The 21 brightest stars in the night sky are known as the first magnitude
stars. The prolific Patrick Moore has recognised their appeal to would-be
astronomers who lack expensive means of stargazing, grouping them together in
Brilliant Stars (Cassell, £16.99, ISBN 0 304 34903 8). This is one for the
Christmas market. No piece of information for the ground-based, naked-eye
astronomer is omitted, as well as more detailed notes for those wishing to
pursue their interest. And thanks to the notes, the position of each star is
easy to work out. Anybody who fails is just not trying . . .
More from New Scientist
Explore the latest news, articles and features
Popular articles
Trending New Scientist articles
1
Fully autonomous drones have killed human soldiers for the first time
2
Toy universe shows that time could be a quantum illusion
3
First working nuclear clock heralds a new era in timekeeping
4
Understanding anorexia’s grip on the brain could unlock new therapies
5
El Niño has started and the weather could get weird
6
Global map reveals the vast scale of underground fungal networks
7
What is a ‘normal’ memory slowdown, and when should I worry?
8
How to sparkle in conversation with strangers
9
Dramatic photo of ibis being guided to their winter homes wins award
10
Dinosaur-killing asteroid impact site stayed hot for millions of years
