Overview
David Levy's "Star Trails" column has appeared monthly in Sky & Telescope since January 1988. Initially conceived as "On the Road with David Levy," the column evolved over the years but has lately returned to its original goal: a personal, David Levy-style introduction to the hobby of astronomy.This book is not purely a best-of compilation, though it does include Levy's favorite columns. Instead, the articles chosen reveal how amateur astronomy and the people who practice it have changed over the years.
Star Trails - the columns and the book - divide naturally into five parts: Ideas, People, Places, Things, and Objects and Events. From visits to an astronomy club in a federal prison and Birr Castle in Ireland, to accidents involving observers and telescopes, the marriage of art and astronomy, eclipse journeys, the concept of Earth striking back at a comet, and a discussion about the status of Pluto; Star Trails is a look into the minds and hearts of the people who have made a difference in how we study and enjoy the sky. It's also an exploration of the personal experiences that have shaped the course of David Levy's nights under the stars.
About the Author:
David H. Levy, one of the foremost amateur astronomers in the United States
Synopsis
David Levy's "Star Trails" column has appeared monthly in Sky & Telescope since January 1988. Initially conceived as "On the Road with David Levy," the column evolved over the years but has lately returned to its original goal: a personal, David Levy-style introduction to the hobby of astronomy.
This book is not purely a best-of compilation, though it does include Levy's favorite columns. Instead, the articles chosen reveal how amateur astronomy and the people who practice it have changed over the years.
Star Trails - the columns and the book - divide naturally into five parts: Ideas, People, Places, Things, and Objects and Events. From visits to an astronomy club in a federal prison and Birr Castle in Ireland, to accidents involving observers and telescopes, the marriage of art and astronomy, eclipse journeys, the concept of Earth striking back at a comet, and a discussion about the status of Pluto; Star Trails is a look into the minds and hearts of the people who have made a difference in how we study and enjoy the sky. It's also an exploration of the personal experiences that have shaped the course of David Levy's nights under the stars.
About the Author:
David H. Levy, one of the foremost amateur astronomers in the United States