Title: Sky Guide Southern Africa 2025
Subtitle: An astronomical handbook
Publisher: Astronomical Society of Southern Africa
Publisher: Penguin Random House South Africa
Imprint: Struik Nature
80th edition. Cape Town, South Africa 2024
ISBN 9781779890092 / ISBN 978-1-77-989009-2
Softcover, 15 x 21 cm, 131 pages, throughout colour photos and images
This 80th edition of the Sky Guide by proudly continues the legacy of the Astronomical Handbook for Southern Africa, serving as a comprehensive reference for both established astronomers and casual sky watchers. Prepared by the Astronomical Society of Southern Africa (ASSA) for use by the novice, amateur and professional astronomer, it presents a wealth of information about the Sun, Moon, planets, comets, meteors and bright stars in a clear and accessible way, accompanied by diagrams to support the text. Here you will find information for the year 2025 on the movement of the planets, the occurrences of eclipses, the dates of meteor showers, as well as clearly presented star charts to aid in identifying stars and constellations in the southern African night skies. An absolute must for first-time stargazers and professional astronomers alike. This concise and practical Sky Guide not only provides you with monthly maps, charts of the heavens and basic astronomical background, but also a wonderful insight into African lore related to current astronomical events. This lightweight small book fits into any purse or backpack wherever you go. You can glean more with one quick glance than from browsing the Internet.
How to use the Sky Guide
Editorial
Highlights for 2025
Monthly events
Star charts for summer
Star charts for autumn
Star charts for winter
Star charts for spring
The Sun
Observing the Sun
Eclipses of the Sun
The Moon
Lunar eclipses
Lunar occultations
Ramadan and Shawwal
Moon maps (First & Last Quarter)
The planets
Overview of planets during 2018
Rise and set times
Visibility of the planets
Mercury
Venus
Earth
Mars
Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus
Neptune
Dwarf planets
Solar system fact sheet
Asteroids
Orbits of the asteroids
Observing asteroids
Asteroid occultations
Comets
Observing comets
Meteors
Meteor showers during 2018
Meteorites and impact craters
Stars and constellations
Patterns in the night sky
Constellations
The lives and deaths of stars
Pronouncing star names
Double stars
Star charts: Sirius & Proxima Cen
Variable stars
Deep-sky
Observing the deep-sky
ASSA Top-100
Telescopes and observing
Binoculars and telescopes
Basic observing skills
Limiting magnitude
Time
Astrophotography
Where to go stargazing
Star charts: southern stars
Astronomy in southern Africa
Historical commemorations
Professional observatories
Astronomical displays and exhibitions
Planetaria
Radio programmes
Astronomical societies and clubs
Careers in astronomy
Scholarships
The Astronomical Society of Southern Africa
ASSA Officers 2024-2025
ASSA Centres
Astronomy on the internet
Indegenous astronomy
Glossary
Astrophotography gallery
Competition
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2024 Astrophoto Challenge Winners
