Excerpt from Practical Astronomy When we cast our eyes to the heavens on any clear and, by preference, moonless night, our attention is attracted by apparently in numerable points of light, of all degrees of brightness. These are the stars, which in all ages have drawn to themselves the attention of mankind. Mr. E. W. Maunder, in a previ ous volume of this series, has Shown how man's attention was first directed to the heavenly bodies, and how the mere recognition of the phases of the Moon, the varying positions of the planets and the seasonal changes Of the stars has developed stage by stage into the science of astronomy as we know it at the present day. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

Excerpt from Practical Astronomy When we cast our eyes to the heavens on any clear and, by preference, moonless night, our attention is attracted by apparently innumerable points o light, of all degrees of brightness. These are the stars, which in all ages have drawn to themselves the attention of mankind. Mr. E. W. Maunder, in a previous volume of this series, has shown how mans attention was first directed to the heavenly bodies, and how the mere recognition of the phases of the Moon, the varying positions of the planets and the seasonal changes of the stars has developed stage by stage into the science of astronomy as we know it at the present day. Perhaps of all the sciences, modern astronomy is the most awe-inspiring, the most wonderful, the most instructive. The average man reads of the marvels which the telescope and spectroscope reveal, of the great depths and spaces, the rapid velocities, the eternal working of evolution, and he wonders. He has little or no knowledge of the methods used by the astronomers in ascertaining the facts of the science; and he is not familiar with the stars or constellations. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

Discover the wonders of the Universe with this complete introduction to observing and understanding the night sky. This practical guide explains and demystifies stargazing, teaching you to recognize different kinds of objects and showing you how they move through the sky over the course of the night and the year. It shows you how to understand and enjoy the cosmos, building your practical astronomy skills from the basics to more advanced techniques. Beginning with an explanation of the Universe itself - how big is it, what shape is it, how old is it, and will it end? - it then takes you on a tour around the night sky, building up your knowledge in simple stages. Practical advice begins with naked-eye observations, then illustrated step-by-step instructions show you how to set up and use binoculars and telescopes and how to take your own pictures of the night sky. It also lets you take a closer look at the different objects you can view in the night sky, telling you how to train your eye to recognize basic patterns of stars (constellations) and how to tell planets apart from other celestial bodies, showing you how to observe them in an innovative step-by-step way. An atlas of the night sky is also included, with charts that can be used in both the northern and southern hemispheres throughout the year. Accessible, inspirational, and authoritative, The Practical Astronomer will enthuse and inform anyone who wants to expand their knowledge of the night sky.