The Midnight Sky: Familiar Notes on the Stars and Planets

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Cambridge University Press, Aug 26, 2010 - Science - 344 pages
When Edwin Dunkin (1821-1898) published this book in 1869, it was received with widespread acclaim by both professional astronomers and the reading public. Dunkin, a distinguished astronomer who published widely in academic journals and later served in the prestigious roles of Deputy Astronomer Royal (1881-1884) and President of the Royal Astronomical Society (1880), is still best known for this work of popular astronomy that has functioned as an indispensable tool for generations of amateurs. Chapter 1 derives from Dunkin's famous 'The Midnight Sky at London' articles, previously published in Leisure Hour, which describe the London midnight sky during each month of the year. Other chapters cover the Southern Hemisphere, the constellations, the properties of fixed stars, the solar system, and meteors and shooting stars. The volume is well illustrated with star maps and engravings. It is a classic work of popular nineteenth-century astronomical writing.
 

Contents

THE MIDNIGHT SKY OF THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE
95
THE CONSTELLATIONS
129
The Via Lactea or Milky Way
187
Colour of the Stars
194
Nomenclature of the Stars
202
Nebula and Clusters
208
The Sun
215
Total Eclipses of the Sun
227
The Moon
240
The Terrestrial Planets
249
The Major Planets
271
Comets
279
Periodical Meteors
289
Aerolites and Bolides
302
Index
323
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