The Complete Book of Constellations
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Summary
Editor's review
As an editor, I believe the positioning of this book is very clear: it is a “starry sky navigation map” for the general public. It successfully transforms profound astronomical knowledge into content that can be intuitively understood and appreciated. Readers can follow the charts to learn how to identify the main constellations in the four seasons and understand the physical characteristics and myths behind bright stars. The presentation structure for each constellation is uniform, including stargazing guides, myths, and introductions to key celestial bodies, making it highly practical. Its binding design and printing quality are also superior, ensuring perfect presentation of image details. For readers who hope to systematically understand Western constellation culture and cultivate an interest in stargazing, this is an indispensable classic for beginners. It strips away the mystique of astrology and returns to the original curiosity and romance of humanity looking up at the starry sky, providing both scientific knowledge and cultural inheritance.
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Beginner enthusiasts with a preliminary interest in astronomy and stargazing who hope to systematically learn constellation knowledge
- Readers who love popular science books and especially value visual presentation and printing quality
- Parents or teachers hoping to find an authoritative, beautiful astronomy book for children that can spark scientific interest
- Culture lovers interested in Greek and Roman mythology and starry sky cultural legends
Not a good fit for
- Readers seeking horoscopes, personal destiny predictions, or other astrological content
- Professional researchers or veteran enthusiasts needing highly advanced, highly specialized astronomical theory or observation data
- Practical stargazers hoping for a portable field star chart manual (this book is larger in format and more suitable for desk reading)
Reading tips
- It is recommended to first read the preface and introduction to understand how to use the book, the basics of reading star charts, and the overall distribution of constellations across the sky
- You can read selectively by season or by constellations of interest, without being bound to the order; combining reading with actual nighttime observation in the current season works even better
- The book includes introductions to many deep-sky objects, which can be used together with observation plans for an astronomical telescope or binoculars, combining theory with practice
About the publisher
Beijing United Publishing Co., Ltd. is a publisher known for its literature and history titles, with 2,065 books in the collection. Its publishing covers foreign literature, contemporary Chinese prose and essays, history, folk literature, and cultural books. Its list ranges from Sima Qian's complete edition of the Records of the Grand Historian to foreign classics such as The Book of Disquiet, All Quiet on the Western Front, Snow Country, The Stranger, and Jean-Christophe, as well as modern Chinese works including Teahouse and Dawn Blossoms Plucked at Dusk. Its authors and translators include Yasunari Kawabata, Fernando Pessoa, Erich Maria Remarque, Jin Xinyi, Zhou Miao, and Chen Chao. Public information is limited, but its catalogue reflects a balance between Chinese and foreign literary classics and historical and cultural works.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 星座起源
- 阅读指导
- 变幻的星空
- 太空中的地球
- 观天
- 季节
- 天球
- 星座定义
- 天体
- 绘制星图
- 固定的星座
- 小熊座
- 天龙座
- 仙王座
- 鹿豹座
- 仙后座
- 御夫座和天猫座
- 御夫座和天猫座 内视图
- 大熊座
- 大熊座 内视图
- 大熊座 雪茄星系M82
- 猎犬座
- 猎犬座 涡状星系M51
- 牧夫座
- 北冕座
- 武仙座
- 天琴座
- 狐狸座和天箭座
- 天鹅座
- 天鹅座 内视图
- 天鹅座 北美洲星云 NGC 7000
- 仙女座和蝎虎座
- 仙女座 仙女星系M31
- 英仙座
- 英仙座 内视图
- 双鱼座
- 白羊座和三角座
- 三角座 三角座星系M33
- 金牛座
- 金牛座 昴宿星M45
- 金牛座 蟹状星云M1
- 双子座
- 巨蟹座
- 狮子座和小狮座
- 狮子座 内视图
- 后发座
- 后发座 内视图
- 室女座
- 室女座 室女座星系团
- 室女座 草帽星系M104
- 天秤座
- 巨蛇座
- 巨蛇座 内视图
- 巨蛇座 老鹰星云M16
- 蛇夫座
- 蛇夫座 内视图
- 天鹰座和盾牌座
- 海豚座和小马座
- 飞马座
- 水瓶座
- 水瓶座 螺旋星云NGC 7293
- 鲸鱼座
- 猎户座
- 猎户座 内视图
- 猎户座 猎户座星云M42
- 麒麟座和小犬座
- 麒麟座 内视图
- 大犬座
- 大犬座 内视图
- 长蛇座
- 长蛇座 内视图
- 乌鸦座、巨爵座和六分仪座
- 半人马座
- 半人马座 NGC 5122/半人马座A
- 半人马座 半人马座Ω NGC 5139
- 豺狼座
- 天蝎座
- 天蝎座 内视图
- 人马座
- 人马座 内视图
- 人马座 银河系中心
- 摩羯座
- 南鱼座和显微镜座
- 玉夫座和天炉座
- 玉夫座和天炉座 内视图
- 波江座
- 天兔座
- 雕具座和天鸽座
- 船尾座
- 唧筒座和罗盘座
- 船帆座
- 船帆座 内视图
- 船底座
- 船底座 内视图
- 船底座 船底座星云 NGC 3372
- 南十字座
- 苍蝇座
- 圆规座和南三角座
- 矩尺座和天坛座
- 南冕座和望远镜座
- 孔雀座
- 天鹤座和凤凰座
- 杜鹃座和印第安座
- 杜鹃座47 杜鹃座NGC 104
- 杜鹃座 小麦哲伦星系
- 时钟座和网罟座
- 绘架座和剑鱼座
- 剑鱼座 大麦哲伦星系
- 山案座和飞鱼座
- 蝘蜓座和天燕座
- 水蛇座和南极座
- 移动的行星
- 太阳系
- 月球
- 月相变化
- 水星
- 金星
- 火星
- 小行星
- 木星
- 土星
- 天王星
- 海王星
- 彗星
- 月度星图
- 一月
- 北半球 二月
- 北半球 三月
- 北半球 四月
- 北半球 五月
- 北半球 六月
- 北半球 七月
- 北半球 八月
- 北半球 九月
- 北半球 十月
- 北半球 十一月
- 北半球 十二月
- 北半球 一月
- 南半球 二月
- 南半球 三月
- 南半球 四月
- 南半球 五月
- 南半球 六月
- 南半球 七月
- 南半球 八月
- 南半球 九月
- 南半球 十月
- 南半球 十一月
- 南半球 十二月
- 南半球 词汇表
- 大规模流星雨
- 索引
- 致谢
FAQ
What is the difference between this book and astrology books about horoscopes?
Is this book suitable for complete beginners with no astronomy background?
Are the star charts in the book suitable for stargazing in China?
Comments
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About the author
Giles Sparrow is a popular-science author writing for general readers. Public information about him is limited, and his nationality, dates of birth and death, and full career details have not been clearly recorded. Judging from the two works held in the collection, Paper Planetarium and The Complete Book of Constellations, his writing centers on astronomy and stargazing and is often classified under popular science and astrology. Such books typically introduce celestial bodies, constellations, and basic observing knowledge in an illustrated manner, turning specialized knowledge into narratives accessible to ordinary readers while combining information with visual appeal. On the available evidence, he focuses on popular writing about astronomy; his output is modest but concentrated in one field, making it suitable for introductory readers interested in the stars and constellation culture.
