Finding a Million-Star Hotel: An Astro-Tourist's Guide to Dark Sky Places

ISBN-13: 9783319338545 / Angielski / Miękka / 2016 / 322 str.

Bob Mizon

Opis

Bob Mizon, one of the world's best known campaigners against the veil of light pollution that has taken away the starry sky from most of the world's population, takes readers to a hundred places in the UK and the USA where the wonders of the night sky might still be enjoyed in perfect or near-perfect night skies. Visiting small hotels and simple campsites, and savoring vast dark-sky reserves where the night sky is actively protected, The Million-Star Hotel celebrates the black skies of yesteryear - which may become a reality for more and more of us as modern technology reins in lighting and puts it only where needed. How can you prepare for your stay beneath the stars? What astronomy can you do during the daytime? What kind of equipment will you need? Questions such as these are answered, and if town dwellers return inspired - and, Bob hopes, also inspired to look with fresh eyes at their own local lighting - there is enough information here for them to equip themselves for some urban astronomy too.

Recenzje

"The book is written as though the author has visited all the places described, and the style is very readable. The text is peppered with useful web addresses for local campsites, hotels, park opening times, etc. ... If the reader is determined to seek out all the dark places in the UK and the United States, this book will be invaluable ... ." (Malcolm Gough, The Observatory, Vol. 137 (1258), June, 2017)

Spis treści

Introduction.- Chapter 1: Dark-Sky Places.- Chapter 2: Invasion of the townies.- Chapter 3: Night-sky-friendly centres, hotels and campsites in the UK and the USA.- Chapter 4: What’s in the sky?.- Chapter 5: The star-hunter’s kit.- Chapter 6: Stargazing etiquette.- Chapter 7: Hosting astro-tourism.- Chapter 8: Light pollution.- Appendix 1: List (at July 2015) of International Dark Sky Places and when established.- Appendix 2: Extracts from the conclusions and recommendations of the UK’s Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution, Artificial Light in the Environment, 2009.- Appendix 3: Night Sky Guides.-  Glossary of terms.- Bibliography.- Index.

O autorze

Bob Mizon, MBE, FRAS  [Bob likes to point out that his name rhymes with ‘horizon’] is a graduate in modern languages, but is much better known as an astronomer. Having taught for 26 years at Poole Grammar School – where he met his wife Pam – he embarked on a rather daring career change in 1996.  Responding to a lifelong love of astronomy, he became a planetarium operator, and now takes a stunning mobile dome into schools, youth groups, and societies all over southern England. Over 130,000 people have experienced a tour of the Universe with Bob at the controls!

Bob is best known in the scientific and environmental community as the co-ordinator of the British Astronomical Association’s Campaign for Dark Skies, which aims to turn back the tide of light pollution that has seriously affected our view of the stars over the last fifty years. Glare, light-intrusion and skyglow have become the norm nowadays, a situation hardly compatible with a society that is supposed to be saving energy and protecting the environment.

Blurb

Finding a Million-Star Hotel explores the modern phenomenon of astro-tourism, the efforts by increasing numbers of people to find nearby and distant locations where they can see the real night sky so often hidden by light pollution. Astronomer Bob Mizon directs readers to dark sky sites in the United Kingdom, the United States, and a few further afield. This is more than just a hotel guide with links for accommodation at or near the locations. There are chapters on choosing telescopes and binoculars, on celestial objects astro-tourists can look for in the night sky, and an investigation into the causes of the skyglow that veils our view of the stars. 

Most of those who go seeking the stars are not professional astronomers. This book is aimed at those observers with limited knowledge of the night sky who are eager to explore and enjoy it. Even those contemplating setting up astro-themed hotels, campsites, or astronomy events can benefit from reading this book and from the advice included on how to equip such places, stargazing etiquette and star-friendly lighting.