Click here to view sample pages (Introduction and excerpts from Aquarius, Appendix I, Annotated Bibliography 

DESCRIPTION

Lost Stars identifies the "lost stars" of Bayer, Lacaille, Flamsteed, and other pioneering astronomers of the 17th and 18th centuries and explains how and why these stars seem to have disappeared from star catalogues.

In a  style that will appeal to the novice as well as the seasoned astronomer, Lost Stars provides an introduction to early modern astronomy. The author reviews the composition and history of the eighty-eight constellations recognized by the International Astronomical Union. The account for each constellation  includes a synopsis in chart form that tells the reader at a glance how many lettered or numbered stars there are in the constellation and who first lettered, catalogued, and identified its stars. Lost Stars includes a complete set of star charts from the atlases of Bayer and Flamsteed, and detailed copies of Lacaille's chart of the Southern Hemisphere.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

 Morton Wagman is presently Professor of  History at Kingsborough Community College in Brooklyn, New York. He is a native of Brooklyn, and his formal education was at Brooklyn College (BA) and Columbia University (MA and PhD). Before joining the faculty at Kingsborough, Dr. Wagman taught at Brooklyn College, both units of the City University of New York. He has published a number of articles on the history of astronomy in such periodicals as Astronomy, Sky & Telescope, and Journal for the History of Astronomy.

Dr. Wagman is a member of the M & W Speakers Bureau and is available for presentations and book signings.

REVIEWS

"...Filled from cover to cover with charts and catalogues, as well as a profusion of historical notes especially pertaining to famous constellations, Lost Stars is a unique and seminal body of academically sound work which will be especially appreciated by amateur and professional astronomers alike. No professional or academic History of Astronomy collection can be considered complete without the inclusion of Morton Wagman's Lost Stars."  (The Midwest Book Review, December 2003)

Other related titles:

The New Patterns in the Sky: Myths and Legends of the Stars