seen a better first guide to amateur astronomy.' Malcolm Gough, The Observatory 'It is an excellent practical introduction to finding one's way around the sky; ... I can recommend this book very strongly.' Robert Connon Smith, The Observatory 'The fact that this book is in its sixth edition should be evidence enough of its reference value (never mind the reprintings of previous editions).' Sky & Telescope 'I heartily recommend this book to anyone (in North temperate latitudes) seeking to learn the night sky for the first time.' The Observatory '... this easy-to-use handbook is an ideal first guide to the sky ...'. Orion

Review
‘Wil Tirion’s charts are justly famous. With Ian Ridpath’s words, the combination is hard to beat.’ Popular Astronomy

‘For those who want to learn about the constellations and bright stars this book is all that they’ll need.’ Astronomy Now

‘… charts big and detailed enough to be used easily …’ Sky Publishing Corporation

‘What adds greatly to the value of the Guide is the obvious enthusiasm of the authors and their ability to convey it.’ Journal of the British Astronomical Association

‘I have not seen a better first guide to amateur astronomy.’ Malcolm Gough, The Observatory

‘It is an excellent practical introduction to finding one’s way around the sky; … I can recommend this book very strongly.’ Robert Connon Smith, The Observatory

‘The fact that this book is in its sixth edition should be evidence enough of its reference value (never mind the reprintings of previous editions).’ Sky & Telescope

‘I heartily recommend this book to anyone (in North temperate latitudes) seeking to learn the night sky for the first time.’ The Observatory

‘… this easy-to-use handbook is an ideal first guide to the sky …’. Orion

Synopsis
Now in full colour throughout, the sixth edition of Ian Ridpath and Wil Tirion's famous guide to the night sky is fully revised and updated for planet positions and forthcoming eclipses up to the end of the year 2007. With one chapter for each month of the year, this easy-to-use handbook is an ideal first guide to the sky. It will help the reader to identify constellations, star clusters, nebulae, galaxies and metor showers, to plot the movement of planets, or to witness solar and lunar eclipses. Most of the features discussed are visible to the naked eye and all can be seen with a small telescope or binoculars. The Monthly Sky Guide offers a clear and simple introduction to the skies of the northern hemisphere for beginners of all ages.

Customer Reviews

Useful starter for the beginner...
This is a great introduction to the world of astronomy for those using binoculars or small telescopes. It's very concise and easy to follow (using the star charts from the Dutch map-master legend Wil Tirion) detailing the monthly highlights of the night sky.

However it does lack in quantity of information and is a bit lightweight. I'd personally recommend the (very highly regarded) 'Turn Left At Orion' and/or the excellent Phillips guides to the night sky.

With a larger number of targets and a bit more substance, this would be an excellent book for the novice astronomer.

Well written and very clear
This is an excellently laid out book. It's clearly written and if you use it on a month by month basis you'll know what to nip outside and look out for in the night sky, while learning something to boot.

Combine this with A Walk Through The Heavens, Collins Wild Guide Night Sky, and the Kingfisher Pocket Guide Astronomy and that ought to keep you going for quite a wee while.

All of these are fine for use with your own eyes too so you don't need expensive kit to enjoy the view.

Useful and fascinating
Excellent introduction for beginners! Simple, easy to use and great maps. Laid out month by month, it describes exactly what to look for and how to find it, so even I was identifying stars the very first time I tried...
What makes this book special to me is that it is written in plain English, not dry and dusty "science speak", and also contains explanations of the history and mythology which accompanies most constellations.
Great as a present for an older child, or buy it (like I did) for yourself as a curious adult.