The Monthly Sky Guide
8th Edition
Ian Ridpath
Illustrated by Wil Tirion
This classic beginner's guide to the night sky has been updated with
planet positions and forthcoming eclipses up to the end of the year
2014, a guide to observing the Moon, comprehensive Moon maps with
labeled features, and information on observing the four brightest
planets: Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn.
This eighth edition of
Ian Ridpath and Wil Tirion's famous guide will appeal to astronomers
of all ages.
This book contains a chapter for every month, describing
the prominent stars, constellations, star clusters, nebulae and
galaxies that are visible. The 50 clear and easy-to-use maps provide a
simple introduction to the skies of the northern hemisphere. Most of
the sights are visible to the naked eye, and all are within reach of
binoculars or a small telescope.
Praise for the Previous Edition:
'Wil Tirion's charts are justly famous. With Ian Ridpath's words, the combination is hard to beat.
- Popular Astronomy
'For those who want to learn about the constellations and bright stars, this book is all that they'll need.
- Astronomy Now
'... charts big and detailed enough to be used easily ...
- Sky Publishing Corporation
'What adds greatly to the value of the Guide is the obvious enthusiasm of the authors and their ability to convey it.
- Journal of the British Astronomical Association
'I have not seen a better first guide to amateur astronomy.
- Malcolm Gough, The Observatory
'It is an excellent practical introduction to finding one's way around the sky; ... I can recommend this book very strongly.
- Robert Connon Smith, The Observatory
'This
popular guide, the product of collaboration between a writer and a
cartographer, is now so well known that just a short review of the
latest (7th) edition will suffice. Now updated through to 2011, the
monthly sky maps (as well as focussing upon selected seasonal
constellations) have been improved by the addition of star colours,
while the outline of the Milky Way has been represented more
realistically than before. The stellar magnitude steps are now more
refined, with increments of 0.5 mag. ... The planetary and eclipse
notes, again arranged month by month, will help even the deskbound
astronomer to avoid missing any important event. ... The Monthly Sky
Guide is highly recommended, and remains good value for money.
- The Observatory
'
... The Monthly Sky Guide ... remains one of the best introductions to
the night sky of the northern hemisphere. There is a lot of quality in
this small book from Wil Tirion's famous charts to Ian Ridpath's
excellent narrative. If you had to reply on one book to get you through
your observation year then The Monthly Sky Guide would serve you very
well indeed.
- Astronomy & Space
'There is a lot of
quality in this small book from Wil Tiron's famous charts to Ian
Ridpath's excellent narrative - altogether a great combination at work.
If you had to rely on one book to get you through your observation year
then the Monthly Sky Guide would serve you very well indeed.
- Astronomy & Space
