How to find Orion? Get a good star book!
I have had many in my life:
As a Gemini myself (born May 24, 1957), I love seeing The Twins -- Castor and Pollux -- featured on the cover of
The Stars. However, it is thanks to Orion -- nearly everyone's favorite constellation! right? -- that I know how to locate The Twins. It seems that in learning the stars, we are taught first about the Big Dipper, then the Little Dipper, but Orion is the one who stays with us over the years.
Back when I was in grade school, these two H. A. Rey constellation books were library favorites of mine. In 1999, I gave new copies to Ben & Sam for Christmas!
H. A. Rey (1898 - 1977) is of course best known for his creation of dear little
Curious George, and after that for his accessile explanations of astronomy. Maybe less so for his illustration book of Christmas Carols, but that's why I'm including it here -- because Christmas is coming and because the title song is about a star!
My mom had an old trusted book of constellations, the one she used to teach us kids:
The Stars by Clock and Fist; and from my 4th grade reading list, I had
What is a Solar System? A Child's Guide to the Stars (shown above & below). These two are still with me, but I seem to remember a third one that I liked even better, perhaps also from the Neosho Pulbic Library: a maroon hardback cover with an etched design of two children looking upward out of a window; and inside, a page about The Magi and their mystical understanding of the night sky. Will I ever find it or see it again?
Thank to my friend Claude
for letting me know about the work of
Martha Evans Martin & Will Tirion
Another one from Ben & Sam's Childhood
"As your bright and tiny spark,
Lights the traveller in the dark,—
Though I know not what you are,
Twinkle, twinkle, little star."
See Also
on QK: "The Faithful Beauty of the Stars"
on FN: "The Orion Connection"
