The Observer's Year: 366 Nights in the Universe (Patrick Moore's Practical Astronomy Series)

By Patrick Moore

For this new edition, the text has been brought fully up to date - and the period covered is from 2005 to 2010. Inevitably, this has meant that large sections of the book have been completely... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 3540761470
• ISBN13: 9783540761471
• Release Date: November 1997
• Publisher: Springer
• Length: 372 Pages
• Weight: 1.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.1" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

A great gift for the practical observer.

The Observer's Year is a fascinating potpourri of sky observing delights; a book destined to serve many an astronomy buff as tattered-ear reference for years. With succeeding nights of the year as context, Patrick Moore opens a treasure chest of astronomy. Specific stars, galaxies, the Moon, planets, meteor showers, nebulae and clusters are described and discussed with a casual randomness not often seen in books of science. The author often pays homage to famous, and not so famous, heroes of astronomy, to great accomplishments or to noteworthy events. He marks many dates by describing an "anniversary" or "future point of interest" in margin notes. Tables and charts accompany many of the stories, and simple star maps are included for each month. Most welcome, this book is designed for those viewing the sky with naked eye, binoculars or small telescope, but the armchair astronomer will read and reread this book as well. The index is weak and, considering the randomized placement of the stories, makes finding specific items difficult. Also, the lack of photographs is often disappointing. But, all in all, this book is a good companion to any introductory astronomy text, and a great gift for the practical observer.