Universal Guide to the Night Sky
Publisher: Thames & Hudson
Astrophysicist Lisa Harvey-Smith spent her childhood stargazing with her dad, and, as an adult, she hasn’t lost her passion for the night sky one bit!
Did you know, for instance, that the night sky in the Southern Hemisphere features totally different constellations at night to those in the Northern Hemisphere? Or that the full moon is more than 30,000 times brighter than the brightest star and happens each month when the sun, the Earth and the moon are lined up in a row?
In this delightful, clear and informative book about stars, the moon, satellites, the sun, the planets and constellations, Harvey-Smith explains why we see what we’re seeing (stars are born when gigantic clouds of gas squish together under the force of gravity) and gives us some perspective about the way humans think about stars and the night sky, versus some of the facts (constellations may look like stars that are very close, but in reality they’re still light years away from each other!)
She also explains clearly and with lots of fascinating detail other things we can find in space, such as dark nebulae, asteroids and meteor showers. There are tips here about how best to see stars and other space features (useful apps, stargazing equipment, and how to take pictures) as well as guidance for joining astronomy clubs and helping astronomers to find new constellations!
This friendly, brilliant book is a must for all young star enthusiasts, but is an excellent introduction to the subject for complete newbies. The format, design and illustration by Sophie Beer feels cool and fun, making this a perfect read for upper primary and lower secondary aged children.
