Stargazing Resources

Staring up at the stars is an experience shared across time and space.

Designed for people without astronomy experience, The Stargazer's Guide to the Night Sky will help you discover the science of the stars, planets, moon, and sun. A mix of informative textbook chapters, star-charts to help you find your way around the sky, instructions on how to use a telescope, and helpful advice on learning to see in the dark, this guide will serve as a helpful introduction to the topic and activity of astronomy. 240 pages, hardcover, glossy pages with many full-color photographs.

ICR Item Number: BSGTTNS

Part stargazing journal and part astronomy lab, The Stargazer’s Notebook provides the ideal instruction manual, planner, journal, and laboratory manual for the astronomy student, amateur stargazer, and anyone else wanting to learn more about the stars, planets, and celestial objects that occupy our skies. Once a month for a year you’ll learn about an aspect of the cosmos, such as the colors of the stars and why stars appear to “twinkle” in the sky, and you’ll study and draw the night sky. You will chronicle the patterns and locations of constellations and their movement across the night sky and find planets, galaxies, and stars, and even aim to see and document special night sky events as they occur, like meteor showers, falling stars, and maybe even a lunar or solar eclipse. Ideal as a companion to an astronomy course or a stand-alone study resource.  90 pages, softcover. Ages 10 and up.

Please note: REAL Science Odyssey is a secular program and refers to the Big Bang and billions of years.

A user-friendly companion for stargazers of all ages, this classic beginner's guide describes all the main sights of the night sky. The newly updated book contains a chapter for each month, describing prominent stars, constellations, star clusters, nebulae, and galaxies. Readers will discover when to watch meteor showers, when eclipses will occur, and how to follow the movements of the four brightest planets (Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn).

Most of the sights are visible to the naked eye, and all can be seen with binoculars or a small telescope. Sections on observing the moon and the planets include 50 easy-to-use maps that introduce the skies of the Northern Hemisphere and a comprehensive guide to observing the Moon.

80 pages, softcover.

In Find the Constellations by H.A. Rey (of Curious George fame), young readers will have a fun introduction to the many constellations. Each constellation will be named, showing the constellation with and without the lines connecting the stars. There are also quizzes after several constellations have been reviewed, and will provide "sky views" of the north and south skies at different times in the year. This book includes stories about the constellations and will provide lots of practice picking out constellations on the pages before heading outdoors to identify the real thing. A perfect book for your budding astronomer or stargazer! Ages 10-12

You see the stars every night; learn about them!

Seeing the Sky presents 100 easy, inexpensive projects for astronomers that require only the naked eye and ordinary household materials. Designed for students in Junior High and above, activities focus on a particular celestial phenomenon (purple light, the Milky Way, light pollution areas, the circumzenithal and circumhorizontal arcs, etc.), and include a short introduction to the topic followed by questions that require hands-on investigation. 209 pages, indexed, softcover.

Children will be entranced with this book as they hunt for constellations in the light and in the dark! Illustrations of major constellations in season help give kids an orientation to the sky; primary star patterns appear in the light as they would in the sky...but turn off the light and over 30 glow in the dark constellations appear! The mythological history of the stars, where to find them, what is the best time to find them and more is all revealed in this fun and fascinating guide to the night sky. 28 pages, softcover.

In Constellations for Every Kid you'll learn about legends, famous constellations, seasonal patterns, locating constellations and much more! You'll create a sky globe with a transparent bowl, use a star map to find constellations, determine why the position of the sun looks like it changes and more.

Each of the activities is broken down into background information, a "think it through" section, exercises and answers, materials list, step-by-step instructions, expected results, and an easy to understand explanation. Every activity has been pre-tested. 247 pages, softcover.

Ever look for a constellation, only to find it's not visible at that time of year? This chronological look up at the sky focuses on one aspect of the sky--constellations, galaxies, stars, and more-- per night, providing a good amount of mythological and scientific background, as well as detailed instructions on where to find them. Maps with reference points are included for each night's activity. Make it a nightly family activity as you all learn about the night sky and the history behind it! 225 pages, softcover.

Designed with the beginner in mind and useful to anyone interested in astronomy, Star Maps For Beginners is the classic guide to viewing and understanding the heavens. It's superb maps are cross-shaped rather than round, making it much easier for beginning stargazers to match the correct part of the chart with the portion of sky they are observing. They provide the reader with a unique perspective on the sky and have been widely acknowledged as the easiest system yet for locating any constellation at any time of the year. (Our international customers south of the equator should take note that this book is designed for use only in the Northern Hemisphere. The constellations in the Southern Hemisphere are quite different, and are not included in this book.) Now revised for the 1990s, with updated planet charts and a new section on spotting meteor showers, Star Maps For Beginners includes: 12 complete maps - one for each month - showing the positions of the constellations viewed from every direction a synoptic table that shows how to choose the propper map for use at anytime the most up-to-date overview of the solar system available today the latest facts about each of the planets - orbit, size, atmosphere, internal structure, climate, and terrain. a full chapter on the history and development of the constellations and the ancient legends and mythological lore surrounding them a special section on meteors - how they originate and when and where to spot them. Initially published in 1942, and now celebrating nearly 60 years in print, Star Maps for Beginners has sold more than 450,000 copies.

Serious stargazers, take note! Completely updated and packed with information, this "stellar" resource provides all the information you need to fully understand and enjoy the night sky. Study monthly sky maps through 2010; view stunning photographs of the Leonid meteor shower and comet Hale-Bopp; learn about constellations, nebulae, galaxies, asteroids, meteor showers, and more! Ages 10 to adult. 578 pages, softcover from Houghton Mifflin.

The perfect companion volume for Hale-Bopp watchers, this guide explores the fabulous mysteries above, from planets in our solar system to the constellations in both the Northern and Southern hemispheres, stars, galaxies (including the Milky Way), nebulae, astronomical bodies, objects, phenomena, and -- yes -- comets. Night Sky provides a concise guided tour of the heavens with 48 monthly sky charts of the northern sky and 88 constellation charts, each offering a detailed map of individual constellations. Essays on the universe, the solar system, and constellations introduce the reader to the wonders of the sky.

Learn about the night sky with the Night Sky Card Game. Each card in this standard deck features its own illustration, helping you to become acquainted with the star patterns that make up each skyward shape. Learning has never before been so much fun

Gaze up at the night sky in wonder . . . and in brilliant detail!

The Nancy B. Science Club MoonScope gives burgeoning astronomers a clear view of the night sky through 90x magnification, a 4mm all-glass eyepiece, 20mm all-glass eyepiece, and moonfilter. The scope also includes a finder with glow-in-the-dark-edge and focusing knob for easy sightings. Plus, the included tripod even includes a built-in red LED light to read the journal and moon map in the dark!

The included 22-page full-color MoonScope & Sky Gazer's Activity Journal includes tips for stargazing, practice for sighting and using eyepieces, a moon-map and moon-phase activities, and more.

Ages 8 & up. 2 AAA batteries required (not included).

This field journal and test manual accompanies Signs & Seasons. Expand your astronomy course into a lab with measurable results! This guide is designed to take you out under the night-time sky with observation, sketching and hands-on activities. Any necessary materials are listed, as well as quotes from the ancients, step-by-step instructions, illustrations, pertinent notes, forms, room for sketches, definitions, maps, and more. Tests include definitions, labeling diagrams, connecting stars into constellations, globe-work, questions based on field activities, and other questions that will require students to think about their answers! 179 pages, softcover. Answers included.

Staring up at the stars is an experience shared across time and space.

Designed for people without astronomy experience, The Stargazer's Guide to the Night Sky will help you discover the science of the stars, planets, moon, and sun. A mix of informative textbook chapters, star-charts to help you find your way around the sky, instructions on how to use a telescope, and helpful advice on learning to see in the dark, this guide will serve as a helpful introduction to the topic and activity of astronomy. 240 pages, hardcover, glossy pages with many full-color photographs.