50 Things to See in the Sky: (illustrated beginner's guide to stargazing with step by step instructions and diagrams, glow in the dark cover)

by Sarah Barker, Maria Nilsson (Illustrator)

This hip and handy guide helps you learn the science behind blue skies, sun dogs, and the solar eclipse, and shows you how to observe nocturnal wonders such as lunar halos, Martian ice caps, and far-off galaxies. Fifty celestial phenomena come to life with expert tips from astrophysicist Sarah Barker and stylish illustrations by Maria Nilsson. Any explorer can become an adept observer with their guidance, and more ambitious stargazers will be able to discover more distant sights with the help of binoculars, a telescope, or a local astronomy group. With a glow-in-the-dark cover, 50 Things to See in the Sky is a perfect complement to your next camping expedition and a wonderful gift for anyone who marvels at what lies in our celestial sphere.

Genres: Nonfiction, Astronomy, Science

144 pages, Hardcover

Published October 1, 2019

Reviews

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a simple but grown up book that will appeal to all ages.
The next step up from an I Spy book, it is all things to astronomy. It takes a confusing subject, and amid the vastness of the universe it brings looking up into the night sky within everyone’s grasp.
It made me want to rush out into the darkness and look up and marvel at the constellations. It made me want to buy a powerful telescope or binoculars.
However, the author was ahead of me and held me, the reader in check. By starting with the familiar and those objects visible with the naked eye, a clear and detailed journey was started through the night sky.
I have always been fascinated by the moon, planets and the stars. I remember an early school trip to the planetarium and spooky black and white coverage of The Sky at Night with Patrick Moore.
Sadly my enthusiasm and interest has never been sustained. I think it is like a number of natural sciences. I see a bird where birders see a curlew. I see a pattern of stars where astronomers point out the constellation. This book is the motivation to get out and started in this interest. It cautions about buying equipment and advises to join a club and attend special night watches. It tells you where to look, the best conditions, explains the time to adjust to night sight and stresses health and safety aspects around looking at the sun.
The book is cleverly illustrated with the steps to take to plot yourself across the space all around us. It encourages one to look up those pictures on the internet where powerful telescopes have captured stunning images.
Loved it. Would give it to any young person or friend in desire of a new hobby or keen to explore science.
It finishes with a glossary of terms most of which have already been spoken of in the text. Furthermore there are details of the best apps and websites on this subject.
A book which is perhaps 50 years too late in my life; yet many of these discoveries have only been made within my lifetime. I commend it to everyone and I hope it is well received and flies and takes a new generation into space and their imaginations.

[Brahm · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute little book. Extremely fast read, good for those who are curious about the night sky.

I learned a couple neat new things - the one I'd love to try on the next clear night is checking out Jupiter with a pair of binoculars. Apparently you can see at least 4 of the moons!

[Mary Beth Kemp · Rating 5 out of 5]

such a fun little book that explains the science behind stars and celestial objects in a very accessible, fun way. perfect balance of science and wonder. the art style was so sweet too <3

[Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I recently learned a bit of trivia that stated that there are 88 official constellations in the sky. My first reaction was, "Wait, what? Only 88? I thought it was infinite." My second reaction was "88? I can memorize that. I've memorized lists much larger (do not challenge me on the 2- and 3-letter Scrabble lists)!" So I did two things: 1) I got this book, to get me started on what I can find in the sky, and 2) bought me a new telescope, arriving soon. Note: the book condescends just a bit, by narrating a bit like The Week Junior, or Amelia Bedelia, but don't let that bother you. Admire the glow-in-the-dark cover instead.

[DANIEL A.]

Looking forward to reading about all 50 of these astronomical wonders!

[Realms & Robots · Rating 5 out of 5]

50 Things to See in the Sky is a super cool guide to discovering the mysteries of the universe hiding in the night sky. The book goes beyond the constellations we’ve all gazed at for years, expanding to include nebulas, sun spots, and a number of other wonders I’d never have thought to search for. As an adult reader, I realized how much I’ve missed out on when just glancing up every now and then as I move about the world. With a telescope, a little knowledge, and a bit of determination, you can see things that would have blown the minds of the masses a few short centuries ago. 

I was most surprised at the in-depth nature of the guide. This isn’t just a list of things in space for you to check off. With each thing, you get a description of what makes it special and a set of instructions and optimal viewing parameters to follow for the best effect. Each entry is different, with some pointing out the various parts of a constellation and others giving the optimal dates to view a comet or the spots on a distant planet. It’s extremely accessible, making it the perfect companion for adult and child stargazers. Some equipment is needed for a few of these hard to see phenomenons, but it’s definitely worth it. 

The illustrations add the perfect touch. It’s a great minimalist style that mirrors the distance removed when stargazing. We’re only seeing a minutiae of the details when we look to the sky and the artwork brings that haziness a bit closer while still leaving it up to the imagination to fill in the details. 

Overall, 50 Things to See in the Sky is a great read that gave me a renewed appreciation for the  many things just waiting to be seen. It’s a great fit for stargazers who want to expand their knowledge of what lies beyond. 

NOTE: I was provided a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest, unbiased review.

[Theediscerning · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this distinctive book – I've seen guides to the constellations before (and perhaps books about the drugs you need to be on to have invented them in the first place, but that's a different matter), but this book covers more. After sensible and useful advice about what to look and what not, and how, we see our 50 objects, ranked in ease of sight, from many naked eye things down to things you need an astronomy club's richly-bought telescope for, and on to the Hubble. It's a small shame that that ranking leaves us once or twice with things presented in the wrong order – find B by finding A, when we've not got to A yet – but that's not too common. A bigger problem might be that with the extended need of technology to see these things, so the book assumes a much greater knowledge – M13 is an example, where we get told to find things that help us spot it, even though we're never guided to those first things. I felt we were at a distinct advantage at the end if we'd noticed there was a glossary, when it seemed ideally user-friendly to start with. So it's not perfect, but in adding lunar mare, atmospheric effects like sun dogs and so much more to the things the stargazer primers usually stick to, it gets my vote. A healthy four more stars to look at.

[Michelle Mallette · Rating 5 out of 5]

See my full review here.
This small but mighty book introduces budding astronomers to the wonders in our sky. Using simple but effective illustrations, the author starts with easy-to-find constellations and guides you throughout the sky, starting with nothing but your own eyes. Barker opens with tips for good viewing and helpful information about latitude, seasonal skies, star charts and more. She then delves into the skies, introducing readers to constellations, galaxies, stars, comets, planets and even how to find the Apollo 11 moon landing site. Nilsson’s blue-ink illustrations give step-by-step instructions to help you find your goal. You'll learn about sights for viewers year-round, in both the southern and northern hemispheres, and how to build on your new knowledge. Once you have found Orion’s Belt, for instance, Barker shows you how to find Sirius the Dog Star, Betelgeuse, the Pleiades, and the Orion Nebula. A terrific introduction to night skies. My thanks to Princeton Architectural Press for the digital reading copy provided through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

[Alan Oliveira · Rating 5 out of 5]

"50 Things to See in the Sky" is a perfect outdoor companion. I breezed through it in two days, fueled by my curiosity about the celestial wonders it promised. The book is well-written, guiding us to discover 50 fascinating sky phenomena.

The beginning is beginner-friendly, requiring no special equipment. However, as the book progresses, some things suggested may need advanced gear or involve hard-to-reach places. This makes about half of the book more suitable for outdoor exploration.

The book effortlessly combines accessibility with a bit of challenge. The first part is for everyone, while the latter calls for a telescope or a willingness to venture into the night sky. Overall, it's an invitation to explore the heavens, making it a delightful read for both experienced astronomers and casual stargazers.

[Casey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a straight forward basic book on how best to view the night sky and 50 interesting things to see. It covers using both the naked eye, binoculars and telescopes along with the best times to view the items in the book.

I recommend this book for those looking for a good introduction to night time viewing of the sky.

I received a free Kindle copy of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher with the understanding that I would post a review on Net Galley, Goodreads, Amazon and my fiction book review blog. I also posted it to my Facebook  page.

[Finding My Star · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is great for those that are interested in space and want to see what you can find with a telescope or without. There are a bunch of great tips in the beginning so you can know what might be visible to you or not.It then takes you through all the cool things you might be able to see. I'm looking forward to trying this book out during our next camping trip!

I received this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Mark Kloha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book isn’t just about stargazing. It covers several other features in the sky that can be seen during the day, dawn, dusk, and then at night. One chapter focuses on what you can see without binoculars or telescope. Then a chapter on features to see with binoculars or a telescope. Last chapter requires a telescope. All of it enjoyed.

[Rae Choins · Rating 3 out of 5]

I feel like this book gave me a crash course in astronomy. It was great! I now know the definitions of words I don't know how to spell and where to find them in the sky!
*putting this on the list of books I read at work when the bookshop was slow*

[Jody · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great stargazing guide for beginners. Includes some stories and myths behind constellations, lovely illustrations, and the hardcover is glow-in-the-dark :)

[Judi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spurs the imagination of space tying science, mythology, and fun facts together into a fun book.

[Anna Abney Miller]

DNR

[Dakota Harmon · Rating 5 out of 5]

rlly cute and simple. neat that the cover glows in the dark