Signs & Seasons - Astronomy

Understanding the Elements of Classical Astronomy An astronomy resource for studying the starry sky Signs & Seasons is an introductory course in the traditional, time-honored techniques of observing the sky. Most popular astronomy introductions are “armchair” books that feature pictures and factoids about the planets in the solar system, and other exotic objects in outer space, as learned from space probes and professional observatories. In contrast, the practical goal of Signs & Seasons is to help the reader become an outdoor observer of the sky, and to understand the beneficial foundation for timekeeping and navigation, according to the cycles of the Sun, Moon and stars. This is how the night sky was understood for centuries by farmers and sailors and was the standard information found in the traditional American almanacks. Signs & Seasons will help you to follow the signs that denote the passage of the seasons, to discover how to find the planets in the night sky, and to