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by
Andrew Fraknoi
[September 2001]
Books
for Adults
Berry,
Richard Discover the Stars. 1989, Harmony. An excellent
brief guide if you want more detailed star charts and information
than our kit has, in an easy-to-read format.
Graun,
Ken Whats Out Tonight? A 50-Year Astronomy Field Guide.
2001, Ken Press. Handy book by an amateur astronomer with many
clear guides to what to see when in the night sky, including specific
moon and planet information for half a century. Available through
the Astronomical Society of the Pacific catalog: 1-800-335-2624.
Heifetz,
Milton & Tirion, Wil A Walk through the Heavens, 2nd
ed. 1998, Cambridge U. Press. Brief engaging primer on finding the
constellations and their legends.
Moore,
Patrick Stargazing: Astronomy without a Telescope, 2nd
ed. 2001, Cambridge University Press. A master explainer introduces
the sky and the constellations.
Raymo,
Chet 365 Starry Nights : An Introduction to Astronomy for
Every Night of the Year. 1992, Simon & Schuster. Excellent
collection of observing hints and star lore.
Books
for Youngsters
Rey,
H.A. Find the Constellations. 1976, Houghton Mifflin.
Classic book by the author of the Curious George books, which
can help kids of all ages find their way around the skies.
Asimov,
Isaac & Reddy, Francis A Stargazers Guide. 1995,
Gareth Stevens. A nice guide for kids, with simple language and
color illustrations.
Web
Sites
Sky
& Telescopes "The Sky at A Glance": http://SkyandTelescope.com/observing/
Information on what is in the sky this month, with star charts,
observing hints, and loads of information for beginners and more
advanced observers.
Weather
Underground Star Maps: http://www.wunderground.com/sky/index.asp
Enter your zip code and you will get a star map for your location,
for a time of the night (or day) that you select.
SkyWatchers
Diary: http://www.pa.msu.edu/abrams/SkyWatchersDiary/Diary.html
A listing of what is interesting in the sky each day of the current
month, from the Abrams Planetarium at Michigan State University.
Stars
of the Week: www.astro.uiuc.edu/~kaler/sow/sowlist.html
Astronomer and popular author James Kaler picks one bright star
to highlight each week and tells you what astronomers know about
it. The archives let you pick many stars of interest and get to
know them better. No fancy graphics, just text.
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