The summer stargazer: Astronomy for absolute beginners

Most people can enjoy stargazing as a hobby only when they are on vacation, away from the interfering sky glare of the cities and suburbs, and in the open country where, on a clear night, they can see the whole sky undimmed and wonder about what they are seeing. This book is for such vacationers: people who know nothing about astronomy and have little interest in its scientific profundities, but want to know more about what they can see in the skies. With a minimum of technicalities, 'Robert Claiborne takes the reader into observational astronomy by easy stages-first with the naked eye, then with the simple optical aid of binoculars, and finally with the more sophisticated assistance of small to medium-size telescopes.He tells the stargazer what are the interesting and beautiful objects he can see, and when and where to look for them during the four good stargazing summer months, starting in June with the Dipper and the Pole Star and describing the constellations, stars, planets, double stars, galaxies, star clusters, nebulae, and other wonders which are the subtly shifting tenants of the summer night.This lucid and exciting book not only tells how and where to find particular celestial objects, and explains what they really are, but imparts its astronomical information in relation to the amateur's stargazing experience rather than as a part of cosmic theory. With this book in hand, the whole remarkable universe begins to open up to the viewer. Especially valuable is Claiborne's thorough and practical advice on equipment, both binoculars and telescopes. The appendix includes a catalogue of "marker" stars and the Messier Objects ("easy" clusters, galaxies and nebulae) along with a glossary and an appendix giving the lore surrounding the names of the familiar stars, constellations, and planets. Simple sky maps and diagrams supplement the instructions in the text.