Lost Stars

This book identifies the 'lost stars' of Bayer, Lacaille, Flamsteed, and other pioneering astronomers of the 17th and 18th centuries, and explains how and why these stars seem to have disappeared from modern star catalogues and atlases. In a style that will appeal to the novice as well as the seasoned astronomer, the author provides an introduction to early modern astronomy. The book reviews the composition and history of the 88 constellations recognised by the International Astronomical Union. In an account for each constellation the author includes a synopsis, in chart form, that tells the reader at a glance how many lettered or numbered stars there are in the constellation, the magnitude and catalogue numbers for those stars, and who first lettered or numbered each star. The author then describes the stars that have been 'lost' or mislabelled and explains, in detail, their troublesome status.