Includes bibliographical references (p. 287-288) and index.

The night sky is alive with many wonders distant planets, vast star clusters, glowing nebulae, and expansive galaxies, all waiting to be explored. Let respected astronomy writer Philip Harrington introduce you to the universe in Star Watch, a complete beginnerś guide to locating, observing, and understanding these celestial objects. Youĺl start by identifying the surface features of the Moon, the banded cloud tops of Jupiter, the stunning rings of Saturn, and other members of our solar system. Then youĺl venture out beyond our solar system, where youĺl learn tips and tricks for finding outstanding deep-sky objects from stars to galaxies, including the entire Messier catalog a primary goal of every serious beginner.