Sky Phenomena: A Guide to Naked-Eye Observation of the Stars

Sky Phenomena: A Guide to Naked-Eye Observation of the Stars
By Norman Davidson
ISBN: 0940262568
Lindisfarne Books, 1993, New Edition 2004
228 pages; paperback; $25.00

Sky Phenomena leads the student/reader from the stars as seen from earth, through the sun, moon, and planets, to the Copernican revolution, comets and meteors, and the Southern Hemisphere sky. The text includes mythological and historical aspects of the subject and has numerous exercises for the student. The final chapter is a unique collection of poetry related to the stars from ancient India to modern times. Appendices include future astronomical events, technical data, materials and publications, and a comprehensive glossary of astronomical terms.

"Mr. Davidson's book is an excellent introduction to the sky for the general public. The basic material is factually accurate, and the inclusion of descriptions of famous astronomers gives the book a special charm." —Irwin Shapiro, Director, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics

“Sky Phenomena shows how the sky works—the daily trail of the sun and nightly travels of the stars, the phases of the moon, the mechanisms of eclipses, the vagrancies of the planets, and more, It’s an owner’s manual for the sky. —from the Foreword by E.C. Krupp, Director, Griffith Observatory, Los Angeles

Contents

Introduction
1. The Stars—I
2. The Stars—II
3. The Sun
4. The Moon
5. Eclipses
6. The Planets
7. The Copernican Revolution
8. Comets and Meteors
9. The Southern Hemisphere Sky
10. The Stars in Poetry

Appendices
1 Astronomical Events
2 Technical Data
3 Astronomical Symbols
4 Star Maps for Observers at the Equator
5 Useful Materials and Publications
6 Some Famous Individuals in the History of Astronomy
7 Glossary of Astronomical Terms

Index

Sources for “The Stars in Poetry”