The Ever-Changing Sky
A Guide to the Celestial Sphere

A comprehensive and uniquely non-mathematical guide to spherical astronomy and the changing night sky.

James B. Kaler (Author)

9780521499187, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 14 March 2002

516 pages, 310 b/w illus. 57 tables
24.5 x 16.9 x 2.8 cm, 0.8 kg

'Those non-mathematical readers who really want to understand the intricacies of phenomena such as the rising and setting stars, tides and timekeeping, calendars and constellations, planetary paths and eclipses need look no further than the superbly illustrated The Ever-Changing Sky.' New Scientist

The Ever-Changing Sky provides a comprehensive and non-mathematical guide to spherical astronomy. The reader is guided through terrestrial and celestial co-ordinate systems, time measurement and celestial navigation, to the prediction of the rising and setting of the stars, Sun and Moon. It focuses on the geometrical aspects of the night sky without using complex trigonometry. The book progresses to a general study of the Earth and sky, including the stars and constellations (with useful star maps provided), the motions and appearance of the Moon, tides and eclipses, the orbits of the planets and the smaller bodies of the Solar System (asteroids, meteors, meteorites and comets). Finally, there is a brief overview of atmospheric phenomena (including rainbows and haloes). This text will be invaluable to students taking courses in naked-eye astronomy, amateur and professional astronomers, as well as more general readers wanting to know how the night sky changes.

Preface
1. The Earth and the celestial sphere
2. The moving Earth and the travelling observer
3. The orbital motion of the Earth
4. Stars and constellations
5. Precession, nutation, and aberration
6. Time
7. Sunrise and sunset
8. Positions in the sky and on Earth
9. The Moon
10. Tides, eclipses, and calendars
11. The planets
12. The small bodies of the solar system
13. Light and atmosphere
Appendices: I. Graphs and tables
II. Star maps
III. Trigonometric relationships
IV. Bibliography
Index.

Subject Areas: Popular astronomy & space [WNX]