Now in its third edition and updated with planet positions for a
five-year period from 1993 to 1997, the highly acclaimed Monthly Sky
Guide remains the essential beginners' guide to the night sky. Expertly
and lucidly written in nontechnical language, it is the first book any
nonspecialist stargazer needs for practical identification with the
naked eye. It contains clear maps of the sky for each month of the year,
realistically depicting the stars visible to the naked eye and uniquely
featuring a symbol of a clenched fist to show the scale. With the help
of these clear and easy-to-read charts, the stars and constellations
visible on any night of the year in the Northern hemisphere between 30
and 60 degrees North can be identified. In addition, specific
constellations of interest are treated in detail for each month, with a
map and descriptions of selected objects, showpiece stars, clusters,
nebulae, and galaxies for viewing with binoculars or a small telescope.
There are notes on regular meteor showers and the changing positions of
the planets are given to 1997.