Astronomical Calendar 2009

This famous atlas-sized annual book is the most widely used and most attractive guide to what will happen in the night sky throughout the year.

Each page is the size of three or four of an ordinary book, allowing large spreads of mixed diagrams and text.

The Astronomical Calendar has been published continuously since 1974, and is used by about 20,000 (amateurs, telescope-owners, clubs, teachers, planetariums, libraries, enjoyers of the sky) in over 100 countries.

11 x 15 in., 84 pages, many illustrations.
ISBN 978-0-934546-54-6.
$24.95 now reduced to $19.95
For discounts, shipping charges, and other ways of ordering see "contact and ordering" at left.

An introduction explains how to use the various components of the book and, if you are a beginner, what to select at first (since there are so many levels of information). For each month there is a large map of the evening sky; facing it, a diary of 40 or so events, many with paragraph-long descriptions.

Other features on the monthly pages are diagrams of where the planets are in their orbits, "Constellation Clues," "Telescopic Tour", "Observer's Highlights," and sketches of the most striking sky scenes.

Supplementary sections include Highlights of the Year, The Sun, The Moon, Special Moons, Young Moon and Old Moon, Eclipses, Conjunctions, Occultations, each of the planets, Asteroids, Comets, Meteor Showers, Spaceflight, Deep-Sky Profiles, Light Pollution, Glossary, Magnitude and Elongation, Rising and Setting, Quick Reference, and a colored centerfold all-sky map. Some features are contributed by experts Fred Schaaf, Clifford Cunningham, Alastair McBeath, Alan Hale, Joe Rao, and Richard Nugent.

2009 is a special year in several ways. It has been declared International Year of Astronomy (by the United Nations and the International Astronomical Union), because in 1609 the newly invented telescope was first turned on the sky by Galileo, leading to a rush of discoveries that revolutionized humanity's view of the cosmos and began the modern age of astronomy.

Greatest of the celestial events of 2009 is the longest total eclipse of the Sun in the 21st century. There are many other unusual events—Saturn's rings edge-on, the closest approach to Earth of Ceres (the first and largest asteroid) between 1857 and 4164, a rare few hours of "Jupiter Without Satellites", a triple conjunction of Jupiter and Neptune, a chance to see Venus on the same day both left and right of the Sun ...

The cover painting for 2009 is of Galileo and his telescope in 1609. The cover picture story (entitled "First Light") is more than twice as long as usual, describing the events of those heady and dangerous times.
(More on the cover painting.)

Back issues are reduced to $10 each.
Those available are 1983 and 1986-2006. (2007 unfortunately sold out early.)
To order these, please write or phone etc. (see "contact and ordering" at left).

"Every inch of its king-sized pages is packed with artistry, information, lucid diagrams, and clever explanations" —J. U. Gunter in Tonight's Asteroids

"So valuable that many users keep their copies for permanent reference" —George Lovi in Sky & Telescope

"Each year's book becomes more superb—just when you think it can't get any better!" —A reader in Florida

"Thank goodness for Guy Ottewell. If he didn't exist, I would have to invent him... [The book is] of surpassing originality [and is] more than a calendar; it is a compendium of all things astronomical that will happen during the year, described with a graphic flair that is the author's particular genius. The calendar is useful for neophytes, but it also evokes the appreciation of experienced astronomers. It arrives every year in December and, during early winter evenings, I curl up with it and plan my coming year of stargazing." —Chet Raymo in The Boston Globe

Part of the "strip-diagram" of the Moon through the year

Saturn's rings become edge-on in 2009

Part of the "All the Sky" chart

Our planet at 6 hours Universal Time on January 1
—midnight on the Mississippi, dawn twilight for Europe