Visual Astronomy

This book introduces the basics of observational astronomy. It explains the essentials of time and coordinate systems, and their use in basic observations of the night sky. The fundamental concepts and terminology are introduced in simple language making very little use of equations and math. Examples illustrate how to select the relevant information from widely accessible resources, and how to use the information to determine what is visible and when it is visible from the reader’s particular location. Special attention is paid to the dependence of the appearance and motion on the observer’s location, by extending the discussion to include various latitudes in both North and South hemispheres. This approach provides a better understanding of the night sky, and makes the material more interesting and relevant to a wider readership in different countries. The book is primarily intended for a general audience, and does not assume technical knowledge and math skills, but can prove very helpful for students and educators interested in basic astronomy and projects. Discussion topics include: survey of celestial objects (stars, planets, asteroids, comets, nebulas, etc) and a sense of the sizes and distances involved; motion and appearance of the Sun, Moon and planets, their path, and cycles; color, temperature, and life-cycle of stars; brightness magnitude system; star catalogues; constellations/asterisms, brief history, time of appearance, and dependence on location of observer; and telescope fundamentals. Appendices include links to major telescope facilities around the world; current and past space missions; links to freely available sky simulation applications; and ideas for observation projects.