The Mythology of the Night Sky

This book is for amateur astronomers who would like to know the mythology behind the names of astronomical objects in the night sky. It covers the lore and legend behind Ptolemy’s 48 constellations, along with significant asterisms, the planets and their moons, the brightest named asteroids and dwarf planets.

The revised second edition includes a host of new moons and dwarf planets discovered since 2011. In addition, it now features a new section on major asteroids and their associated myths. While still primarily focused on Greco-Roman mythology, the book now branches out to cover more recently named objects from other cultures, such as Hawaiian, Rapanui, Tongva and Inuit. 

To assist practical observers, the book gives the location and description of each constellation, including named stars and deep-sky objects. A host of helpful astronomy tips and techniques, as well as a brief introduction to astrophotography, are included to encourage direct observation and imaging of these mythical objects in the night sky.

• Constellations of the night sky
• Greco-Roman constellation myths
• Greek constellation names
• Greek mythology sky
• Night sky mythology
• Planet names
• Planetary mythologies and legends
• Roman constellation myths
• Stories of the constellations
• Summer constellations
• Winter constellations

“This book is a worthy addition to the literature on the names of heavenly bodies, and can be recommended.” (Robert Connon Smith, The Observatory, Vol. 141 (1282), June, 2021)

• Blaine, USA

  David E. Falkner

David Falkner first became interested in Astronomy as a pre-teen when his father took him to a show at the Holcolm Planetarium in Indianapolis, IN.  He became hooked and has loved astronomy ever since.  When he was a teenager he inherited a home-made Newtonian telescope that needed the primary mirror.  He ground a 6” mirror and completed his first telescope, which gave him years of pleasure observing the heavens.  In 1973 David joined the US Navy and became an officer in 1980.  In 1986 as a Naval Officer stationed in Monterey, California he was involved with the Friends of MIRA (Monterey Institute for Research in Astronomy) where he conducted outreach to local schools associated with the return of Halley’s Comet.  David retired from the US Navy in 1993 and settled in Minnesota where he continues his love of astronomy. He has taught introductory Astronomy at a local community college and does extensive astronomy outreach both a NASA Solar System Ambassador and as President of the Minnesota Astronomical Society.

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