First Field Guide to Skywatching of Southern Africa

First Field Guide to Skywatching in Southern Africa is a fascinating insight into the southern skies by night.
Turk, Cliff
22043
978-1-77584-389-4
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Title: First Field Guide to Skywatching of Southern Africa
Author: Cliff Turk
Struik Publishers
Genre: Astronomical Guide
Publisher: Penguin Random House South Africa (Pty) Ltd.
Imprint: Struik Nature
2nd edition. Cape Town, South Africa 2015
ISBN 9781775843894 / ISBN 978-1-77584-389-4
Paperback, 11 x 17 cm, 56 pages, throughout colour photos

About: First Field Guide to Skywatching of Southern Africa

The night skies of the southern hemisphere are by far the most interesting for astronomers, amateur and professional alike. From the southern hemisphere we can see many features that are too far south to be seen by northern hemisphere stargazers: the brightest parts of the Milky Way, the brightest stars, the brightest and biggest globular clusters are all in the southern hemisphere. The south also has the two Magellanic Clouds, which are the most easily observable of the external galaxies; the nearer ones are obscured behind parts of the Milky Way. The southern skies are less observed than those of the northern hemisphere. This is partly because there is less land and much more sea in the south, so it is physically impossible to have as many astronomers. As a result there is a greater chance of a southern astronomer making a discovery without being beaten to it by someone else. There are simply not enough professionals to cover everything; so keen amateurs have prospects of an exceptionally rewarding hobby. This First Field Guide to Skywatching of Southern Africa is intended to provide enough knowledge to give confidence to those who start off feeling a little lost. It cannot be comprehensive, but covers a wide range of basics on which amateurs can build.

Content: First Field Guide to Skywatching of Southern Africa

Introduction
Practical stargazing
Starhopping
Viewing equipment
The celestial sphere
Measuring the sky
Distances in space
Finding south by the stars
The brightness of the stars
Stars and galaxies
Seasonal skies
Nebulae
The solar system
Advanced stargazing
Star charts
Clubs and observatories
Further reading
Glossary
Index