Previously entitled ‘Collins Pocket Guide Stars and Planets’, this classic guide to the night sky enters its fourth edition as part of the authoritative ‘Collins Guide’ series.
A comprehensive guide to all the stars and celestial objects visible with the use of binoculars or an average-sized telescope, this fully revised edition features updated and extended text, improved sky charts, and new diagrams and photographs.
Includes:
- Unique yearly planetary data, available as a downloadable web resource
www.collins.co.uk/starsandplanets - Monthly sky maps of the northern and southern hemispheres, so you can identify constellations and bright stars from various latitudes throughout the year
- Descriptions of all the 88 constellations and their stars opposite a specially prepared chart showing the constellation in relation to the surrounding skies
- Detailed information on stars, nebulae, galaxies, the Moon and the Solar System
- Practical advice on choosing and using binoculars and telescopes
In addition to the charts and diagrams, the text is accompanied by many photographs throughout, making this the most practical and comprehensive guide to the night sky.
Ian Ridpath is an internationally renowned writer and editor. His works include the Oxford Dictionary of Astronomy and popular series of night sky guides for beginners, including The Collins Stars and Planets Guide and Collins Gem Stars. Ian is the recipient of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific’s Klumpke-Roberts Award for outstanding contributions to the public understanding and appreciation of astronomy. Ian is based in London, UK.
Wil Tirion was trained in graphic arts and always had an interest in astronomy and especially star charts. In 1983 he became a self-employed Uranographer, a specialist in drawing charts of the night sky. Since then he has contributed to many books including the bestselling Collins Guide to the Night Sky annual. In 1987 he received the ‘Dr. J. van der Bilt-prize’, a Dutch award for amateur astronomers. In 1993 he had a minor planet named after him: (4648) Tirion = 1931 UE.