An Intimate Look at the Night Sky

I bought this book on a whim while looking for star atlases. First, this book does have brief guides based on the seasons on where to see some astronomical wonders. But that is not where it strenght lies. Chet Raymo paints a poetic portrait of our night sky in this book which will captivate your imagination. You can actually feel your mind reaching out across the universe as he pulls you into the initial creation of the heavens and sends you flying out at light speed. Each chapter delves into a aspect of the night sky which tickles your imagination. You will find yourself thinking for hours after putting this book down and looking forward to the next time you can pick it up. If you are looking for a guide to the night sky, try "Turn Left at Orion". If you want to explore the heavens and enlighten your own mind, buy this book!!! You will not be disappointed in its lyrical prose and heavenly sketches.

Intimate? Throughout the book Raymo introduces poets, Gods, Goddesses, non sentient life and scientists from the history of astronomy. Look? Early on in the book the author encourages, almost to the point of insisting, that the reader go outside on a warm evening, lie down, and close her eyes. Night Sky? From the Big Bang through the Earth's crust, through the centers of stars, into your imagination and out to the conceivable ends of time this book takes you far beyond the night sky.What a beautiful introduction to astronomy and cosmology and the arts and sciences associated with both.Like 365 Starry Nights, An Intimate Look at the Night Sky leads the reader though a year of observing the stellar vista. On the way the author directs the reader to all manner of items of interest. He suggests that you close your eyes while listening to Haydn's The Creation and open them to experience the burst of the big bang through immediate sensory experience. You can vicariously (or mnemonically) experience extremes of observing through his descriptions -- from a miserable cold, damp night hoping for the clouds to part to lying on a tropical beach under the stars. Mr. Raymo introduces the mythology behind the names of many familiar constellations and includes many heavenly references from classical literature. With all this is mixed gobs of science. There is enough science in this book to support an introductory course in astronomy. Due to the balance of elements the book is a facinating, enjoyable read. The facets create a rich and rewarding reading experience.Highly recommended for anyone.

I am an astronomy buff who happened upon this book at my local library. Professor Raymo's writing style is lyrical, almost poetic, making it highly readable. It is organized around the seasons, with each section (Winter, Sping, Summer & Autumn) beginning with a description of the constellations asociated with that season). But the book is also very informative, containing chapters on such matters as star formation, the moon & lunar cycles, the planets, comets, the death of stars, etc. The final chapter very moving and is particularly beautifully written. This book would be equally appropriate for both someone just beginning to explore the wonders of astronomy and the night sky, and for a more experienced amateur astronomer, although the latter may find a good bit of the information contained in the book to be somewhat basic. Nonetheless, my keen interest in astronomy spans several years and I still found the book to be educational as well as inspiring.

There are 24 star maps (and many pictures); each of them beautifully illustrated, in this small book. Each of them highlights what can be seen with the naked eyes throughout the year in the northern hemisphere. Together with the maps Chet includes commentaries and tips on how to identify planets,stars, and constellations. Unlike few other sky guide books that merely teaches star hopping, Chet tries to stimulate readers imagination; inviting them to journey into the unseen and unperceivable, to marvel at the modern physics and be awed by the ancients wisdom. This book will sustain anyone's interest in astronomy for a long time.