The ideal gift for all amateur and seasoned astronomers. “This is a great guide to the night sky at a great price”Astronomy Now “A handy and straightforward guide.” British Astronomical Association's 'Journal' “an ideal Christmas stocking-filler” The Observatory From the UK’s Number One Astronomy publisher, this is the bestselling stargazing handbook to the planets, stars and constellations visible from the northern hemisphere. With 6 pages for each month covering January–December 2024. This practical guide is an easy introduction to astronomy and a useful reference for seasoned stargazers. Designed for Britain and Ireland but usable anywhere in the world between 40°N and 60°N, covering most of Europe, southern Canada and the northern United States. Advice on where to start looking and a map of dark sky sites to avoid light pollution. Charts for the circumpolar and seasonal constellations. Easy-to-use star charts for each month with descriptions of objects and events to look for in 2024. Positions of the moon, visible planets and eclipses. Includes a section on comets and a detailed map of the moon. Now in three editions: Britain and Ireland; North America; Southern Hemisphere. Written and illustrated by astronomical experts, Storm Dunlop and Wil Tirion, and approved by the astronomers of the Royal Observatory Greenwich.

The perfect gift for nature lovers and weather watchers. A fascinating month-by-month collection of facts, figures and explanations related to UK weather with details of famous meteorologists and their influence. Discover historical facts, notable weather events, amazing statistics and stories that will keep you informed all year round. You can delve as deeply as you like, or follow your own favourite topic throughout the year. discover little-known secrets about the weather learn fascinating facts and notable meteorological anniversaries track weather patterns over the previous 12 months examine weather extremes, temperature and atmospheric pressure highs and lows check wind, rainfall and snowfall extremes discover the times for sunrise, sunset, moonrise and moonset across the UK capital cities find the Moon's Phases and Ages for the year Written by weather expert, Storm Dunlop.

The perfect gift for nature lovers and weather watchers. A fascinating month-by-month collection of facts, figures and explanations related to UK weather alongside details of famous meteorologists and their influence. Discover historical facts, amazing statistics and anecdotes that will keep you informed and entertained all year round. You can delve as deeply as you like, or follow your own favourite subject throughout the year. discover little-known secrets about the weather learn fascinating facts and notable meterological anniversaries Written by weather expert, Storm Dunlop.

The ideal gift for all amateur and seasoned astronomers. This is the ideal resource for beginners and experienced stargazers in the United States and Canada, and has been updated to include new and practical information covering events occurring in North America's night sky throughout 2024. This practical guide is both an easy introduction to astronomy and a useful reference for seasoned stargazers. Now includes a section on comets and a map of the moon. Designed specifically for North America. Written and illustrated by astronomical experts, Storm Dunlop and Wil Tirion, and approved by the astronomers of the Royal Observatory Greenwich. Content includes: Advice on where to start looking. Easy-to-use star maps for each month with descriptions of what to see. Positions of the moon and visible planets. Details of objects and events in 2024. Now in three editions: Britain and Ireland; North America; Southern Hemisphere.

The ideal gift for all amateur and seasoned astronomers. A comprehensive handbook to the planets, stars and constellations visible from the southern hemisphere. 6 pages for each month covering January–December 2024. Diagrams drawn for the latitude of southern Australia, but including events visible from New Zealand and South Africa. Written and illustrated by astronomical experts, Storm Dunlop and Wil Tirion. Content includes: Advice on where to start looking Easy-to-use star maps for each month with descriptions of what to see Special, detailed charts for positions of planets, minor planets and comets in 2024 Seasonal charts Details of dark sky sites Details of objects and events you might see in 2024 Diagrams of notable events visible from Australia, and some for New Zealand and South Africa Also available: A month-by-month guide to exploring the skies above Britain and Ireland and A month-by-month guide to exploring the skies above North America.

This is the ideal resource for beginners and experienced stargazers in the United States and Canada, and has been updated to include new and practical information covering events occurring in North America's night sky throughout 2021. This practical guide is both an easy introduction to astronomy and a useful reference for seasoned stargazers. Now includes a section on comets and a map of the moon. Designed specifically for North America. Written and illustrated by astronomical experts, Storm Dunlop and Wil Tirion, and approved by the astronomers of the Royal Observatory Greenwich. Content includes: * Advice on where to start looking. * Easy-to-use star maps for each month with descriptions of what to see. * Positions of the moon and visible planets. * Details of objects and events in 2021. * Now in three editions: Britain and Ireland; North America; Southern Hemisphere.

The ideal gift for all amateur and seasoned astronomers. A comprehensive handbook to the planets, stars and constellations visible from the southern hemisphere. 6 pages for each month covering January-December 2023. Diagrams drawn for the latitude of southern Australia, but including events visible from New Zealand and South Africa. Written and illustrated by astronomical experts, Storm Dunlop and Wil Tirion. Content includes: Advice on where to start looking Easy-to-use star maps for each month with descriptions of what to see Special, detailed charts for positions of planets, minor planets and comets in 2023 Seasonal charts Details of dark sky sites Details of objects and events you might see in 2023 Diagrams of notable events visible from Australia, and some for New Zealand and South Africa Also available: A month-by-month guide to exploring the skies above Britain and Ireland and A month-by-month guide to exploring the skies above North America.

This guide provides comprehensive practical information for both beginning and advanced amateur astronomers on how to make scientifically significant observations. The book explains in detail how to observe every conceivable astronomical object--from meteors to distant galaxies. It presents a wide variety of methods ranging from the simplest visual observations, such as making pencil drawings of the surface of the Moon, to the use of highly sophisticated equipment, such as CCD cameras and photoelectric photometers. It also explains how to record and catalog observations using recognized professional terminology and classification schemes. The volume's emphasis throughout is on giving amateur astronomers sound information to use at the telescope. The most effective and efficient techniques are presented so that observers can apply those that are most suitable to their own equipment and degree of experience. This comprehensive survey of practical methods of observation will develop the observational skills of the avid novice and will also satisfy the more demanding needs of the experienced amateur astronomer.

How can you find new minor planets, comets and novae? How can you use photoelectric detectors to derive the temperatures of stars? And how can you predict future eclipses and occultations of stars by minor planets? The questions asked by serious amateur astronomers are answered in this authoritative and wide-ranging guide, first published in 1994. For each topic, sound practical methods of observation and the scientific background are given to lead you to better observations. Guidelines also show you how to record and catalogue your observations using the recognised professional terminology and classification schemes. From the simplest pencil drawings of the moon to observations of the most distant galaxies with state-of-the-art CCD cameras and photoelectric photometers, this guide is packed with practical tips for all types of amateur observations. It will develop the observational skills of the keen novice and satisfy the more demanding needs of the experienced amateur astronomer.

Throughout the ages, comets, enigmatic and beautiful wandering objects that appear for weeks or months, have alternately fascinated and terrified humankind. The result of five years of careful research, Atlas of Great Comets is a generously illustrated reference on thirty of the greatest comets that have been witnessed and documented since the Middle Ages. Special attention is given to the cultural and scientific impact of each appearance, supported by a wealth of images, from woodcuts, engravings, historical paintings and artifacts, to a showcase of the best astronomical photos and images. Following the introduction, giving the broad historical context and a modern scientific interpretation, the Great Comets feature in chronological order. For each, there is a contemporary description of its appearance along with its scientific, cultural and historical significance. Whether you are an armchair astronomer or a seasoned comet-chaser, this spectacular reference deserves a place on your shelf.

The perfect gift for amateur and seasoned astronomers. Follow the progress of constellations throughout the seasons with this beautiful companion to the night sky from Astronomy experts Collins. With the aid of easy-to-understand monthly calendars and maps, you will chart the rhythm of the lunar phases, discover events that light up the sky for brief periods, and explore the rich tapestry of characters that adorn the starry canvas overhead. You can delve as deeply as you like, or follow your own favourite subject throughout the year. never miss a night sky event wherever you are in the world with this month-by-month guide go meteor spotting, track the phases of the moon and explore the constellations worldwide coverage - with details for both the Northern and Southern hemispheres discover fascinating celestial facts and notable astronomical anniversaries Written and illustrated by astronomical experts, Storm Dunlop and Wil Tirion, and approved by the astronomers of the Royal Observatory Greenwich.

From deciding the best day for a picnic, to the devastating effects of hurricanes and typhoons, the weather impacts our lives on a daily basis. Although new techniques allow us to forecast the weather with increasing accuracy, most people do not realise the vast global movements and forces which result in their day-to-day weather. In this Very Short Introduction Storm Dunlop explains what weather is and how it differs from climate, discussing what causes weather, and how we measure it. Analysing the basic features and properties of the atmosphere, he shows how these are directly related to the weather experienced on the ground, and to specific weather phenomena and extreme weather events. He describes how the global patterns of temperature and pressure give rise to the overall circulation within the atmosphere, the major wind systems, and the major oceanic currents, and how features such as mountains and the sea affect local weather. He also looks at examples of extreme and dangerous weather, such as of tropical cyclones (otherwise known as hurricanes and typhoons), describing how 'Hurricane Hunters' undertake the dangerous task of flying through them. We measure weather in a number of ways: observations taken on the land and sea; observations within the atmosphere; and measurements from orbiting satellites. Dunlop concludes by looking at how these observations have been used to develop increasingly sophisticated long- and short-range weather forecasting, including ensemble forecasting. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Read on to discover... * The truth about upside-down rainbows. * The pioneers of meteorology - their instruments and inventions. * How to win a balloon race. * The largest raindrops ever recorded. * 'Watermelon snow', 'thundersnow' and 'weather bombs'. * The ten main types of cloud and the different features of lightning. The weather is a subject that the British simply cannot leave alone, and for good reason - it's likely that for more than half the year they will experience at least three seasons in one day, so there's always plenty to talk about. This charming miscellany, as wide-ranging and unpredictable as the weather itself, is filled with curious historical facts, amazing statistics and fascinating anecdotes that will keep you entertained come rain or shine!

- How did the Sun come into existence?
- How was the Earth formed?
- How long has Earth been the way it is now, with its combination of oceans and continents?
- How do you define life ?
- How did the first life forms emerge?
- What conditions made it possible for living things to evolve?
All these questions are answered in this colourful textbook addressing undergraduate students in "Origins of Life" courses and the scientifically interested public. The authors take the reader on an amazing voyage through time, beginning five thousand million years ago in a cloud of interstellar dust and ending five hundred million years ago, when the living world that we see today was finally formed. A chapter on exoplanets provides an overview of the search for planets outside the solar system, especially for habitable ones.
The appendix closes the book with a glossary, a bibliography of further readings and a summary of the Origins of the Earth and life infourteen boxes."

In this third corrected and revised edition students and lecturers in astronomy and planetary science as well as planet observers will find a mine of up-to-date information on the solar system and its interaction with the interplanetary medium, its various objects, comparative planetology, discussion of questions for further research and future space exploration.

Astronomy on the Personal Computer provides the reader with a thorough introduction to the computation of celestial mechanics, which is of particular significance to astronomical observation. Covering everything from astronomical and computational theory to the construction of rapid and accurate applications programs, this book supplies the necessary knowledge and software solutions for determining and predicting the positions of the Sun, Moon, planets, minor planets and comets, solar eclipses, stellar occultations by the Moon, phases of the Moon and much more. This completely revised edition makes use of the widely implemented programming language C++, and individual applications may be efficiently realized through the use of a powerful module library. The accompanying CD-ROM contains, in addition to the complete, fully documented and commented source codes, the executable programs for use with the Windows 95/98/NT and Linux operating systems.

This text treats our knowledge of the solar system from an astrophysical point of view. Part 1 deals with the formation of the solar system and its interaction with the interplanetary medium. Part 2 presents its various objects: planets and satellites, asteroids, comets, trans-neptunian objects and interplanetary dust. The final sections on extrasolar planetary systems and on the search for life in the Universe round off an introduction to a field that has grown dramatically following the space missions of the last twenty years. Over the last decade many exciting observations have helped to reshape our understanding of the solar system and planetary science. In the third corrected and revised edition of this classic on the astrophysics of our solar system, students and lecturers in astronomy and planetary science as well as planet observers will find a mine of up-to-date information.

IAU Colloquium No. 98 "The Contribution of Amateurs to Astronomy" was held in Paris, at the "Chaillot-Galliera" Conference Centre, on 20-24 June, 1987. A total of 250 participants - professional and amateur astronomers - came from 27 different countries. It was the first time that such a meeting had been organized under the aus- pices of the International Astronomical Union, and the arrangements in Paris were made by the Societe Astronomique de France, which was founded one hundred years previously by Camille Flammarion, so the 100th anniversary of the SAF was also celebrated. Nine commissions of the lAU co-sponsored the meeting; it also received support from the following associations: AAVSO (American Association of Variable Star Observers), BAA (British Astro- nomical Association), IOTA (International Occultation Timing Association), SRBA (Societe Royale BeIge d'Astronomie). The Chairman of the Scientific Organizing Committee was Prof. J. -C. Pecker, and the names of other members who shared in the work of organizing the Collo- quium are: Dr P. Couteau (France), Cmdr H. D. Howse (U. K. ), Dr M. Gerbaldi (France), Prof. J. Kleczek (Czechoslovakia), Dr I. Kozai (Japan), Dr J. Mattei (U. S. A. ), Dr S. Nakano (Japan), Dr G. Taylor (U. K. ), Dr V. Trimble (U. S. A. ) The Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee was Dr P. Simon, the then President of the SAF, who organized all the events in Paris, helped by P. de la Cotardiere and A. Chenevez.

Although this book has been available for some time, it is only now appearing in an English edition. This gives me the opportunity of adding a few explanations. I have not struggled to include the very latest, tentative results. I have, instead, concentrated on presenting cosmological ideas to interested non experts. They often encounter considerable difficulties when attempts are made to explain even long-established results in this field, so the aim of this book is to provide them with help. Naturally, I have also tried to include modern findings. To help with the explanation I have made use of the fictitious inhabi tants of Flatland, occasional historical digressions, and the dreams of Herr Meyer. Incidentally, I chose this name, which is very common in German speaking countries, to suggest an average citizen, just like the man next door. I should like to thank Springer-Verlag for deciding to publish this book in the language in which many of the discoveries described here were first formulated. I also thank my translator, Mr Storm Dunlop. Finally I thank Hanna Tettenborn for compiling the index."

The ideal gift for all amateur and seasoned astronomers. This is the ideal resource for beginners and experienced stargazers in the United States and Canada, and has been updated to include new and practical information covering events occurring in North America's night sky throughout 2022. This practical guide is both an easy introduction to astronomy and a useful reference for seasoned stargazers. Now includes a section on comets and a map of the moon. Designed specifically for North America. Written and illustrated by astronomical experts, Storm Dunlop and Wil Tirion, and approved by the astronomers of the Royal Observatory Greenwich. Content includes: Advice on where to start looking. Easy-to-use star maps for each month with descriptions of what to see. Positions of the moon and visible planets. Details of objects and events in 2022. Now in three editions: Britain and Ireland; North America; Southern Hemisphere.

An authoritative and wide-ranging new edition of A Dictionary of Weather containing almost 2,000 entries on all areas of the subject. Provides clear definitions and illustrative examples of terminology taken from meteorology, forecasting, and climatology. Revised and fully updated, this edition includes 300 new and revised entries, such as A-Train, Pineapple Express, and Watermelon snow, and added feature entries highlighting actual occurrences of extreme weather, including the Indian Ocean Tsunami and Hurricane Katrina. Generously illustrated, and containting recommended websites for further reading, this reference work is thoroughly comprehensible. Find out where and when the world's largest hailstone fell or where the highest temperature was recorded using the list of weather records, and check climate data for different weather types from around the world. Key terms from the related fields of oceanography, hydrology, and climatology are also covered as well as biographical information on important people in the development of meteorology. Arranged in A-Z format, it is a unique dictionary and an essential reference source for meteorology and geography students, whether at school or university, as well as for amateur meteorologists and the general reader.

A thorough introduction to the computation of celestial mechanics, covering everything from astronomical and computational theory to the construction of rapid and accurate applications programs. The book supplies the necessary knowledge and software solutions for determining and predicting positions of the Sun, Moon, planets, minor planets and comets, solar eclipses, stellar occultations by the Moon, phases of the Moon and much more. This completely revised edition takes advantage of C++, and individual applications may be efficiently realized through the use of a powerful module library. The accompanying CD-ROM contains the complete, fully documented and commented source codes as well as executable programs for Windows 98/2000/XP and LINUX.

Stargazers who may have missed the last total solar eclipse of the 20th century this past summer have just been given another chance to observe this "once in a lifetime" occurrence. Inside Glorious Eclipses they will find startling images and rich personal accounts that fully capture this event and other recent eclipses. The book will also insure that readers will not miss another eclipse in the next 60 years! Specially designed in a beautiful, large format, the volume portrays eclipses of all kinds--lunar, solar, and those occurring elsewhere in the Solar System and beyond. Brunier and Luminet have gathered together all aspects of eclipses, and carefully selected a host of lavish images. The authors detail the history of eclipses, the celestial mechanics involved, their observation, and scientific interest. Personal accounts of recent eclipses are also included as well as all relevant information about forthcoming eclipses up to 2060. Complete with NASA maps and data, Glorious Eclipses is the ultimate source for all those interested in these remarkable (and rare) celestial events. Serge Brunier is chief editor of the journal Ciel et Espace, a photo-journalist, and the author of many nonfiction books aimed at both specialists and the general public. Jean-Pierre Luminet is an astrophysicist at the Paris-Meudon Observatory and director of research at the Centre pour la Recherche Scientifique. He is the author of many popular astronomy books, including Black Holes (Cambridge University Press, 1992).