Legends of the Stars

By Sir Patrick Moore

Have you ever wondered how the constellations got their names? Or wanted to know the stories of the gods and heroes immortalised in the night sky? In Legends of the Stars, Patrick Moore, Britain's best-loved astronomer and presenter of The Sky at Night for over fifty years, re-tells some of the stories behind these star-groups, and explains how to look for them in the heavens. From the great hunter Orion to his nemesis the Scorpion, and from Pegasus the flying horse to Jason's ship the Argo, he guides the reader through the celestial picture book, bringing alive some of greatest tales ever told. In an age when the ancient myths are seldom taught in schools, this is an ideal book for anyone who has ever gazed at the stars and asked themselves how the names of the constellations came about.

• Language: English
• Publisher: The History Press
• Release date: Mar 6, 2009
• ISBN: 9780752496634

Reviews for Legends of the Stars

[martensgirl · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I very brief look at the myths and legends behind the names of various constellations. I found this a rather turgid read despite its brevity.

[michael5rimmer · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is a very personal rating (as they all are, I suppose), as objectively this is probably a 3* book. This book did much to foster my interest in mythology, astronomy and science, so it was a formative read for me. It has great sentimental value and is one of the few books I have retained from early childhood.What you've got here is a children's book with a very basic retelling of some of the Greek myths that link to the constellations of the northern skies, some nicely painted illustrations of the heroes and monsters, and some outlines of the relevant constellations, which make finding them in the night sky easy. At least it did when I was a child, before light pollution dimmed the view.I don't know if this is still in print, but if it is it would be an excellent gift for a 6-9 year old (going on 50!).