The Sky At Night Author: Patrick Moore Publisher: Springer ISBN: 978-1-4419-6408-3 Price: £26.99 (Pb) 169pp
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Over the years, The Sky At Night books have served an important role. Apart from mirroring the programmes, they have accurately chronicled the events of the space age and this new volume, number 13, is no exception. It takes us from autumn 2005 through to summer 2009, a period that has effectively signalled the end of the ‘space age’ and confirmed the ‘information age.’

I particularly highlight the essays on practical astronomy that include the Spanish annular solar eclipse (2005); wandering giants (2006) and Galaxy Zoo (2008). At the other end of the scale, it would be amiss of me not to mention the essays on Venus Express (2006); the lakes of Titan (2007) and the Herschel Space Observatory (2009).

During this period, there were many anniversaries. The four-hundredth anniversary of the invention of the telescope (2008); the fortieth anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon landing (July 2009); the fiftieth anniversary of the Lovell radio telescope at Jodrell Bank (October 2007); and of course, The Sky At Night programme itself (April 2007). All are rightly celebrated in this volume.

The style of the book has a reassuring ‘Patrick’ tone. The author, co-presenters and guests have ensured a safe passage through a labyrinth of astronomical nomenclature. A feature of this period has been the concentration of programmes on cosmological matters so the role of Chris Lintott should not be ignored here within the essays. As laptops have started to replace outside-at-eyepiece observation, I am delighted however, to see the inclusion of notes on August Perseids meteors and Scorpio (both 2007), which confirms Patrick’s original 1957 mandate: to encourage us to venture outside and look up!

If I am to relate one gripe, it is the decision not to include some broadcast dates that presents the occasional conundrum for the reader. The essays here, as per the other books in the series, provide signposts for astronomers and inquisitive readers to reminisce or follow-up with further research.

Volume 13 is a worthy edition to the book series – a collection that is fast becoming collectible.

Ian Welland