The mythology of the night sky : an amateur astronomer's guide to the ancient Greek and Roman legends / David E. Falkner.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Falkner, David E.

Series:

Patrick Moore's practical astronomy series.

Patrick Moore's practical astronomy series, 1431-9756

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Astronomy, Ancient.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (248 p.)

Edition:

1st ed. 2011.

Place of Publication:

New York : Springer, 2011.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Every amateur astronomer can easily recognize most of the constellations, but how many of us know the story behind them? What myths did the Ancient Greeks weave around the mighty hunter Orion that places him so prominently in the sky? Did you know that this mythical being was said to have been killed by Diana, herself a hunter, while he was exhausted by his fight with Scorpius? The constellation of Scorpius, the giant scorpion, is dominated by the red supergiant Antares and hangs in the sky opposite Orion. Yet there is no constellation of Diana to be found! The Mythology of the Night Sky strikes a balance between backyard astronomy and ancient mythology. Organized by seasons, this book describes Ptolemy's 48 constellations with location and description in detail, while also telling the mythological tales in full. Along with the named constellations, this title also incorporates the lore behind the christening of the planets and their satellites. Readers discover the importance of the ancient characters, why they were immortalized in the sky, how several constellations are all woven into the same story and how satellite names are related to their planets.

Contents:

Preface

Chapter 1: Astrophotography Using a Compact Digital Camera

Chapter 2: An Introduction to Greco-Roman Mythology

Chapter 3: The Winter Constellations

Chapter 4: The Legend of Jason and the Argonauts

Chapter 5: The Spring Constellations

Chapter 6: The Summer Constellations

Chapter 7: The Legend of Hercules

Chapter 8: The Autumn Constellations

Chapter 9: The Legend of Perseus

Chapter 10: Planets and Satellites

Appendix A: Names of the Greek and Roman Gods

Appendix B: Ptolemy's Constellations

Appendix C: The Messier Objects

Appendix D: NGC/IC Objects by Constellation

Appendix E: The Greek Alphabet

Bibliography.

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9786613351876

9781283351874

1283351870

9781461401377

1461401372

OCLC:

756201361