Product Description

The Night Sky is a rotating star finder (planisphere) that allows the user to recognize the constellations for any time of night, any day of the year. The sky appears to rotate (due to the rotation and orbital motion of the earth), so to be successful recognizing the constellations a beginner needs to know which stars are above the horizon at any time.

This is the full-sized version of The Night Sky suitable for the 40°-50° latitude zone (northern United States and parts of Europe). We have versions for the following latitude zones: 50°-60°, 40°-50°, 30°-40°, 20°-30°, and the Southern Hemisphere. We also have pocket-sized versions available for the same latitude zones.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #56339 in Books
• Published on: 1998-01-01
• Binding: Map

From the Publisher
The Night Sky comes in two sizes: Large (8 inch diameter) and Small (5 inch diameter). The large size is best for learning the constellations. The small size is best as a pocket reference to tell you what constellations are up if you are already reasonably familiar with the constellations. In each size the charts are available for different latitude zones.

To find the correct size and latitude zone, use the following ISBN numbers in your Amazon.com search:

The Night Sky 50°-60° (Large), 1891938088 (Small), 1891938096

The Night Sky 40°-50° (Large), 0961320745 (Small), 1891938010

The Night Sky 30°-40° (Large), 0961320753 (Small), 1891938029

The Night Sky 20°-30° (Large), 0961320761 (Small), 1891938037

The Night Sky Southern Hemisphere (Large), 0961320737 (Small), 1891938002

From the Author
Most planispheres attempt to represent the whole dome of the sky on one flat map, creating severe distortion near the outer edges of the map (the southern part of the sky). The Night Sky was specially designed to overcome this problem: two maps divide the sky into north-facing and south-facing views, which are shown on the front and back sides of the chart. When you turn around, simply turn the chart over. This design feature eliminates over 90% of the distortion found in conventional one-sided planispheres.

Other features of The Night Sky were designed with observers in mind:

--Dark stars on a white background make the map easier to read at night with a dim (or preferably red filtered) flashlight. (Under red light the dark blue of the chart becomes a velvety black.)

--The maps are computer-plotted for accuracy and show stars down to a consistent brightness cut-off. What you see on the chart is what is really there.

--The constellation figures emphasize simple patterns connecting the brightest stars, making the constellations easy to recognize and remember.

--The pocket version has fewer stars and omits some of the less conspicuous constellations to minimize clutter and maintain readability.

--The Night Sky comes in a protective vinyl pouch and the chart has plastic outer surfaces for dew resistance.

About the Author
David Chandler has taught astronomy, physics, and mathematics at the high school and college levels since the early 1970's and is an active amateur astronomer. He has built telescopes ranging from 6 inches to 25 inches diameter and has helped found the Pomona Valley Amateur Astronomers and the Tule River Amateur Astronomers. He has a BS in Physics from Harvey Mudd College, an MA in Education from Claremont Graduate School, and an MS in Mathematics from California Polytechnic University. Besides teaching he writes astronomy software, does custom star mapping and consulting for science toy companies, and has published a number of charts and books designed to help beginners become successful in observational astronomy.

Customer Reviews

The Night Sky Chart
This an excellent tool for amateur astronomers and has helped me greatly to identify sky objects. The two sided charts are unusual. The chart was real easy to align for the date.

Great product
I got this product for a college course in astronomy and it's exactly what the professor asked for...works great for the class!

Excellent
Compact and user friendly. Ideal for the whole family as we all enjoy it.