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. Its superb maps -- drawn in the shape of two crossed ellipses -- provide the reader with a unique perspective on the sky and have been widely acknowledged as the easiest system yet devised for locating any constellation at any time of the year. 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 proper map for use at any time special tables that give approximate positions of the planets for the years 1992 through 1997 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 its 50th anniversary, Star Maps for Beginners has sold more than 450,000 copies. Sky & Telescope The best way to learn the constellations that we have ever run across. I. M. LEVITT, PH.D., an internationally recognized scientist, is Director Emeritus of the Fels Planetariurn at The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia. EXPLANATORY NOTES The maps in this book are drawn exactly for a latitude of 40 degrees North -- the parallel for Philadelphia, Indianapolis, Denver, Reno, northern Japan, Korea, Peking (China), Ankara (Turkey), northern Greece, the "foot of the boot" of Italy and Madrid (Spain). However, they will serve amply well for places as far as six or seven degrees north or south of this specific latitude (or 400 to 500 miles), thus accommodating approximately 20 per cent of the world's population. From a position north of the fortieth parallel an observer will be able to see some stars that are beyond the northern horizon indicated on our maps, and he will be unable to see some stars that are represented near the southern horizon on our maps. Conversely, from a position south of the fortieth parallel an observer will have a more extensive view to the south and a less extensive view to the north. Another convention we have had to adopt is that of showing the sky for the times given for the exact Standard Time meridians. Determine what Standard Time is used in your area and the longitude corresponding to it. Eastern Standard Time is based on longitude 75 degrees West; Central Standard Time on longitude 90 degrees West; Mountain Standard Time on longitude 105 degrees West; Pacific Standard Time on longitude 120 degrees West. Then, determine your own longitude, from an atlas. Take the difference in degrees between your own longitude and that of your appropriate Standard Time meridian; multiply it by 4 to convert the degrees into minutes of time. If you are east of the Standard Time meridian, subtract the minutes from the time given on the map to determine the moment to see the sky as pictured; if you are west of the Standard Time meridian, add the minutes of longitude correction to the time given. A glance at the maps will suffice to show how to use them. The words "Looking North," "Looking East," etc., serve to orient the maps to match the sky. If you look east, the words "Looking East" should be right side up, and so on. The charts are arranged more or less in the form of what is called a Formée Cross, except that the sides of the panels are convex instead of concave. This largely eliminates distortion; the star groups have nearly the same shapes in the sky and on the maps. If a group straddles a division between two panels of the cross, reference to a preceding or following map will show the whole outline. Many star maps designed for the beginner permit so much distortion that they defeat their purpose; practically no one who is not already acquainted with the constellations can recognize them on those maps. Too many such star charts, showing all of the sky in circular form, with the pole or zenith in the center, or half the sky as half of a circular disk, with the zenith at the top, have been circulated with too little regard for the possibility of practical use by a beginner. Undoubtedly, many deviations from exact representation of the heavens will be spotted in the maps in this book, but they are comparatively small; moreover, because of the "open" appearance of the charts, resulting from the elimination of vast numbers of faint stars, there is never much chance for confusion. Many people do not know that red light promotes and maintains dark adaptation -- the ability of the eyes to see faint objects out-of-doors after leavi