With an introduction to astronomy basics and a special section on constellations, this is a perfect children’s guide to stargazing.

You’ve gazed at stars. Perhaps you’ve even identified a few constellations, planets, and other distant objects. Now become a young astronomer. Learn all about outer space. Author, educator, and naturalist Jonathan Poppele presents a kids’ introduction to the night sky. The children’s book, ideal for early and middle-grade readers, conveys fascinating information for beginners. Kids gain an understanding of stars, our solar system, and deep sky objects.

From there, readers are introduced to more than 25 different constellations that are important to know and easy to locate. With the Big Dipper, Little Dipper, Orion, Perseus, and more, the constellations section serves as an identification aid and offers information about when to look, where to look, and what to look for.

A season-by-season tour of the night sky provides advice to help children experience success while stargazing—with practical tips on locating each constellation. There are also fun ideas for the entire family to enjoy, a wonderful way to turn stargazing into a shared hobby.

Inside You’ll Find

  • A guide to more than 25 important-to-know constellations
  • Practical tips on locating each constellation
  • The basics of astronomy, the solar system, and outer space
  • Tips and tricks to help you spot the many amazing sights of the night sky

 
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<p><b>This children’s guide to stargazing includes an introduction to astronomy, a discussion of objects in the sky, and a section on constellations.</b></p>

An Introduction to Astronomy

Objects in the Night Sky

  • Our Solar System
  • Stars
  • Deep Sky Objects
  • Closer to Home

How Do We Know?

Tours of the Night Sky

  • Spring Tour
  • Summer Tour
  • Fall Tour
  • Winter Tour

Glossary

Additional Reading, Resources, and Community Science

About the Author

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Constellations: Mapping the Night Sky

The entire sky is too large to take in all at once. Since ancient times, people have identified patterns in the stars. Each pattern defines an area of the sky, which is called a constellation. Astronomers use constellations as a map of the sky. Every star in the sky is part of a constellation. The bright stars Betelgeuse and Rigel, for example, are in the constellation Orion. So is the famous star-forming nebula M42, which is also called the Orion Nebula.

What Can I See?

We can’t see constellation boundaries. They are made up. We see stars. So every constellation in the sky is drawn around a recognizable pattern of stars. The Sky Tours (page 107) in this book will help you find and recognize many of these patterns.

How Do We Know?

Constellations are made up. Throughout history, different cultures have recognized different constellations. Peoples all over the world, for example, recognized the shape of a person with broad shoulders and a narrow waist in the stars of the modern constellation we call Orion. The Ancient Greeks associated these stars with the hero Orion from their mythology. Many Hindu people associated them with Kaalpurush, a representation of their god Vishnu. To the Navaho these stars represented the protector Atse Ats’oosi, usually translated as “First Slender One.” They marked the movement of these stars to time the planting and harvest of crops.

Modern astronomy grew out of the ancient Greek tradition. The ancient Greeks, in turn, were influenced by the Babylonian, Sumerian, and Egyptian cultures of early history. Drawing on this long history, the International Astronomical Union recognizes 88 official constellations. These constellations are used by professional and most amateur astronomers worldwide to map the sky.

The Constellations of the Zodiac

The path of the sun in the sky is called the ecliptic. The area of the sky that surrounds the ecliptic is called the zodiac. The moon and planets always appear along the zodiac, near the ecliptic. The ecliptic passes through thirteen constellations. Twelve of these constellations share their names with the astrological “houses of the zodiac.”

What Can I See?

Look along the zodiac to spot the moon and planets. If you see a bright “star” near the ecliptic that doesn’t appear on a star chart, it is probably a planet.

How Do We Know?

People have always taken a special interest in the path of the sun through the sky. Ancient Greek astronomers divided the area around the ecliptic into twelve equal segments they called “houses” and named each after a nearby constellation. They called these houses the zodiac, which means “circle of animals.” Astronomers stopped using these houses centuries ago, but they continued using the constellations they were named after. Because of changes in the Earth’s spin over time, today’s constellations no longer line up with the ancient Greek zodiac. The dates the sun appears in each constellation are quite different from the traditional astrological dates. The chart on the next page shows the position of the sun throughout the year.

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The Simple Introductions to Science series introduces children, ages 6 to 12, to some of the most appealing aspects of nature. Topics range from fossils to insects, and the books serve as both a basic introduction and a field identification guide. When applicable, the Simple Introductions to Science books also present a “how to” guide to finding and collecting. At 5" x 7" and around 160 pages, each book is conveniently sized for small hands. The colorful, appealing, kid-friendly design includes plenty of full-color photographs and illustrations. A number of headers with short blocks of text make for easy reading. Filled with fun and fascinating information, each softcover book retails for under $15.

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Produktdetaljer

ISBN
9781647551346
Publisert
2022-07-21
Utgiver
Vendor
Adventure Publications, Incorporated
Høyde
177 mm
Bredde
127 mm
Dybde
9 mm
Aldersnivå
1000L, J, 02
Språk
Product language
Engelsk
Format
Product format
Heftet
Antall sider
120

Forfatter

Biografisk notat

Jonathan Poppele is a naturalist, author, and educator with wide-ranging interests. He earned a master's degree in Conservation Biology from the University of Minnesota, studying citizen science, environmental education, and how to cultivate a personal relationship with the natural world through animal tracking. He has taught ecology, environmental studies, biology, and technical writing at the University of Minnesota.

An avid outdoorsman and student of natural history, Jon is a member of the Minnesota Trackers Club and the International Society for Professional Trackers, and he is the founder of the Minnesota Wildlife Tracking Project. A Black Belt in the peaceful martial art of Ki-Aikido, Jon is also the founder and director of the Center for Mind-Body Oneness in Saint Paul, Minnesota.