"This book is recommended for amateur astronomers, as well as school and public libraries."
—American Reference Books Annual
(on a previous edition)
Now features planning information on astrotourism.
2020 Guide to the Night Sky
is the ideal resource for novices and experienced amateurs in the United States and Canada, and has been updated to include 16 more pages of even more new and practical information covering events to occur in North America's night sky throughout 2020. The book has all of the guidance, information and data that skywatchers need.
Astrotourism — Aurora borealis has long influenced a decision to visit a location (e.g., Iceland, Alaska, northern Canada) but now we know that major celestial events, exceptional viewing sites and even world-leading telescopes are drawing travelers to the extent that it needed a name: astrotourism. The book includes new charts with helpful information about the best times and places to travel, such as a tour or cruise.
The hospitality industry has seen strong growth linked to astronomical events and to stargazing destinations. More than 50,000 Airbnb guests from 26 countries visited the US for the 2017 solar eclipse, and there were nearly 3000 private homes offering telescopes for viewing.
As space probes, including the seemingly immortal Hubble Telescope, take our cameras to worlds farther and farther away, even to Mars, we want to see as much of it as possible. Observatory tours are increasing, such as visits to the world's largest telescope, the Gran Telescopio Canarias in Spain.
is organized by month and provides lunar phases, planet activity, constellation maps and tables of planet and star movement, and sky activity and events. Each month has all of the compass points, dates and exact times to view the planets. There are also monthly constellation maps with dates, times and hourly rates of comets, fireballs, and meteor showers. Skywatchers in the United States and Canada won't miss a thing. Even with just binoculars.
Amateur astronomers have come to rely upon and expect each year's edition of this proven sell-through title. It is the handy reference they grab as they head out to do some skywatching, and now they can use it to plan an astrovacation.