Product Description

Translated from English by Elias Maglinis

Foreword by Dionysis Simopoulos

Do you want to find out where the constellation of Ursa Major got his name from? The thrilling story behind the constellations of Andromeda and Perseus? The constellations of the zodiac cycle and how they helped ancient cultures create the first calendars? The decisive contribution of the ancient Greeks to Astronomy? How and when did the explorers and astronomers discover new constellations and why did they name them “Microscopium”, “Reticulum”, “Telescopium”, to mention but a few names? Then, you only have to open this book and imagine that it is night-time and you are in the countryside, away from street lamps and car headlights.

In ancient times too, people around the world looked up at the stars, night after night. In one part of the sky some people saw an arrangement of bright stars that looked like a fish, and, in another, they saw a set of stars that resembled a lumbering bear. These stargazers saw characters and objects that reminded them of the myths and stories they knew. Today, we know these pictures in the sky as CONSTELLATIONS!

The book you are holding includes everything you would like to know about constellations and their stars, packed with concise yet informative texts and highly original illustrations. It is a practical guide for the young and the old that wish to explore the secrets of the night sky, as well as an introduction to the history of astronomy, highlighting important aspects of ancient Greek science, and enabling its readers to locate all 88 internationally recognized constellations in the sky. In addition to these, the book offers the stories and myths behind each constellation, its best viewing dates, along with a presentation of the major stars and cluster of stars. Supplemented with celestial maps and a glossary, this edition will become an indispensable source of visual information, and a valuable “navigator” for any aspiring explorer of the night sky.

Age 5+