CAPSULE COMMENTS

August 7, 2007

Summer Sky Reading

The summer, night sky provides a perfect opportunity for sitting outside and gazing up towards the stars and planets. Sky watchers will have a great chance this weekend to experience the Perseid meteor shower. On Sunday morning of August 12 it is expected that viewers will be able to see the biggest number of meteors. More information on this event and many others can be found in the following books.

ASTRONOMY: A VISUAL GUIDE by Mark A. Garlick

Filled with amazing color photographs and charts, this book is a good overview for anyone interested in astronomy. Beginning with a history on how the fascination with the skies started, there are chapters on different theories, satellites and constellations. A fact file and glossary provide a great summary of information that includes dates for upcoming lunar and solar eclipses.

STAR STRUCK: ONE THOUSAND YEARS OF THE ART AND SCIENCE OF ASTRONOMY by Ronald Brashear and Daniel Lewis

This volume is a fascinating look at the evolution of our understanding of the stars above. Many of the facts contained here were drawn from some of the rarest books in the field. There are discussions on how some of the earliest theories about the universe were used to explain the role of humans in the world and how religions and societies have contributed to the history of astronomy. Filled with wonderful illustrations, this book is an interesting look into how the area of astronomy has gotten to where it is today.

DAVID LEVY’S GUIDE TO THE NIGHT SKY by David Levy

Written by an award-winning astronomer, this book is a great introduction for the beginning astronomer. It is a technical guide on how to observe the planets, stars, comets and galaxies. The vast quantity of information included here is organized and presented in an easy to use format.

STARS AND PLANETS: THE VISUAL GUIDE TO THE NIGHT SKY VIEWED FROM AROUND THE WORLD by Ian Ridpath

This volume would make a great pocket guide on the stars. All of the color photos and illustrations are helpful when trying to find constellations. The formations listed have observation symbols that indicate what instrument will have to be used for viewing. Some of the constellations can be viewed with the naked eye and others that need binoculars or telescopes are marked.

NIGHT HAS A THOUSAND EYES: A NAKED-EYE GUIDE TO THE SKY, ITS SCIENCE, AND LORE by Arthur Upgren, Foreword by David Levy

A telescope or other instrument is not always available for viewing the stars. When that is the case, this book would be a good tool to use. Divided into different constellations and seasons, the clearly written text provides the right direction to understanding what is up above in the night sky.