Stars: A Guide to the Constellations, Sun, Moon, Planets and Other Features of the Heavens

by Herbert S. Zim, Robert H. Baker PhD, James Gordon Irving (Illustrator)

Offers a field guide with information to help the novice, the amateur, or anyone who wants to enjoy watching the stars, constellations, and planets.

Genres: Nonfiction, Science, Reference, Astronomy, Nature, Childrens, Field Guides

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1951

About the author

Herbert Spencer Zim (July 12, 1909 – December 5, 1994) was a naturalist, author, editor and also known as the fonder and editor in chief of the Golden Guides series of nature books. He wrote or edited more than one hundred scientific books, and in a thirty-year career teaching in the public schools introduced laboratory instruction into elementary school science. He is best known as the founder in 1945, of the Golden Guides, pocket-size introductions for children to such subjects as fossils, zoology, microscopy, rocks and minerals, codes and secret writings, trees, wildflowers, dinosaurs, navigation and more. He was the sole or co-author for many of the books, which were valued for their clarity, accuracy and attractive presentation helped by the illustrations of James Gordon Irving. He continued to work on the Golden Guides series until Alzheimer's disease forced him to slow down in the 1990s. He died in 1994 at Plantation Key, Florida.

Reviews

[jjfoerch]

Nice compact and approachable introduction to astronomy and stargazing. It contains a number of practical mnemonics and illustrations that make it a good reference for educators. I even learned a few things. Some of the science is dated however, so take the claim on the cover "Authoritative" under advisement. One unwitting rock band quoted a statement from this book (page 16) in a song called Why Does The Sun Shine?:

The sun is a mass of incandescent gas: its core is a gigantic nuclear furnace where hydrogen is built into helium at a temperature of millions of degrees.

They were later pressed by fans to issue a correction, which was released under the title Why Does The Sun Really Shine?:

The sun is a miasma of incandescent plasma
The sun's not simply made out of gas
No, no, no

So there you have it.

[Nathan]

What it says on the tin. The illustrations are impeccable! Brownie points for this being written in the '50s and having a chapter on if/when we go to the moon 🥰

[Sarah Herman]

I like this book but it is not the best, it teaches you about stars, and I am not really a fan of stars, but if you are this book is for you.

[Thomas Schulte]

Coming across this old Golden Guide as I really enjoyed them as a kid. I'd like to think curious youths would still and at least me even at my age enjoyed reading this one. This is a later edition of one that came out in 1951 as part of The Golden Guides series edited by Herbert S. Zim and (on this one Robert H. Baker) , the books were written by experts in their field and featuring realistic color illustrations. Intended for primary and secondary school level readers, this came to me in a collection of similar books on astronomy, weather, etc. that appeared in my Little Free Library. I like the practical knowledge of mnemonics, profuse illustrations, and simple tools for identifying constellations:

NORTH CIRCUMPOLAR CONSTELLATIONS

At about 40 degrees north latitude the following are considered the major circumpolar constellations: Big Dipper (Ursa Major); Little Dipper (Ursa Mi-nor); Cassiopeia, the Queen; Cepheus, the King; Draco, the Dragon. To locate these con-stellations, use the accompanying chart. Facing north, hold the opened book in front of you so that the current month is toward the top. The constellations are now about as you will see them during the current month at 9 p.m. To see how they will appear earlier, turn the chart clockwise; for a later time, counterclockwise. A quarter of a turn will show how much the positions of the stars will change during a six-hour period.

Of the little stack of titles, I picked this one also because today I attended ZODIAC: Gemini in History by World Virtual Tours and hosted "by Erica M.: PhD in Ancient Sciences and Babylonian Astronomy". With software and updated science this was a contrasting, more modern approach to discussing constellations where I learned, among other things of the IAU designated constellations that break up the sky into regions.

[Chad Gayle]

This is the first book I owned outright and the only book that survived the dissolution of my family in 1979. Got it when I was eight years old and I still have it today, and although the information in it was largely outdated by the time I was a teenager, it holds inestimable nostalgic for me, linked as it is to my first attempts to find the major constellations during my childhood skywatching sessions and the dreams I had of seeing other worlds.

[Chiara Rizzarda]

I had an old 1965 Mondadori edition of this book when I was a child, stolen from my mother's library. It's singlehandedly responsible for my fondness for looking at the stars and for the superficial knowledge of constellations that I've been boasting to impress girls ever since.
So, Mr Herbert S. Zim, wherever you are, my deepest thanks.

[Emily]

Very beautiful illustrations and a cute introduction to amateur astronomy. I did not care much about the constellations, but I really enjoyed the sections about the planets and general information about the solar system.

[dayana]

grinning like an idiot every time i read about my favorite stars

[Simeon McKenzie]

Buy this book after you read it it helps so much

[jude ✧]

scientifically, very outdated, but i had a lovely time

[Donny Forbes]

Tad outdated but a wonderful read.

[Kim Browers]

The material is a bit dated, but the nuts and bolts of stars and astronomical data haven't changed a great deal since this was first released in the 50's/60's. Tech is better, images are better, but we can still use old-fashioned star charts, binoculars, and inexpensive telescopes to view our stars and planets. The sky charts were glued into the book slightly off center, which caused some of the constellation drawings to be distorted. But there are some great "when to see this constellation" guides, plus notable objects within the range of constellations that make this worth keeping on my reference shelf. A great introduction to Space for kids with a good reading level, or for adults who haven't had previous exposure to basic astronomy.

[Zach]

A super fun & super informative guide, with lovely paintings to boot. The 1951 publication date allows for some amusing moments. I particularly enjoyed the "Rocket to the Moon" section:

"Given time and money for research, a rocket capable of reaching the moon will certainly be made. To be successful, this rocket will need a speed of about 7 miles per second, or 25,000 miles per hour, to carry it past the point where the earth's gravitational pull could drag it back."

[Astrila]

This really is a golden guide. It's amazing what all fits into this teeny, tiny paperback.

[Stefanie]

I go this guide in grade school; I remember being OBSESSED with it.

[Saleris]

Another Golden Nature guide I've had for decades. There's a page that's been damaged (yes, I did it). I'll keep it as long as I can even though the info isn't quite as valid as it was when printed.

[Don Gubler]

Simple

[Robert Kaufman]

This book was one of my favorites during my childhood.

[J Crossley]

This Golden Guide looks at heavenly bodies and shows how to find different constellations.

[Hilde Helseth]

'Set in Space'

[Mattie Pollreisz]

i really love the Golden Nature Guide books! would recommend to anyone.

[Jonathan]

Short and very helpful. Well written for young readers.

[David]

Fun to reread this Golden Guide written in the 50s and revised in 1975.

[Darren]

Unfortunately, outdated.

[Matt Morley]

This book captured my five-year-old imagination like no other.

[Tait Chandler]

A handy guide to the basics of reading constellations and understanding what is above our heads.