Introduction

NEARLY EVERY HUMAN on the planet has seen it, many are captivated by it and a few understand it, at least in part. I speak of course about the night sky, one of the natural world’s most inspiring and beautiful sights and one that has had a special place in our hearts and minds for centuries. To the beginner, a star-filled sky can seem almost as mysterious and unfathomable as it was to our ancestors hundreds of years ago, but with this book as a guide the awesome nature of the cosmos can be enjoyed by us all.

I’ve been an amateur astronomer for nearly three decades now and I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve met people who have an interest in the sky but just have not found the time to go outside and look up. When I finally encourage them to come out under the stars, they are often amazed that they can see so much without a telescope or binoculars. I can point out neighbouring planets, galaxies so far away that we see them as they were millions of years ago, glittering star clusters and ghostly glowing clouds forming slowly into stars. The effect is predictable: it never fails to impress and I have seen it time and time again. Just realizing that so much is on view can ignite a spark that has lain dormant for years and can start them on a fascinating journey around our Universe, a journey which we shall now embark upon together.

The real beauty of astronomy is that it is free and open to anyone, no matter what your age or ability. It does not have to cost you a penny to get started; all you need to do is open your eyes and look up to marvel at the cosmos. On your first night under a clear sky, you might see the odd shooting star or maybe a few satellites as they orbit the Earth, but apart from that you’ll see a bewildering, perhaps daunting, mass of stars. Once you get out under that canopy, and with my help, you will soon learn your way around and be picking out celestial wonders.

Learning about the night sky requires two distinct areas of focus: the physical nature of the processes and objects among the stars, and an ability to navigate around the sky to find them. This book combines these two areas in a unique and engaging way, accompanying you in just twelve chapters on the same journey that has taken mankind thousands of years. The easiest way to start the journey is by looking at the stars. Getting people to engage with the sky above them is an approach I have used very successfully on the BBC’s top-rated programme The One Show and again with my pupil Jonathan Ross in Stargazing LIVE. Through the course of this book I will teach you the fundamental concepts of modern astronomy and, by using the night sky to illustrate them, help you learn and remember your way around the stars.

Most people think you need to rush out and buy a telescope to start ‘doing’ astronomy. That could not be further from the truth. In fact, a telescope will more than likely hinder the development of some key skills that it is more important you should acquire first, so take a look at my Six Top Stargazing Tips to set you on the right track.

STEP 1 Start reading this book

You’ve made a great start by getting hold of this book. In its pages you will find information about the Universe and some fantastic star guides to help you start learning your way around the sky. You’ve already started on your journey to become an astronomer by reading this so carry on and let me be your guide around the cosmos.

STEP 2 Buy a red torch

As an astronomer you need your eyes to become adjusted to seeing in the dark to maximize what you can observe in the night sky. There are two changes that occur when you move from an illuminated environment, such as your lounge, to the dark of the night. First your pupil will fully open up, or dilate, allowing as much light in as possible. This only takes a few seconds but is followed by a chemical change inside your eye, optimizing it for night-time vision. It takes about forty minutes away from light for your eyes to become fully ‘dark adapted’ and exposure to bright light will immediately spoil this, but there are times when a little light is needed (to read the star guides in this book, for example). Red light is much less damaging to your eyes’ ability to adapt to the dark and dim red light is ideal. I’ve heard some people recommend a bicycle rear light for astronomy but that can still be too bright, although it will be better than white light. Instead, you are much better off going to a specialist astronomy supplier, who will be able to provide you with a purpose-designed torch.

STEP 3 Subscribe to astronomy magazines

There is no better way to keep up to date with what is going on in the world of astronomy than subscribing to a specialist magazine. Most countries have at least one or two good ones dedicated to astronomy. Between the covers you will find news, equipment reviews, classified adverts and even monthly sky charts (but be sure to buy a magazine for your own country or these charts may not be relevant to where you live).

STEP 4 Find and join your local astronomical society

A great way to enhance your new hobby is to seek out your local astronomical club or society. These are great places to go for advice and eventually you will find that astronomy with your new-found friends makes observing sessions much more enjoyable. When you eventually decide to buy your first telescope (see step 6) it will be a great place to get to see the different types in action. Getting involved at your local club may lead to helping run public outreach events, talking to newcomers about your experiences and perhaps even lecturing or helping to run the society.

STEP 5 Get outside and start enjoying the wonders of the cosmos

After you have started on this book, got your red torch, maybe begun reading magazines and perhaps made contact with your local astronomical society, the next thing you need to do is the most exciting bit … and that is to get outside and start learning your way around the night sky. You will soon be amazed at what you can see; those bright stars which were not there before or do not appear in any sky guide are probably planets, and on your first night under the stars you may spot satellites, meteors or the odd passing aircraft. Time spent now familiarizing yourself with the sky will make your future enjoyment of the Universe much easier. This book will help start you off by identifying the brighter stars in the sky and showing you how to ‘star-hop’ from these easy-to-find stars to other, fainter ones. Soon you will be identifying constellations and before you know it you will recognize them without even looking at this book.

STEP 6 Consider future equipment purchases

Eventually you will want to make that all-important purchase and buy yourself a pair of binoculars or maybe even a telescope. The only words of advice here are to take your time and make sure you spend wisely. This book has a chapter dedicated to equipment and members of your local society will have a wealth of knowledge to help you with your purchase. It is worth starting with binoculars though and moving on to a telescope a little later.

A few words next on how this book works so you can start getting the most out of it straight away. The twelve chapters of the book represent the twelve months of the year and each chapter will tackle an astronomical topic; for example, Chapter 1 looks at our changing view of the universe, and will occasionally draw on examples from the night sky to illustrate the point.

Following on from the astronomical topic are the two ‘Quick Sky Guides’ to the stars for that month, one for the stars in the northern hemisphere of the sky and the other for those in the sky’s southern hemisphere. To use them you will need to locate an imaginary line called the celestial equator (which is just an extension of our own equator out into the sky), which we’ll use as the starting point to navigate together around the heavens.

I shall explain in the section that follows just how to find the celestial equator from where you are and give you a few more tips on using the sky guides in each chapter. Take time reading through this section to ensure you get the most out of the book.

… and that is it. Follow these simple steps and get started on the first chapter to see how astronomers over the centuries have slowly unlocked the secrets of the Universe. Before you know it you will be hunting down moons around other worlds, stellar nurseries or those elusive galaxies, and I promise you now, you will not be disappointed.