The Lost Constellations

The Lost Constellations
Author: John C. Barentine
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 506
Release: 2015-10-23
Genre: Science
ISBN: 3319227955

Casual stargazers are familiar with many classical figures and asterisms composed of bright stars (e.g., Orion and the Plough), but this book reveals not just the constellations of today but those of yesteryear. The history of the human identification of constellations among the stars is explored through the stories of some influential celestial cartographers whose works determined whether new inventions survived. The history of how the modern set of 88 constellations was defined by the professional astronomy community is recounted, explaining how the constellations described in the book became permanently “extinct.” Dr. Barentine addresses why some figures were tried and discarded, and also directs observers to how those figures can still be picked out on a clear night if one knows where to look. These lost constellations are described in great detail using historical references, enabling observers to rediscover them on their own surveys of the sky. Treatment of the obsolete constellations as extant features of the night sky adds a new dimension to stargazing that merges history with the accessibility and immediacy of the night sky.

Uncharted Constellations

Uncharted Constellations
Author: John C. Barentine
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 227
Release: 2016-04-04
Genre: Science
ISBN: 3319276190

This book compiles an array of interesting constellations that fell by the wayside before the IAU established the modern canon of constellations. That decision left out lesser known ones whose history is nevertheless interesting, but at last author John Barentine is giving them their due. This book is a companion to "The Lost Constellations", highlighting the more obscure configurations. The 16 constellations found in this volume fall into one or more of three broad categories: asterims, such as the Big Dipper in Ursa Major; single-sourced constellations introduced on surviving charts by a cartographer perhaps currying the favor of sponsors; and re-brands, new figures meant to displace existing constellations, often for an ideological reason. All of them reveal something unique about the development of humanity's map of the sky.

Stories in the Stars

Stories in the Stars
Author: Susanna Hislop
Publisher: Penguin
Total Pages: 295
Release: 2015-11-03
Genre: Science
ISBN: 0698197909

A beautifully illustrated Penguin Hardcover that invites readers to travel the night sky and discover the universe of stories in the stars To those who can decipher it, the night sky is alive with gods and goddesses, animals and mythical creatures—an endless carnival played out in shining constellations. Amidst this jet-black canvas pricked with white dots, a hunter leaps in pursuit with his dogs at his heels, a sea monster threatens a maiden in distress, and a pair of twins lives forever. In Stories in the Stars, writer and stargazer Susanna Hislop and international artist Hannah Waldron present an imaginative journey through the heavens. Leaping between centuries, cultures, and traditions, they explore each of the night sky’s eighty-eight constellations through gorgeous illustrations and vivid descriptions that will linger in readers’ minds long after they’ve closed the book and stepped outside on a starry night.

Constellation Myths

Constellation Myths
Author: Eratosthenes
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Total Pages: 257
Release: 2015
Genre: Literary Collections
ISBN: 0198716982

This translation brings together ancient classical texts derived from Eratosthenes' handbook of astral mythology, Hyginus' guide to astronomy, and Aratus's astronomical poem Phaenomena to provide a complete collection of Greek astral myths.

Find the Constellations

Find the Constellations
Author: Hans Augusto Rey
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Total Pages: 76
Release: 1954
Genre: Juvenile Nonfiction
ISBN: 9780395244180

Describes stars and constellations throughout the year and ways of identifying them.

Tales of the Night Sky

Tales of the Night Sky
Author: Robin Kerod
Publisher: Wellfleet Press
Total Pages: 131
Release: 2020-09-15
Genre: Body, Mind & Spirit
ISBN: 0760369666

Tales of the Night Sky shines fresh light on the mythological meaning and cultural significance of constellations, and includes a beautiful 18 x 24–inch poster illustrating 33 of the best-known among them. Astronomer and ordained ex-zen monk offers a modern approach to stargazing that reflects growing interest in popular and accessible science through mindfulness. Through a mix of both scientific fact and meditative insight, discover how the mysteries of the twinkly skies can connect us all more deeply to our inner selves. Noticing the bright constellations in the night skies above can foster a sense of curiosity, awe, and deep interconnection like nothing else on Earth. For each of the constellations, discover: Philosophy and lifestyle advice learned from the origin of the constellation Myths and cultural connections of the constellation Celestial events that occur annually The deep sky objects contained in the constellation, including nebulae and star clusters The stars and planets have been a constant source of fascination since the earliest times, and different cultures have tried to explain the existence of these heavenly bodies with a host of myths and legends. This book explains the folklore behind the names and shows how to locate the constellations in the night sky. The quest to discover the secrets in the night skies speaks to something deep in human nature. Become part of the resurgence in the lost art of "reading nature," to connect both with nature and also with the intuition, traditions, and wisdom of ancient cultures.

Manmade Constellations

Manmade Constellations
Author: Misha Lazzara
Publisher: Blackstone Publishing
Total Pages: 241
Release: 2022-08-09
Genre: Fiction
ISBN:

A modern-day love story that explores childhood trauma, the boundaries between idealism and self-righteousness, and the heartaches we must confront in order to chart our courses forward. Lo Gunderson feels trapped in her small midwestern hometown until she sees an ad for a free car in the local paper. To maintain her staunch anticapitalist values, she refuses to spend money on what she can find for free, so this car is the perfect ticket out of the town. Though it doesn’t cost any money, it still comes with a price. Blanche Peterson is dying and asks for a single favor—that Lo track down her estranged son, whom Blanche hasn’t seen in over a decade. Before she can decide whether to fulfill Blanche’s dying wish, she needs to get the car started. She’s helped by John Blank, a Southern auto mechanic who moved up north for a fresh start. Despite vastly different backgrounds, they share an electrifying mutual attraction that threatens to upend Lo’s carefully constructed worldview. Meanwhile, Blanche’s son, Jason, finds himself adrift after an argument with his girlfriend. Memories of his negligent mother and the death of his father resurface for the first time in years as he travels across the country searching for what comes next. Manmade Constellations is a smart, magnetic, and emotional novel dedicated to the American landscape, exploring how taking to the open road teaches lessons that can’t be learned at home.

The Box of Stars

The Box of Stars
Author: Catherine Tennant
Publisher: Bulfinch Press
Total Pages: 87
Release: 1993
Genre: Nature
ISBN: 9780821220382

Gives the myths and legends associated with 87 constellations; with stories, beliefs and scientific information about individual stars.

Star Tales

Star Tales
Author: Ian Ridpath
Publisher: BoD – Books on Demand
Total Pages: 226
Release: 2018-01-01
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 0718894782

Every night, a pageant of Greek mythology circles overhead. Perseus flies to the rescue of Andromeda, Orion faces the charge of the snorting Bull, and the ship of the Argonauts sails in search of the Golden Fleece. Constellations are the invention of human imagination, not of nature. They are an expression of the human desire to impress its own order upon the apparent chaos of the night sky. Modern science tells us that these twinkling points of light are glowing balls of gas, but the ancient Greeks, to whom we owe many of our constellations, knew nothing of this. Ian Ridpath, award-winning astronomy writer and popularizer, has been intrigued by the myths of the stars for many years. Star Tales is the first modern guide to combine all the fascinating myths in one book, illustrated with the beautiful and evocative engravings from two of the leading star atlases: Johann Bode’s Uranographia of 1801 and John Flamsteed’s Atlas Coelestis of 1729. This classic book, now in a revised and expanded edition, presents additional information on the constellations with new and enchanting illustrations. For anyone interested in the stars and classical mythology, for anyone who is an armchair astronomer, this is the perfect gift.