The 21 brightest stars in the night sky are known as the first magnitude
stars. The prolific Patrick Moore has recognised their appeal to would-be
astronomers who lack expensive means of stargazing, grouping them together in
Brilliant Stars (Cassell, £16.99, ISBN 0 304 34903 8). This is one for the
Christmas market. No piece of information for the ground-based, naked-eye
astronomer is omitted, as well as more detailed notes for those wishing to
pursue their interest. And thanks to the notes, the position of each star is
easy to work out. Anybody who fails is just not trying . . .
More from New Scientist
Explore the latest news, articles and features
Technology
Test moderators use AI-generated writing to judge literacy standards
News
Mind
THC in cannabis may reduce nightmares in people with PTSD
News
Environment
Fishers detonate a bomb every hour on one Indonesian coral reef
News
Environment
How bad is the UK drought and how long will it continue?
News
Popular articles
Trending New Scientist articles