The Ever-Changing Sky: A Guide to the Celestial Sphere [Hardcover]

James B. Kaler (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0521380537 | ISBN-13: 978-0521380539 | Publication Date: February 23, 1996 | Edition: First Edition

The Ever-Changing Sky is a comprehensive and uniquely non-mathematical guide to spherical astronomy. In a clear and lucid text, it guides through terrestrial and celestial co-ordinate systems, time measurement and celestial navigation, on to the stars and constellations (with useful star maps provided), the motions and appearance of the Moon and planets, tides and eclipses, and the smaller bodies of the Solar System (asteroids, meteors, meteorites and comets). There is also a brief overview of atmospheric phenomena. This text is invaluable to students of naked-eye astronomy, amateur and professional astronomers, and more general readers wanting to know how the night sky changes.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"[A]n excellent discussion of the variations in solar time. This is essential material for understanding sundials." Joe Heafner, Sky & Telescope

"It develops into a comprehensive treatment of all aspects of the sky that could be useful to astronomers, whether they are professionals, amateurs, or students, and to general readers who simply wish to learn about the night sky...a thoroughly enjoyable read." Astronomy

Book Description

The Ever-Changing Sky provides a comprehensive and uniquely non-mathematical guide to spherical astronomy. In a clear and lucid text, the reader is guided through terrestrial and celestial co-ordinate systems, time measurement and celestial navigation, on to the stars and constellations (with useful star maps provided), the motions and appearance of the Moon and planets, tides and eclipses, and the smaller bodies of the Solar System (asteroids, meteors, meteorites and comets). There is also a brief overview of atmospheric phenomena. This text will be invaluable to students taking courses in naked-eye astronomy, amateur and professional astronomers, and more general readers wanting to know how the night sky changes.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 528 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press; First Edition edition (February 23, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521380537
• ISBN-13: 978-0521380539
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 7 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,307,812 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great book to learn astronomy and astrophysics, August 4, 1999

By 

Dietrich Gudzent - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Ever-Changing Sky: A Guide to the Celestial Sphere (Hardcover)

I am a retired physicist and astronomer and I have seen many textbooks in astronomy, popular as well as written for the serious student, and in more languishes than just English. This book may well be the best, it deserves more than 5 stars. It covers an amazing range: Spherical astronomy, astronomical mechanics and the motions of the heavenly bodies, planetary science, astrophysics, and instruments on just 500 pages. The book even includes atmospheric phenomenons such as sun dogs, halos, rainbows, which are generally omitted in the popular astronomical literature. The author manages to explain with lucid clarity difficult details without any use of mathematics. I checked several rarely well explained points in the field of spherical astronomy and astronomical mechanics and was deeply satisfied. He even touches on astrology and UFOs (in a critical manner). The book has included pictures illustrating facts I knew very well but had never seen so well demonstrated. The author is obviously not only a good scientist he is also a superior lecturer. If you want just one book to explore what you want to know in astronomy and astrophysics you have it here. Since I am teaching astronomy at my local college I will make it my textbook.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Covers many hard to find topics in "cultural astronomy", July 20, 2000

By 

Helmer Aslaksen (Singapore) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Ever-Changing Sky: A Guide to the Celestial Sphere (Hardcover)

I would just like to add one point to the review of Gudzent. In his preface, Kaler explains that one of his reasons for writing the book was that he was teaching a course in astronomy for antrophologist. He's covering a lot of topics about terrestial and planetary motion that is of interest to a wide range of people, but that is often no longer covered in modern astronomy textbooks. If you're interested in a solid background for "cultural astronomy", this is the book for you!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun Book that makes you think, June 4, 2008

By 

Tomius (San Diego, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Ever-Changing Sky: A Guide to the Celestial Sphere (Paperback)

All pages are in my copy (1996)--nothing missing. No complaints with the book. I am a professional engineer (electrical) and an amateur astronomer who wanted to learn about the celestial sphere so I could better find my way around the night sky using the concepts of declination and right ascension (used by astronomers). I could not have bought a better book. The book does not dumb down the concepts, yet keeps the math simple. If you are an amateur astronomer who has not had an introduction to the celestial sphere, get the book and read it. You'll learn some interesting concepts that will help you understand how to navigate around in the night sky. Cool stuff.