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The Stars: A New Way to See Them
The go-to guide to the stars for beginners and experts alike. With clear, readable text, easy-to-follow diagrams, and a sprinkling of H. A. Rey's irrepressible humor, The Stars: A New Way to See Them gives sparkle to the constellations and makes the mechanics of the universe intelligible to even the novice astronomer. This updated version of the classic text includes revised facts and figures for planets and new scientific details, This is a clear, vivid astronomy reference book. As Learning Through Literature puts it: " The Stars: A New Way to See Them is a great introduction to astronomy . It’s readable and easy to understand. But don’t assume it’s light on details. Not a bit! This reference book has 100+ pages packed with information. It’s filled with illustrations of the constellations, our solar system, and the universe. You could easily use it as a spine for an astronomy study or as a reference throughout the year when questions come up."
160 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1952
102 people are currently reading
1648 people want to read
About the author
H.A. Rey
585 books213 followersHans Augusto Rey was born on September 16, 1898, in Hamburg, Germany. He grew up there near the world-famous Hagenbeck Zoo, and developed a lifelong love for animals and drawing. Margarete Elisabeth Waldstein (who would be known to most of the world as Margret Rey) was also born in Hamburg on May 16, 1906. The two met briefly when Margret was a young girl, before she left Hamburg to study art. They were reunited in 1935 in Rio de Janeiro, where Hans was selling bathtubs as part of a family business and Margret was escaping the political climate in Germany. Margret convinced Hans to leave the family business, and soon they were working together on a variety of projects.
Hans and Margret were married in Brazil on August 16, 1935, and they moved to Paris after falling in love with the city during their European honeymoon. It was there that Hans published his first children’s book, after a French publisher saw his newspaper cartoons of a giraffe and asked him to expand upon them. Raffy and the Nine Monkeys (Cecily G. and the Nine Monkeys in the British and American editions) was the result, and it marked the debut of a mischievous monkey named Curious George.
After Raffy and the Nine Monkeys was published, the Reys decided that Curious George deserved a book of his own, so they began work on a manuscript that featured the lovable and exceedingly curious little monkey. But the late 1930s and early ’40s were a tumultuous time in Europe, and before the new manuscript could be published, the Reys—both German Jews—found themselves in a horrible situation. Hitler and his Nazi party were tearing through Europe, and they were poised to take control of Paris.
Knowing that they must escape before the Nazis took power, Hans cobbled together two bicycles out of spare parts. Early in the morning of June 14, 1940, the Reys set off on their bicycles. They brought very little with them on their predawn flight — only warm coats, a bit of food, and five manuscripts, one of which was Curious George. The Nazis entered Paris just hours later, but the Reys were already on their way out. They rode their makeshift bicycles for four long days until reaching the French-Spanish border, where they sold them for train fare to Lisbon. From there they made their way to Brazil and on to New York City, beginning a whole new life as children’s book authors.
Curious George was published by Houghton Mifflin in 1941, and for sixty years these books have been capturing the hearts and minds of readers throughout the world. All the Curious George books, including the seven original stories by Margret and Hans, have sold more than twenty-five million copies. So popular that his original story has never been out of print, George has become one of the most beloved and recognizable characters in children’s literature. His adventures have been translated into many languages, including Japanese, French, Afrikaans, Portuguese, Swedish, German, Chinese, Danish, and Norwegian.
Although both of the Reys have passed away — Hans in 1977 and Margret in 1996—George lives on in the Curious George Foundation. Established in 1989, this foundation funds programs for children that share Curious George’s irresistible qualities—ingenuity, opportunity, determination, and curiosity in learning and exploring. Much consideration is given to programs that benefit animals, through preservation as well as the prevention of cruelty to animals. The foundation supports community outreach programs that emphasize the importance of family, from counseling to peer support groups.
Hans and Margret were married in Brazil on August 16, 1935, and they moved to Paris after falling in love with the city during their European honeymoon. It was there that Hans published his first children’s book, after a French publisher saw his newspaper cartoons of a giraffe and asked him to expand upon them. Raffy and the Nine Monkeys (Cecily G. and the Nine Monkeys in the British and American editions) was the result, and it marked the debut of a mischievous monkey named Curious George.
After Raffy and the Nine Monkeys was published, the Reys decided that Curious George deserved a book of his own, so they began work on a manuscript that featured the lovable and exceedingly curious little monkey. But the late 1930s and early ’40s were a tumultuous time in Europe, and before the new manuscript could be published, the Reys—both German Jews—found themselves in a horrible situation. Hitler and his Nazi party were tearing through Europe, and they were poised to take control of Paris.
Knowing that they must escape before the Nazis took power, Hans cobbled together two bicycles out of spare parts. Early in the morning of June 14, 1940, the Reys set off on their bicycles. They brought very little with them on their predawn flight — only warm coats, a bit of food, and five manuscripts, one of which was Curious George. The Nazis entered Paris just hours later, but the Reys were already on their way out. They rode their makeshift bicycles for four long days until reaching the French-Spanish border, where they sold them for train fare to Lisbon. From there they made their way to Brazil and on to New York City, beginning a whole new life as children’s book authors.
Curious George was published by Houghton Mifflin in 1941, and for sixty years these books have been capturing the hearts and minds of readers throughout the world. All the Curious George books, including the seven original stories by Margret and Hans, have sold more than twenty-five million copies. So popular that his original story has never been out of print, George has become one of the most beloved and recognizable characters in children’s literature. His adventures have been translated into many languages, including Japanese, French, Afrikaans, Portuguese, Swedish, German, Chinese, Danish, and Norwegian.
Although both of the Reys have passed away — Hans in 1977 and Margret in 1996—George lives on in the Curious George Foundation. Established in 1989, this foundation funds programs for children that share Curious George’s irresistible qualities—ingenuity, opportunity, determination, and curiosity in learning and exploring. Much consideration is given to programs that benefit animals, through preservation as well as the prevention of cruelty to animals. The foundation supports community outreach programs that emphasize the importance of family, from counseling to peer support groups.
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February 28, 2017
Click here to watch a video review of this book on my channel, From Beginning to Bookend.
H.A. Rey, author of the Curious George books, studied philosophy and natural sciences after World War I. He transformed his enjoyment of star gazing into this user-friendly guide for star recognition and the finding of constellations.
If you know the stars you are not easily lost. They tell you the time and direction on land, on sea, and in the air, and this can be valuable on many occasions.
The Stars is divided into two segments. The first half of the book is dedicated to introducing stargazing in the most comprehensive means possible for beginners. Ordinarily, constellations are presented as either allegorical images or confusing geometric shapes. Not so in The Stars.
[This book] shows the constellations in a new, graphic way, as shapes which suggest what the names imply: it shows the group of stars known as the Great Bear, in the shape of a bear; the Whale in the shape of a whale; the Eagle as an eagle, and so on. These shapes are easier to remember, and once you remember them you can retrace them in the sky.
Forty star charts are provided that depict where and when to search for individual constellations. Though the book is designed mainly for users in northern latitudes (from 30 to 50 degrees), star charts for all other latitudes and their constellations are included.
The second half of the book is more scientifically advanced and introduces complex theories and terms. Altitude, the rotation of the earth on its axis, latitude and longitude, solar and sidereal days, black holes, solar eclipses, and much more are explored in great detail.
Stars are enchanting specks of glistening light in the night sky, but Rey succeeds in making them sound even more enticing and ignites a desire to grab a sweater and peer up at the sky on the next clear night.
And should you venture into outer space, anywhere in the solar system, where no earthly landscape exists, the constellations would be your only guidepost, and familiar ones, too.
A helpful index and glossary are included at the back of the book and, as an added bonus, the book jacket unfolds into a 22 X 26" poster that's a chart of the night sky with all of the constellations drawn on it.
The Stars is a dazzling introduction to the lost art of gazing at the night sky and familiarizing oneself with the stars.
H.A. Rey, author of the Curious George books, studied philosophy and natural sciences after World War I. He transformed his enjoyment of star gazing into this user-friendly guide for star recognition and the finding of constellations.
If you know the stars you are not easily lost. They tell you the time and direction on land, on sea, and in the air, and this can be valuable on many occasions.
The Stars is divided into two segments. The first half of the book is dedicated to introducing stargazing in the most comprehensive means possible for beginners. Ordinarily, constellations are presented as either allegorical images or confusing geometric shapes. Not so in The Stars.
[This book] shows the constellations in a new, graphic way, as shapes which suggest what the names imply: it shows the group of stars known as the Great Bear, in the shape of a bear; the Whale in the shape of a whale; the Eagle as an eagle, and so on. These shapes are easier to remember, and once you remember them you can retrace them in the sky.
Forty star charts are provided that depict where and when to search for individual constellations. Though the book is designed mainly for users in northern latitudes (from 30 to 50 degrees), star charts for all other latitudes and their constellations are included.
The second half of the book is more scientifically advanced and introduces complex theories and terms. Altitude, the rotation of the earth on its axis, latitude and longitude, solar and sidereal days, black holes, solar eclipses, and much more are explored in great detail.
Stars are enchanting specks of glistening light in the night sky, but Rey succeeds in making them sound even more enticing and ignites a desire to grab a sweater and peer up at the sky on the next clear night.
And should you venture into outer space, anywhere in the solar system, where no earthly landscape exists, the constellations would be your only guidepost, and familiar ones, too.
A helpful index and glossary are included at the back of the book and, as an added bonus, the book jacket unfolds into a 22 X 26" poster that's a chart of the night sky with all of the constellations drawn on it.
The Stars is a dazzling introduction to the lost art of gazing at the night sky and familiarizing oneself with the stars.
November 2, 2014
This book led to me knowing my way around the night sky, the constellations and their histories, and eventually, to getting an astronomy internship and going to Stanford for physics...
Yeah: it's good. And really easy to understand, and fun, too.
Yeah: it's good. And really easy to understand, and fun, too.
March 30, 2009
This book contains the most lucid explanation of the sidereal day I have ever read. If you are looking for a book that explains the big bang theory and modern astronomical theories, this is not your book. If you are want to look up at the sky and recognize stars like old friends, then this is your book.
Along the way, you will learn enough about the relative motions of the earth, sun, planets and stars to understand why different parts of the sky are visible at different times of the year, and from various places on earth.
Along the way, you will learn enough about the relative motions of the earth, sun, planets and stars to understand why different parts of the sky are visible at different times of the year, and from various places on earth.
December 27, 2016
In my ongoing quest to
I often try to read books outside of my own particular area of experience. This is one such book, and now I think I'm stuck with a new hobby. This book was a fun introduction to stargazing. The basics of finding the constellations along with all the terminology that goes with it are introduced in a lively and understandable way. More so than any other book I've read before that talked about stars and planets, H.A. Rey (of Curious George fame) brings an excitement and love to the subject that are infectious.
The book includes an introduction to all the constellations that can be seen from the northern hemisphere and gives helpful tips on how to find them. (Sorry friends below the equator, you might not find this book as interesting; although he touches on the southern stars and includes star charts for those living in the southern hemisphere, the focus of the book is in the north.) The book includes star charts for all times of the year, with a few thrown in for those below the equator and those in the far north (say Alaska). The last section of the book explains the science behind astronomy, and I found it absolutely fascinating. Rey explains the difference between solar days and sidereal days, the ecliptic and the zodiac, equinoxes, solstices, eclipses and many more topics of interest. Along with the basic tips for finding constellations, you may also find such fun tidbits as how to tell time by looking at the stars.
I'll be keeping this book by my side for some time now, because I want to learn how to recognize all the familiar constellations.
I often try to read books outside of my own particular area of experience. This is one such book, and now I think I'm stuck with a new hobby. This book was a fun introduction to stargazing. The basics of finding the constellations along with all the terminology that goes with it are introduced in a lively and understandable way. More so than any other book I've read before that talked about stars and planets, H.A. Rey (of Curious George fame) brings an excitement and love to the subject that are infectious.
The book includes an introduction to all the constellations that can be seen from the northern hemisphere and gives helpful tips on how to find them. (Sorry friends below the equator, you might not find this book as interesting; although he touches on the southern stars and includes star charts for those living in the southern hemisphere, the focus of the book is in the north.) The book includes star charts for all times of the year, with a few thrown in for those below the equator and those in the far north (say Alaska). The last section of the book explains the science behind astronomy, and I found it absolutely fascinating. Rey explains the difference between solar days and sidereal days, the ecliptic and the zodiac, equinoxes, solstices, eclipses and many more topics of interest. Along with the basic tips for finding constellations, you may also find such fun tidbits as how to tell time by looking at the stars.
I'll be keeping this book by my side for some time now, because I want to learn how to recognize all the familiar constellations.
Read
March 28, 2013"If we started out with the discussion of the elliptic, or why the sidereal day is about four minutes shorter than the solar day, your reaction might be: Do I have to go through this?" This is a quote I took from the book Stars: A New Way to See them. The author H.A.Rey continues to go on and say, "the whys come later..." I believe this is a quote represents the idea behind this book. It is for people who are just interested in knowing about stargazing, and the technical stuff is just optional.
I really enjoyed reading this informational book. There are many aspects of the format and style that I especially liked. The author used simple means of communication to cover a bizarre and complex topic, and also had a mildy humorous tone to keep it interesting. There were many star-charts included for practical purposes along with in depth description of each constellation and of course all of the whys? and hows? at the end.
I would recommend this book to anybody who is simply interested in acquired an understanding of stars and constellations. Or, this book would be very helpful to one who wishes to spot constellations in the night sky. The constellation charts are easy to follow and clear to use. Whatever the case, this is a highly interesting and informative book.
I really enjoyed reading this informational book. There are many aspects of the format and style that I especially liked. The author used simple means of communication to cover a bizarre and complex topic, and also had a mildy humorous tone to keep it interesting. There were many star-charts included for practical purposes along with in depth description of each constellation and of course all of the whys? and hows? at the end.
I would recommend this book to anybody who is simply interested in acquired an understanding of stars and constellations. Or, this book would be very helpful to one who wishes to spot constellations in the night sky. The constellation charts are easy to follow and clear to use. Whatever the case, this is a highly interesting and informative book.
December 8, 2016
Excellent astronomy book for those who casually want to learn their way around the sky. Lovely illustrations, more sensical constellation drawings, and succinct explanations of the basics of how stars, planets, and the like work. Wish I would have had this when I took my astronomy class, as it would have been a much better explainer for some of the topics that the textbook insisted on making incredibly complicated.
March 23, 2010
This book is awesome. I think the constellation Orion (along with down comforters, cardinals, and the sauna) is one of the things that makes life in winter not just bearable but lovely. I have lived in Bloomington for ten years, but I still get lost sometimes. Once when I was biking drunk to my new house, I navigated by the stars and made it home just fine.
May 11, 2014
Such a perfect book for someone just getting into stargazing. Fantastic illustrations and simple explanations of very complex astronomical and scientific concepts.
December 8, 2017
This book was pretty interesting at first. Then it was kind of confusing.
December 12, 2016
Everything you want to know about the stars, told in a very down to earth way. It’s not super scientific, not full of theories or heavy explanations, just what you need to know to look into the heavens and really see the stars! Originally published in 1954, but updated a little for the 21st century audience. (There is an explanation of what happened to Pluto, the charts have been extended etc.)
Rey has redrawn the graphics so the constellations connect the stars in a pattern that looks more like what it represents. Same stars, different imaginary lines. There are over 30 pages of descriptive constellation charts which describe how to find them, where and when to look, a bit of the story and tips on remembering what’s around them. There are 12 different Calendar charts which give you the sky view with just the stars and then with the constellations drawn in so you can look up exactly which chart to look at depending on when you are looking (to the hour) There’s a table for finding the planets (which move) accurate through 2026 (and an included web address accurate through 2100) This is a great resource for the lay stargazer. Well written without going into too much detail, the illustrations are humorous (there are occasional guide people) and make the text easy to understand. A wonderful resource - however, the cover art makes it look deceptively like an old book - don’t be fooled, it’s been updated, and besides, the stars don’t change.
Review cross-posted to http://kissthebook.blogspot.com CHECK IT OUT!
Rey has redrawn the graphics so the constellations connect the stars in a pattern that looks more like what it represents. Same stars, different imaginary lines. There are over 30 pages of descriptive constellation charts which describe how to find them, where and when to look, a bit of the story and tips on remembering what’s around them. There are 12 different Calendar charts which give you the sky view with just the stars and then with the constellations drawn in so you can look up exactly which chart to look at depending on when you are looking (to the hour) There’s a table for finding the planets (which move) accurate through 2026 (and an included web address accurate through 2100) This is a great resource for the lay stargazer. Well written without going into too much detail, the illustrations are humorous (there are occasional guide people) and make the text easy to understand. A wonderful resource - however, the cover art makes it look deceptively like an old book - don’t be fooled, it’s been updated, and besides, the stars don’t change.
Review cross-posted to http://kissthebook.blogspot.com CHECK IT OUT!
September 13, 2017
Updating that I'm "finished" with this book isn't exactly true – although I've now read the book from cover to cover, there's still a lot for me to learn about the constellations, and I've only memorized a glimpse of what I've read. However, when I study constellations again, I'll surely pick up "The Stars: A New Way to See Them" again.
"The Stars" by H.A. Rey is a great book for studying the constellations and learning the basics of astronomy. It first shows some of the easier formations of the sky, then builds up the big picture a few constellations at a time. Rey also offers intriguing facts about both the science and the mythology of the stars.
Confusingly H.A. Rey has also released another very similar book called "Find the Constellations". I didn't learn the difference between the two books before, so I bought both of them for my Kindle. I haven't read "Find the Constellations" yet, but it's mentioned in the "The Stars" that "Find the Constellations" is aimed at younger readers, so getting both of them probably isn't necessary.
"The Stars" by H.A. Rey is a great book for studying the constellations and learning the basics of astronomy. It first shows some of the easier formations of the sky, then builds up the big picture a few constellations at a time. Rey also offers intriguing facts about both the science and the mythology of the stars.
Confusingly H.A. Rey has also released another very similar book called "Find the Constellations". I didn't learn the difference between the two books before, so I bought both of them for my Kindle. I haven't read "Find the Constellations" yet, but it's mentioned in the "The Stars" that "Find the Constellations" is aimed at younger readers, so getting both of them probably isn't necessary.
May 6, 2015
I love this book. It was given to me as a gift in 1963 and I still have my copy. LOL- I recommend you purchase or read a more up to date one for the charts. My brother and I taught ourselves many of the constellations as well as basic astronomy with this book.It is very clear and basic and brought the night skies to life for us both. We would lay in the yard with red cellophane covered flashlights (for unimpeded night vision) and identify various stars and constellations. Fifty years later we both have a continuing interest in astronomy.
November 18, 2019
قبل ما يقارب العشرين عام، ذهبنا في رحلة عائلية لشاطئ العقير في الأحساء وقضينا فيه ليلتنا. استلقينا لنرصد النجوم، بينما أحد الأقارب يرينا كوكبتي الدب الأصغر والأكبر. كانت السماء صافية والنجوم تتلألأ كما لم أرها من قبل. منظر مهيب طبع رهبة السماء في نفسي بشكل لا تضاهيه حتى رهبة البحر.
مرت السنوات، ونسيت النجوم وأسمائها، لكن ظل النظر إلى السماء وقت صفائها من أجمل المناظر بالنسبة إلي
قبل عدة أشهر، عزمت أن أداوي جهلي فبحثت عن أفضل الكتب في هذا المجال فوجدت هذا الكتاب.
الكتاب مخصص لعلم فلك الهواة أو هواية رصد النجوم. وينقسم إلى جزئين، الجزء الأول يأخذك لأولى الخطوات لتعلم الخريطة الفلكية وتمييز الكوكبات المختلفة بدأ بكوكبة الدب الأصغر وما حولها من النجوم الظاهرة على مدى العام.
هذا الجزء لا يحتاج أي خلفية متعمقة في الجغرافيا والفلك
أما الجزء الثاني فيدخل في الموضوعات العلمية بتعمق كخطوط الطول والعرض والكسوف والخسوف والثقوب السوداء وكل ما يرضي مهوسي العلم :D
ما يميز الكتاب عدا البساطة الشديدة، هو الطريقة الجديدة لتمثيل الكوكبات النجمية شكليا حسب أسمائها. مثلا في الخرائط الفلكية التقليدية تظهر كوكبة التوأمان إما مصاحبة لرسم لا علاقة له بمواقع النجوم أو كرسم هندسي عشوائي كما في الصور رقمي ٢ و ٣، أما في هذا الكتاب تظهر كما في الصورة رقم ٤
أما عيب الكتاب الوحيد هو عدم وجود ترجمة باللغة العربية له، رغم افتقاد المكتبة العربية لكتب من هذا النوع!
مرت السنوات، ونسيت النجوم وأسمائها، لكن ظل النظر إلى السماء وقت صفائها من أجمل المناظر بالنسبة إلي
قبل عدة أشهر، عزمت أن أداوي جهلي فبحثت عن أفضل الكتب في هذا المجال فوجدت هذا الكتاب.
الكتاب مخصص لعلم فلك الهواة أو هواية رصد النجوم. وينقسم إلى جزئين، الجزء الأول يأخذك لأولى الخطوات لتعلم الخريطة الفلكية وتمييز الكوكبات المختلفة بدأ بكوكبة الدب الأصغر وما حولها من النجوم الظاهرة على مدى العام.
هذا الجزء لا يحتاج أي خلفية متعمقة في الجغرافيا والفلك
أما الجزء الثاني فيدخل في الموضوعات العلمية بتعمق كخطوط الطول والعرض والكسوف والخسوف والثقوب السوداء وكل ما يرضي مهوسي العلم :D
ما يميز الكتاب عدا البساطة الشديدة، هو الطريقة الجديدة لتمثيل الكوكبات النجمية شكليا حسب أسمائها. مثلا في الخرائط الفلكية التقليدية تظهر كوكبة التوأمان إما مصاحبة لرسم لا علاقة له بمواقع النجوم أو كرسم هندسي عشوائي كما في الصور رقمي ٢ و ٣، أما في هذا الكتاب تظهر كما في الصورة رقم ٤
أما عيب الكتاب الوحيد هو عدم وجود ترجمة باللغة العربية له، رغم افتقاد المكتبة العربية لكتب من هذا النوع!
May 24, 2017
This book is fantastic. It is well-written and well-illustrated (no surprise there). I highly recommend as an introduction for someone new to stargazing but even a stargazing veteran like myself will find it enjoyable and enlightening. I need to buy a copy.
Read
June 17, 2018This book is now 65 years old (and has been updated). The information is still fun if one wants to watch the stars. Easy to read, with charts to use while gazing up at night, and time tables that will help find the constellations of the season.
July 17, 2024
Picked this up after developing a very intense stargazing hobby for a guide on how to find constellations. It is written for a young audience and is exactly what I was looking for. Please direct all your night sky questions to me moving forward.
October 7, 2019
Excellent book for learning the stars.
Read
March 26, 2023March 2023 book club
July 31, 2025
Perfect for anyone wanting to know about the constellation of the stars and how to find them ✨
December 15, 2016
A classic for beginning astronomers, excellent for the whole family.
February 10, 2014
This is a classic in introductory astronomy books!
The bulk of the book very nicely introduces constellations, suggesting best times to see them. The last third of the book contains updated theory behind celestial mechanics for layman, and it is very well written as well.
It is amazing how many details in the book there are. In the text there are easy analogies, some mnemonics, even a joke or two. Design of the tables, images and charts all use the same blue color for accentuation. Even the quality of the paper, the chosen font, and the binding... So many things are just superb.
The only "flaw" is that classical constellation figures (as opposed to H. A. Rey's version) are sometimes drawn much more complex then they really are. Weather that was the case decades ago when the author was writing the book, or is this a way to further push his constellation figures is a mystery to me. Given everything else is amazing, this "flaw" can be ignored :o)
The bulk of the book very nicely introduces constellations, suggesting best times to see them. The last third of the book contains updated theory behind celestial mechanics for layman, and it is very well written as well.
It is amazing how many details in the book there are. In the text there are easy analogies, some mnemonics, even a joke or two. Design of the tables, images and charts all use the same blue color for accentuation. Even the quality of the paper, the chosen font, and the binding... So many things are just superb.
The only "flaw" is that classical constellation figures (as opposed to H. A. Rey's version) are sometimes drawn much more complex then they really are. Weather that was the case decades ago when the author was writing the book, or is this a way to further push his constellation figures is a mystery to me. Given everything else is amazing, this "flaw" can be ignored :o)
May 15, 2024
I found charting the stars to be overwhelming. H.A. Rey must have thought the same thing because this book helps show how to use constellations almost everyone can recognize, like the big dipper, and shows how to use it to find other constellations. Many might know about following the cups edge to locate the little dipper but if you followed the straight line of the handle you will eventually get to the constellation of Hercules.
October 31, 2020
Read and used the book. Although it does present the constellations in a different format, the materials in the book are identical to all other introductory astronomy-concepts books. Maybe a better way to start getting familiar with the constellations, but I couldn't tell much difference.
It is a good introduction book, the concepts are clearly, and simply, explained - but not dumbed-down.
It is a good introduction book, the concepts are clearly, and simply, explained - but not dumbed-down.
September 27, 2025
My father obtained this for me at a local library used book sale or giveaway, probably when I was in junior high or early high school. It’s my most treasured astronomy resource. H.A. Rey (yes, the creator, author, and illustrator of Curious George) came up with an ingenious way to make the night sky and constellations accessible and understandable to children and adults. He rearranged the connecting lines between the stars of constellations so that the resulting shape actually resembles the subject of the constellation. This works well for most constellations. For most of my star-gazing life, I have used Rey’s figures to familiarize myself with the stars. In fact, I’ve seen modern web sites and at least one app (SkySafari, my go-to astronomy app) employ Rey’s lines as an option.
I’ve added, in pencil, the Bayer designations (e.g., α for Sirius [Alpha Canis Majoris] β for Rigel [Beta Orionis]) for every depicted star on every star chart in the entire book. I’ve even transcribed every connecting line of Rey’s into a separate star almanac that depicts the entire sky on about 14 charts.
The book jacket of this edition (I have the 1962 printing) folds out into a wall-size star chart. Mine was pretty torn up—the book was already worn from use when my dad got it—but I carefully taped it together, and a friend laminated it for me.
As with all of my pre-2000 books, the “Date finished”—when I actually read it cover-to-cover the first time—may be a few years off. I actually have the 1962 printing, but I selected a similar hardcover edition with a better cover image and the same number of pages.
I’ve added, in pencil, the Bayer designations (e.g., α for Sirius [Alpha Canis Majoris] β for Rigel [Beta Orionis]) for every depicted star on every star chart in the entire book. I’ve even transcribed every connecting line of Rey’s into a separate star almanac that depicts the entire sky on about 14 charts.
The book jacket of this edition (I have the 1962 printing) folds out into a wall-size star chart. Mine was pretty torn up—the book was already worn from use when my dad got it—but I carefully taped it together, and a friend laminated it for me.
As with all of my pre-2000 books, the “Date finished”—when I actually read it cover-to-cover the first time—may be a few years off. I actually have the 1962 printing, but I selected a similar hardcover edition with a better cover image and the same number of pages.
April 23, 2020
I guess one may say that I am a "Curious George" about the stars! Okay bad joke, but this book is a classic for astronomy nuts like myself. There are some other books, like Terence Dickinson's Nightwatch, which are more current than this classic, but H.A. Rey's book is still recommended in astronomy circles as one of the best introductory stargazing books out there. I wholeheartedly agree! But I would add one warning: while H.A. Rey is well-known for his children's books, this book is not really designed for children. Children can attempt to read this book. After all there is nothing offensive within its pages, but the target audience for this book is an older person who wants to get into stargazing and astronomy. H.A. Rey gets into concepts such as the solar day vs. the sidereal day and the differences of celestial coordinates vs. latitude/longitude coordinates. Of course he provides all of the star charts that one needs, but he renames all of the 88 constellations with names that make sense to the average person. For example, he refers to the constellation Gemini as the constellation Twins throughout the book. That was an idea that never really became popular. Still, this book remains a recommended introductory stargazing book mainly because it is so thorough, in a simple way, for adults who want to learn the night sky and get into astronomy as a hobby. Now, where IS my yellow hat or am I just monkeying around?
July 4, 2025
This is one of those books where if you pick it up and thumb through the pages, you will immediately want to put it down. The main body of text is a nice size for a book like this, but occasionally the text is just too small and there is way too much of it - as if the little caption underneath a table or chart was dragged on for pages and pages and pages. And then there are so many charts that look so complicated and confusing - and seriously it feels like 1/2 the book is just these indecipherable star charts, that the book gives the impression that it doesn't actually WANT to be read, because if it did, it wouldn't look so intimidating. Especially a book written by the author of Curious George!!!
But it's actually a really fabulous book and does a GREAT job of making the constellations easier to understand and locate. I admit, I got kind of lost in the 3rd 4th of the book where he started explaining star time and star longitude and latitude (except they all have other names that I can't remember because that is where, remember, I got LOST) but I am prepared to take responsibility for that as a me problem and not an author problem. Some of us, like myself, just have a harder time wrapping our heads around those sorts of intangible concepts.
But it's actually a really fabulous book and does a GREAT job of making the constellations easier to understand and locate. I admit, I got kind of lost in the 3rd 4th of the book where he started explaining star time and star longitude and latitude (except they all have other names that I can't remember because that is where, remember, I got LOST) but I am prepared to take responsibility for that as a me problem and not an author problem. Some of us, like myself, just have a harder time wrapping our heads around those sorts of intangible concepts.
April 15, 2021
Adults may be surprised to learn that H.A. Rey’s book on the night sky, “The Stars: A New Way to See Them” is often found on the bridge of modern ships. Rey, the author of the Curious George series, simply has the best and most concise drawings of the night sky in any hemisphere. This book, which appeared in 1952, works as both a learning tool for a child and as a quick reference guide for a professional. Rey’s depictions of the constellations now appear in standard astronomy guides. It is still in print. Don’t install a star finder app. Buy this book.
I bought this book after seeing it on the bridge of my first ship, the LNG Taurus, in 1988. I later used it as a reference when spending a month in the Mojave Desert near 29 Palms, California. I was frustrated as a child growing up in NYC, unable to really see the night sky. My profession has rectified this unfortunate situation. A view of the night sky is harder and harder to come by for Modern Man.
I bought this book after seeing it on the bridge of my first ship, the LNG Taurus, in 1988. I later used it as a reference when spending a month in the Mojave Desert near 29 Palms, California. I was frustrated as a child growing up in NYC, unable to really see the night sky. My profession has rectified this unfortunate situation. A view of the night sky is harder and harder to come by for Modern Man.
December 27, 2019
I love this book! I can't recommend it highly enough. The illustrations are so much better than other star books I've seen because they're simple and they make sense. If the constellation is a bear, he draws it in a way that looks like a bear. He writes it in a way that if you just want to dive in and start finding constellations, you can. If you want to know more of the hows and why's behind them, he gives that too. I think this is a GREAT book for parents and grandparents to use with their children to learn about the beautiful night time sky together. I also think it's great for adults who haven't ever learned learned the constellations, but would like to. It's very doable. I just love it.
December 9, 2022
This is perhaps the best book for learning how to identify the various constellations among the IAU's 88 "official" ones. Readers may recognized Rey's style from his illustrations of his Curious George books, however this is an all ages book. We used this book as a text book for an undergraduate astronomy seminar at MIT in the 90s and I have continued to recommend it to my students when I have taught high school astronomy, myself. The end of the book also deals with celestial coordinates, precession of the equinoxes, the zodiac, and lunar phases. The clarity of the celestial coordinates section is better than some introductory textbooks and I use that section to suppliment my high school classes as well.
November 7, 2016
While I concede that this reference guide (first published in 1952) is written for the true beginner (typically a good thing), I disliked Rey's "new way" to see the stars and so did not often refer to it. In fact, from what I can tell, I'm not alone is choosing the "standard" view of constellations. That said, the author does employ drawings, diagrams, and figures to good end in explaining the basics of star gazing even though the technology and times he references are now far removed from us ("Rockets are leaving our globe at speeds unheard of only a few years ago, to orbit earth, moon, and sun.")
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