Exploring the Night Sky: The Equinox Astronomy Guide for Beginners

by Terence Dickinson, John Bianchi (Illustrator)

Overview

200,000 sold to date

Exploring the Night Sky is aimed at novice star gazers anxious to expand their astronomical repertoire beyond the Big and Little Dippers. Dickinson has designed a superb introduction to astronomy that is clear, concise, beautifully illustrated and very "user friendly" no matter what the child's age.

The book is divided into three sections. The first is a 10-step voyage from the Earth's vicinity to the distant reaches of the universe. Organized by increasing distance from the Earth, it touches on the Moon, Mars, Pluto, comets, the three stars of Alpha Centauri, the center of the Milky Way, the Large Magellanic Cloud, the Andromeda Galaxy, and vantage points at 10,000,000 light-years from Earth and 300,000,000 light-years from Earth.

The second section, "Alien Vistas," is a sequence of 10 close-up looks at some of the most interesting objects mentioned in the first section, including all the planets of the solar system, stars, black holes and quasars, and makes speculations about extraterrestrial life.

The final section is a guide to viewing the night sky, which enables readers to go outside on any clear night of the year and identify celestial objects. There is a glossary with explanations of unfamiliar terms and for pronunciations.

Exploring the Night Sky is a clearly written, well-illustrated introduction to astronomy for anyone interested in the universe around us.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780920656662
Publisher:	Firefly Books, Limited
Publication date:	02/01/1987
Series:	Equinox Children's Science Book Series
Edition description:	Revised ed.
Pages:	72
Sales rank:	663,890
Product dimensions:	8.25(w) x 8.25(h) x 0.13(d)
Lexile:	1000L (what's this?)
Age Range:	10 - 17 Years

About the Author

Terence Dickinson, one of Canada's best-loved amateur-astronomy writers, gained renown for unraveling the mysteries of the cosmos. His down-to-earth style made him the award-winning best-selling author of 14 astronomy books, including NightWatch, The Backyard Astronomer's Guide, The Universe and Beyond and Hubble's Universe. The cofounder and former editor of SkyNews, Canada's national astronomy magazine, Dickinson was a recipient of the Order of Canada and two honorary doctorates. He died of complications from Parkinson's on February 1, 2023.

Read an Excerpt

Introduction:

The starry night sky has intrigued humans for thousands of years. To our ancestors, the stars and planets were mysterious lights in the darkness above. They could only guess about what was really out there. Gradually, over the centuries, astronomers began to understand what they were seeing. Today, we know the universe contains more galaxies than there are people on Earth. And each galaxy has as many stars as there are grains of sand in an overflowing wheelbarrow. Some of the stars are so enormous that it would take years for spacecraft just to get from one side to the other. Some are no wider than a small city. Our sun is about midway between these extremes.

The sun is a star still in its youth. Stars do not exist forever. Like people, they are born and they die. Astronomers have gathered evidence that the entire universe has not existed forever either. About 15 billion years ago, a majestic explosion called the Big Bang created and expanding bubble of energy. After millions of years, the bubble cooled into gas. Galaxies then began to form from the gas. Later, stars were born within the galaxies. On of those stars was the sun. Astronomers think the sun was born 4 1/2 billion years ago. Earth and the other planets in the solar system were formed along with the sun from leftover material.

That's the big picture, but there are lots of details to be filled in. This book is divided into three sections. The first, a 10-step voyage from the Earth's vicinity to the distant reaches of the universe, sets the stage for part two, "Alien Vistas," a sequence of 10 close-up looks at some of the most interesting objects mentioned in the first section. The final segment is a guide to viewing the night sky, which will enable you to go outside on any clear night of the year and identify celestial objects. Use the glossary at the back of the book for explanations of unfamiliar terms and for pronunciations.

Table of Contents

Introduction

A COSMIC VOYAGE
- Step One: 1.3 Light-Seconds From Earth
- Step Two: 4 Light-Minutes From Earth
- Step Three: 4 Light-Hours From Earth
- Step Four: 2 Light-Months From Earth
- Step Five: 4.3 Light-Years From Earth
- Step Six: 10,000 Light-Years From Earth
- Step Seven: 170,000 Light-Years From Earth
- Step Eight: 2,500,000 Light-Years From Earth
- Step Nine: 10,000,000 Light-Years From Earth
- Step Ten: 300,000,000 Light-Years From Earth

ALIEN VISTAS
- The Solar System: Our Sun's Family
- Venus and Mercury: Two Broiled Worlds
- Mars: The Most Earthlike Planet
- Jupiter: King of the Planets
- Saturn and Beyond: Rings and Ice Worlds
- Planets of Other Stars
- Nearby Stars: Our Sun's Neighbors
- How Stars End Their Lives
- Black Holes: Gravity Whirlpools in Space
- Quasars: The Beacons of Deep Space
- Extraterrestrials: Is Anyone Out There?

STARGAZING
- How to Recognize Planets, Stars and Constellations
- Easy Sky Guides: Lens a Helping Hand
- The Big Dipper and the Summer Sky
- The Summer Triangle
- Cassiopeia, Pegasus and the Stars of Autumn
- The Big Dipper and the Winter Sky
- Orion and the Stars of Winter
- Stargazing From the City: Orion Still in View
- Signs of Spring
- Arcturus, Spica and the Spring Sky
- Bionoculars and Telescopes for Astronomy

Index / Glossary
Credits
Further Reading

Editorial Reviews

This excellent introduction to astronomy for the beginner, though aimed at young people, can be enjoyed by anyone. The first section deals with the universe at large and gives a very clear idea of the sizes and distances involved. The second section briefly describes the nine planets of our solar system as well as quasars and black holes. The final section, with excellent simplified star maps, introduces the reader to some of the better-known constellations visible in the northern U.S. and Canada. There is a combined index-glossary. This attractive paperback is profusely illustrated with drawings, stunning colour photographs and artists' renderings. Generally, there is one full-page illustration facing a page of text and smaller illustrations. Trying to explain the basics of astronomy in sixty pages is no mean feat; obviously, the reader is left with more questions than answers. However, this book serves as an excellent starting-point for the student or the amateur astronomer.

Canadian Review of Materials - Ingrid von Hausen

Well-illustrated, this book will help you recognize more than just the big dipper while stargazing.

Belleville Intelligencer - Wendy Rayson-Kerr

[A] great star-spotting reference.

Home Education Magazine - Rebecca Rupp

Gr 4-6 ``If starships are ever developed, there will be no shortage of destinations.'' With clarity and enthusiasm, Dickinson presents a look at the high frontier, combining a ``universe in 40 jumps'' sort of tourtaking readers from the Moon (1.3 light-seconds) to the galactic field in general (300 million light-years)with a quick spin about the solar system, adding season-by-season charts of the salient planets, stars, and constellations visible from North America. Dozens of color paintings and some photographs accompany the text, and there is a page of advice on choosing and using binoculars and telescopes. The information is readily available elsewhere, but not so engagingly presented. Thus this is a good additional purchase for heavily-used astronomy collections. John Peters, New York Public Library

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