Book Recommendation

[Alexandros]

Hello all,

 

I've recently developed an interest to learn about the star lore, the different cultures and civilizations developed and used over the years. Could you recommend a good book or site/ educational videos on this subject? 

 

(Sorry if this is the wrong forum, I was not sure as to where to post this question :) )

[Alien_Photons]

Soooo.. many. Check out your library then WH smiths Then eBay (amazing what you pick up for a pound plus pp) book fairs. You can work out what's interesting to you and what's not. I was rubbish at Englis literature at school. But you should see my astronomy and SF collection!  The next thing you know you have a stack of books to read. I have three new books at home. Just read and finished this morning on the bus pale blue dot for the third time and the only reason I am looking at my phone now on the way home.  Get to your nearest book shop immediately.......

[Alien_Photons]

I can't help it I'm addicted. I have multiple copies of the same book....

[Martin Meredith]

HI Alexandros

Although neither of my suggestions is solely about star lore (and I'm interested to see what books others suggest), each of these books does cover the topic.

 

Garfinkle's book is worth having as one of the best star-hopping books out there. Each chapter covers several constellations and starts with some information about mythology (Chinese, Greek, Persian, Roman, etc), and describes how some of the stars in that constellation got their names, etc. Here's a page at random so you get the idea:

 

 

The Kanas book inevitably covers sky lore, with sections on China, Mesopotamia, Egypt, India and of course classical Greece. Again, its a case of star lore being interwoven with the main text. Here's a page from near the Intro:

 

 

I read somewhere that Craig Crossen is writing such a book but I've not seen it appear yet.

cheers

Martin

Edited February 10, 2020 by Martin Meredith
correcting auto-correct!

[Alexandros]

Thank you for your replies! I was thinking of getting the star hopping book before I developed this new interest, so I think I will get that!

[jefrs]

Norton Star Atlas and Reference Handbook

[rwilkey]

Hi Alexandros, I hope you are having good weather in Greece, it is horrible here.  Anyway, one of my favourite sky atlases is this one and I highly recommend it: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sky-Telescopes-Pocket-Atlas/dp/1931559317/ref=sr_1_16?crid=303XILAINBH7K&keywords=sky+atlas+book&qid=1582387411&sprefix=sky+atlas%2Caps%2C143&sr=8-16

Edited February 22, 2020 by rwilkey

[Piero]

Star names - their lore and meaning by R.H. Allen is a classic one. 

It is mentioned quite a lot by Burnham in his Celestial Handbook, which is another classic.

Both are highly recommended.

[L8-Nite]

This is a good book. 

[Macavity]

There is a wealth of stuff on this... More perhaps on Art & History websites?
Of course, you cannot avoid the mix of Science and Faith of those times... 😛
(I'm a "don't care"!). But you can't beat a good Medieval Manuscript, I say:

http://blogs.getty.edu/iris/written-in-the-stars-astronomy-and-astrology-in-medieval-manuscripts/