Author Description

This star chart was specifically designed and priced for children ages 5 to 15. It can be used for any night of the year and anywhere in the United States (latitudes 30 to 50 degrees North). It is made of sturdy card-type paper that resists moisture and printed in color. Note: Although this star chart was designed for kids, an adult will most likely have to assist younger children in identifying the constellations and stars. This star chart consists of an outer, dark-blue sleeve that contains a ''star wheel.'' The star wheel cannot fall out of the sleeve. The ''heart'' of this star chart is the ''star wheel'' and it is rotated to your observing day and time. The stars that appear in the oval are the stars that will be in the night sky. The days of the month are indicated along the circumference of the star wheel and the observing times of 7 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. are indicated on the front sleeve. The star wheel indicates 70 Constellations, the Names of 55 Stars, the Milky Way Band, the Ecliptic (which is the path of the Sun, Moon and Planets), 12 easy binocular objects and favorite star patterns including the Great Square of Pegasus, the Sickle of Leo, the Northern Cross of Cygnus and others. This star wheel is not ''cutesy'' or ''dumbed down'' for kids. It is an accurate plotting and representation of the constellations and stars. The front of the sleeve has easy-to-follow instructions. The back of the sleeve has additional instructions for those first starting to find the stars, a table of the yearly meteor showers, the phases of the Moon, a short history of space and a description of the 12 binoculars objects that are indicated on the star wheel. Although the primary audience for this star chart is kids in the U.S., this chart can also be used to find the constellations in England, Europe, Northern China and Japan. PLANET NOTE. Most star charts, like this one, do not indicate, on the star wheel, the position of the Planet