Night Sky Tracker: Backyard Astronomer's Logbook.

NIGHT SKY TRACKER: Backyard Astronomer's Logbook

LESLIE ALAN HORVITZ In this unique, glow-in-the-dark handbook, amateur astronomers learn the techniques necessary for observing the heavens. As Horvitz points out, astronomy is an egalitarian pursuit, available to anyone with access to the night sky. In fact, many important discoveries, such as the length of a day on Uranus, have been made by amateurs. Horvitz provides a brief history of astronomy and the telescope and describes equipment and methods needed for the successful identification of celestial objects. The book includes star maps, definitions of astronomy terms, and instructions for "star hopping," or using the known location of a star or constellation to locate other objects in the sky. The author supplies background information on various types of stars, galaxies, nebulae, comets, and meteors. Finally, the book features a logbook for documenting observed objects. Barron, 2006, 224 p., paperback, $16.99.