"The classic beginner's guide to the night sky."--Page 4 of cover.

The fifth edition of Ian Ridpath and Wil Tirion's famous guide to the night sky is updated for planet positions and forthcoming eclipses up to the end of the year 2004. It includes the latest star data from the Hipparcos satellite. The book contains a chapter on each month of the year and is an easy-to-use handbook for anyone wanting to identify constellations, star clusters, nebulae, galaxies and meteor showers, to plot the movement of planets, or to witness solar and lunar eclipses. Most of the features discussed are visible to the naked eye, and all can be seen with a small telescope or binoculars. The Monthly Sky Guide offers a clear and simple introduction to the skies of the northern hemisphere for beginners of all ages.

A month-by-month calendar for stargazers in the northern hemisphere. Twelve aspects charts show the position of stars and other celestial objects in both northerly and southerly directions for each month of the year. An introduction explains the basic facts of astronomy.

The ideal gift for all amateur and seasoned astronomers. This is the ideal resource for beginners and experienced stargazers in the United States and Canada, and has been updated to include new and practical information covering events occurring in North America's night sky throughout 2024.