Meteors And How To Observe Them

A little knowledge and clear skies is all you need to observe shooting stars. This latest addition to the Astronomers’ Observing Guides by Springer gives you the knowledge, so the rest is down to
 the weather.

The book is split into two sections. The first concentrates on nine major and 17 minor meteor showers along with variable, daytime and possible new showers. For each, Lunsford provides details such as the radiant (the point they appear to come from in the sky) appearance and best times to observe. This inevitably leads to a lot of repetition, which is thankfully broken up by star charts and black-and-white photographs to help illustrate what you would see.

The second section is a guide that 
is more text heavy, less repetitive and well written. It covers everything from how to accurately record your observations for scientific use to tips 
on making photographic, video and radio observations.

If you’re keen on observing meteors or taking your interest further, this book is well worth getting hold of.

Vincent Whiteman is a journalist and amateur astronomer