Starry Wonders: Exploring the 25 Brightest Stars (Stargazing Book, Astronomy Exploration)

by Janine Bonham, Erin Miller (Illustrator)

Overview

(hfour)Explore the Brightest Stars in the Night Sky(/hfour)

Explore the 25 brightest stars in the night sky and discover their unique characteristics, life cycles, and star categories, offering readers an in-depth understanding of astronomy objects and the universe.

Delve into the captivating world of stars. This star gazing book takes you on a cosmic journey, unveiling the secrets of the brightest star in the sky and the fascinating star systems that have intrigued humanity for millennia. Dive deep into the fascinating details of each star system, including their size, color, temperature, distance from Earth, and the presence of exoplanets. 

Explore the universe like never before. Thanks to advanced observational astronomy, we can look further and more clearly than ever before. You'll discover unique and exceptional stars, from the largest star in the universe to variable stars that change brightness, and even a star composed of diamonds. From the majestic Sirius star system to distant constellations like Ursa Major, this book offers a detailed journey through these celestial wonders, making it an ideal astronomy gift or star gazing gift for kids.

Inside, you’ll find:

• A deep dive into the characteristics of the 25 brightest stars in the night sky.

• Fundamental stargazing principles, teaching you how to identify constellations, locate celestial objects, and appreciate the night sky.

• Insights into the life cycle and classification of stars, alongside fascinating examples of unique stars, such as the largest star in the universe and a star composed of diamonds, capturing the diverse nature of star categories.           

If you liked Star Finder!, National Geographic Stargazer's Atlas, or Space Explorers, you’ll love Starry Wonders.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781684814756
Publisher:	Key Lime Publishing
Publication date:	05/13/2025
Pages:	240
Product dimensions:	8.90(w) x 5.90(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Janine Bonham is a highly experienced educator, well-versed in both traditional classroom and online teaching. Her teaching journey began in Kona, Hawai'i, where she had the privilege of observing the celestial wonders beneath the captivating dark skies of the Pacific for over a decade. Janine is dedicated to integrating research-based experiences into her secondary classroom to ensure students receive a comprehensive and engaging education. Currently residing in Pennsylvania, she shares her home with her two daughters, four cats, and a leopard gecko. Beyond her teaching responsibilities, Janine enjoys practicing yoga, hula dancing, and is an avid science fiction enthusiast.

Erin Miller is a middle school art educator, creativity coach, and freelance artist based in Pennsylvania. She attended Kutztown Universityfor both her undergraduate and graduate degrees in art education. She is passionate about the value of art and the creative process in understanding, communication, and critical thinking in schools. She primarily works with educators to blend art and the artistic process into all content areas. It is through such collaboration that she was able to work with Janine, and where the ideas for this artwork were born. Starry Wonders is the first book she’s illustrated. She created this artwork with watercolor, pencil, and digital media.

Erin is a painter who loves to work with mixed media and learn new techniques and processes. She loves all things science and making connections between art and science. When she isn’t creating artwork, she loves being outside in nature and spending time with her very large extended family. She has three children, two dogs, and too many cats.

Read an Excerpt

(hfour)Introduction to Stars
Ancient beginnings(/hfour)

Humanity has been gazing up at the night sky for thousands of years. It is the one thing we all share together.

Some of the earliest human artifacts that have been discovered depict the arrangements of specific star shapes and patterns. The apparent movement of the sun, moon, stars, and planets across the sky make a giant, celestial clock. The earliest civilizations recorded these movements to help time agricultural activities, to mark the changing of the seasons, and guide travelers. The stories of the stars were often meaningful and helped to preserve cultural legacy. Humans have often associated these star patterns with mythical people and religious themes throughout history. Legends from around the world reveal ancient knowledge of the sky, and these stories have been passed down from generation to generation. Mythology, religion, and cultural practices were frequently interwoven in ancient astronomy.

In the past, astronomers could only view the sky with their unaided eyes. To follow the motion of the planets and stars, they employed basic sighting devices and gnomons, which are sticks that produce shadows. Observations were documented using rudimentary means such as carvings, writing on clay tablets, and drawings. This data was used to track cosmic patterns throughout time.

Most ancient civilizations, including the Greeks, Egyptians, and Babylonians, believed in a geocentric model of the universe, where Earth was at the center and everything else orbited around it. Celestial phenomena were often explained through myths and legends, lacking a scientific basis. Figures like Ptolemy, who developed the geocentric model with epicycles, and Hipparchus, who cataloged stars and discovered precession.

The Mayans, Chinese, and Indians also made significant contributions with their own unique observations and calendars. Although the myths and legends of the stars differ depending on time, place, and culture, the curiosity about what is beyond Earth's border is always there. Everyone shares the same sky.

Table of Contents

Preface

Stargazing

• Ancient Beginnings
• Modern Studies
• Stargazing Basics
• Constellations
• Asterisms
• Bortle Night Sky Classification
• International Dark-Sky Parks
• Celestial Objects
• Celestial Events

Stars

• Birth, Life, and Death of Stars
• Types of Stars
• Origin of Star Names
• The Sun—Our Closest Star

25 Brightest Stars in the Night Sky

1. Sirius (Canis Major)—The Brightest Star in the Night Sky
2. Canopus (Carina)—Old Man of the South Pole
3. Rigel Kentarus (Centaurus)—Our Closest Neighbor
4. Arcturus (Boötes)—Guardian of the Bear
5. Vega (Lyra)—Jewel of the Lyre
6. Capella (Auriga)—The Goat Star
7. Rigel (Orion)—Foot of the Giant
8. Procyon (Canis Minor)—The Lesser Dog Star
9. Achernar (Eridanus)—End of the River
10. Betelgeuse (Orion)—Red Supergiant in the Hunter
11. Hadar (Centaurus)—Triple Star System
12. Altair (Aquila)—Eye of the Eagle
13. Acrux (Crux)—Brightest of the Southern Cross
14. Aldebaran (Taurus)—The Follower
15. Antares (Scorpius)—Heart of the Scorpion
16. Spica (Virgo)—Ear of Wheat Star
17. Pollux (Gemini)—Red Giant of Gemini
18. Fomalhaut (Piscis Austrinus)—The Loneliest Star
19. Deneb (Cygnus)—Tail of the Swan
20. Mimosa (Crux)—Binary Star System
21. Regulus (Leo)—Heart of the Lion
22. Adhara (Canis Major)—Binary Star System
23. Shaula (Scorpius)—The Scorpion’s Stinger
24. Castor (Gemini)—Six Star System
25. Gacrux (Crux)—The Closest Giant Star

Unique Stars

• Closest Star: Proxima Centauri
• Smallest: EBLM J0555-57Ab (57 Ab, for short)
• RMC 136a1: The Most Massive Star Yet Known
• Mira: A Wonderful Star with a Tail
• Lucy (in the Sky with Diamonds)
• Algol: The Demon Star

Notable Star Clusters

• Pleiades
• Hyades
• Beehive Cluster
• Coma Cluster
• Alpha Persei Cluster
• Hercules Cluster
• Southern Pleiades

FAQ

Appendix

• Star Maps
• Constellation Picture Reference Guide
• Glossary
• Citations
• Photo Credits

Acknowledgements

About the Author