Discovering the Heavens: Activities for Budding Astronomers

Steve Pitt is a Toronto-based freelance writer and an award-winning journalist. He has written many young adult and children's books, including Day of the Flying Fox: The True Story of World War II Pilot Charley Fox.

Because children are natural astronomers, any outdoor walk on a clear
starry night will usually produce more questions than the average adult
can answer. Fortunately, this third book in the Young Naturalist series
is designed to help sky-gazers comprehend the wonders of the universe.
As in the first two volumes, Gilles Brillon combines fascinating facts
with easy-to-perform experiments. Using inexpensive materials found at
home, young readers are encouraged to follow in the footsteps of such
pioneer astronomers as Galileo and the ancient Egyptians by making their
own sextant, solar clock, telescope, and even a planetarium.

One of the best features of this book is that it is written for a
Canadian audience. All the heavenly bodies profiled are visible from any
place in Canada. Planets, stars, and constellations are carefully mapped
out according to their seasonal location. Brillon also provides tips on
what inexperienced buyers should look for in commercial telescopes and
why some pieces of equipment are better than others. Although the text
is clear and concise enough for young readers, it is varied and
informative enough to sustain the interest of most adults interested in
basic astronomy. Highly recommended.