Secrets of the Night Sky: Most Amazing Things in the Universe You Can See with the Naked Eye, The – An Illustrated Astronomy Guide from Blue Moons to Betelgeuse

by Bob Berman

From blue moons to Betelgeuse, it's all in this witty, fact-packed, profusely illustrated guide to the heavens by the author of Discover magazine's popular "Night Watchman" column.

Genres: Science, Astronomy, Nonfiction, Nature, Reference

336 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

Bob Berman is one of America's top astronomy writers. For many years, he wrote the popular "Night Watchman" column for Discover magazine. He is currently a columnist for Astronomy magazine and a host on NPR's Northeast Public Radio, and he is the science editor of the Old Farmer's Almanac.

Reviews

[Melki · Rating 4 out of 5]

M87 is among the largest galaxies known, a gargantuan elliptical blob that will never win a beauty award. Still, it's the largest ball in the universe. It consists of several trillion suns, give or take a few, and probably the same number of planets. This means that if you were given the task of counting its stars -- not visiting them, or cataloging their characteristics, but merely counting -- and managed to run through ten every second, the assignment would last from the last ice age until the present time.

Holy crap!

As if looking at the night sky isn't amazing enough, little facts like the one above can push you right off the edge into la la land. And this book is filled with little facts like that one! Berman takes you through the year, pointing out things to look for (with only your naked eye!) and filling the rest of your time with tasty tidbits and fascinating stories about the universe. Constellations, meteors, black holes and the possibility of Earthlings relocating to other planets are all discussed.

Originally published in 1995, the book is a little dated now. The amazing celestial events mentioned by the author have mostly come and gone, though if you live in the U.S., mark your calendar -- there's going to be a solar eclipse on August 21, 2017. Don't miss it!

[Cole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Filled in so many knowledge gaps I had for astrophysics and astronomy. Definitely a must read for novice to amateur astronomers. I was able to apply practical information from the book immediately. Despite it being from 1995 it needed very little updating.

[Art · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of stuff to think about here, this subject is not really my strong point but it's written in a entertaining manner in a way that lots of people can understand.

[Lauren Hope · Rating 5 out of 5]

This might seem weird but this book made Alice's Adventures in Wonderland make a lot more sense

[Brian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even though the copywright is 1995, the book is not as outdated as might seem for a science themed book because Berman stuck to naked eye and small telescope viewing. The dated material shows when he talks about no other planets having been discovered outside our solar system. The term exoplanet isn't even a thing. Hubble just became fully operational in 1993, and Spitzer & TESS didn't exist yet. Black holes hadn't been photographed. But sticking with our own terrestrial eyes and Bob's humor made this a very enjoyable read even nearly 30 years out.

[Kurry Swigert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although my copy was from 1995 (yes, 27 years ago), the fact that this book deals with naked-eye astronomy, means that 27 years of technological advancements have had very minimal impacts on this book. The author includes tons of humorous asides and keeps everything simple enough for a newbie while including enough info to keep the home astronomer interested.

[Rex Medallion · Rating 4 out of 5]

Astronomy and quantum physics are described for the lay person in a way that is out of this world!

[Sarah Yasin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some of the tables are out of date because the projections end around 2008, but the rest of the book is fascinating. It's written with a sense of wonder and I like how key terms are in bold. One little quibble I have is with the book's poor understanding of medieval cosmology. If the Church insisted circular shapes were perfect, then Hildegard von Bingen would have been tried for heresy when she said the universe was an egg.

Overall this is an inspiring read.

[Mike Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everything that makes the universe enchanting is but a night-time glimpse away, if you just know where to look and what you are looking for. This book and a dark sky are all you need. Simply written for the curious mind.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Berman has a sense of humor, captivating writing style, gift for putting things in perspective, ability to bring interesting scientific/universal concepts down to earth (literally, ha, ha!), he dwells on fascinating subjects, and he is an entertaining short story teller.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book! It teaches such a variety of things about astronomy in an exciting, accessible, and enjoyable manner. It's fun to dip into over and over as the seasons pass. There's so much that's unique and beautiful right outside--simply look up!

[Joseph Mais · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this book. It was a very digestable discussion of space and the night sky, filled with fun facts and information. I learned a ton and had lots to think about. What a treat!

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Changed my life and the way I look at the world.