Synopsis
Filled with science and lore, with references to myths, legends, and "high" and popular culture, this "naked-eye" guide (no telescope required) demystifies the celestial in accessible, instructive, and entertaining prose. If you want to know why werewolves only come out at night or how to find Betelgeuse, if you are curious about twilight, the seasons and their causes, our solar system, light and darkness, weather, stars and latitude, the moon, light pollution, and the planets, this is the book for you. Illustrated throughout with photographs, sky charts, and diagrams, Night Has a Thousand Eyes is the perfect resource for amateur astronomers and meteorologists of all ages - city, suburban, and country folk alike - who pause to enjoy sunsets and identify constellations on a starry night.
Reviews
American artist James McNeill Whistler was invited one sparkling night to step outside and view the panoply of stars. No, he said, "There are far too many of them and they are so very poorly arranged." Upgren, an astronomer at Yale and Wesleyan universities, sets out to make star viewing easier for everyone else who feels as Whistler did and for those who admire the beauty of the night sky but know little about what they see there. He does it clearly and smoothly, describing first the principal stars and constellations as they appear in each season of the year and then the sun, moon and planets. Along the way he supplies an abundance of related facts (the Big Dipper is properly called an asterism, "a name for an easily noticeable group of stars that does not make up a full constellation"; the stars Mizar and Alcor in the Dipper have "long been recognized as a test for good eyesight in many cultures"), discusses Stonehenge and the mysterious Old Stone Mill in Newport, R.I., takes a dig at astrology ("Your horoscope is two thousand years out of date" because the astrological arrangement of the signs of the zodiac was keyed to the celestial alignment of Roman times), and makes a plea for reducing the glare of urban lights that impedes star viewing by astronomers as well as by Whistler types.
Less a practical guide than an informative, inspirational look into the night sky, this books begins with a survey of the visible stars and constellations through each of the seasons. Upgren, an astronomer at Yale University, follows with discussions of the visible and invisible objects in the solar system, light pollution, and other atmospheric particulars, plus the progression of cosmological models and calendars based on celestial observation since ancient times. Always accessible, the book balances its scientific content with appropriate cultural, historical, and mythological details. A good introduction for those wanting more background to their night viewing, it would work well in conjunction with a source featuring fully illustrated sky charts, such as David Levy's Skywatching (LJ 10/15/95). Recommended for public libraries.?Patrick Dunn, Spokane
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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