The Stargazer’s Atlas

National Geographic leans on its expertise in cartography, travel, and science to offer this guide covering expected material on the cosmic bodies that are most familiar to laypeople: Earth itself and the moon and sun; information on the solar system; an aid to viewing the night sky (charts of the 88 constellations visible in the northern and southern hemispheres); “More Celestial Sights,” such as supernovae; an introduction to astrotourism and archaeoastronomy; and a look at the search for life “out there.” Audiences for this book can use it at different levels. Public-library patrons can learn about the fundamentals of astronomy and/or browse the high-quality maps and images at their leisure. Those reading portions of the book for upper grades in high school through undergraduate reports will find that the work goes beyond the basics for close readers, offering a wealth of detail on a wide array of topics of interest to amateur astronomers. Travelers who wish to pick ideal spots or add some stargazing to their vacations will also find the work of value, although some may want to skip the minutiae.