The publisher's price is £14.99 but our price is just £11.49 including UK mainland delivery.

The new Philip's Astronomy Starter Pack is an exciting new starter pack ideal for use in the British Isles, containing three essential items to introduce the beginner to the fascinating hobby of astronomy.

Philip's Glow-in-the-Dark Planisphere: This brand-new planisphere has been specially made so that, after being held under a bright light, the stars and the names and shapes of the constellations will glow in the dark for a period. It is both a fun and practical starfinder for identifying the stars and constellations visible on any night of the year from the UK, Northern Europe and Canada (51.5 degrees North); the star map is drawn by the well-known celestial cartographer Wil Tirion. A sheet explaining how to use the planisphere is included in the pack. A guide book is also included: Philip's Exploring Stars and Planets: A colourful and entertaining introduction to the exciting world of astronomy, this 80-page paperback is illustrated with more than 200 colour photographs, artworks and maps, as the author Ian Ridpath describes the latest developments in the fast-moving fields of space exploration and astronomy. Concise chapters introduce the Sun, the Earth and all the other planets in our Solar System. Then, moving further into space, the author examines the stars and galaxies, and explores the origin of the Universe. Philip's Solar System Poster: A large attractive folded wall chart (580 x 870mm) illustrating the planets and other bodies in the Solar System, with informative text and tables by Ian Ridpath.

The contents of the Astronomy Starter Pack in detail:

New - Glow-in-the-dark Plinisphere! the ever popular Philips Planisphere just got even better - you can now see the stars and constellations in total darkness without a torch!

As seen on Stargazing Live!

A practical and convenient hour-by-hour tracker of the stars and constellations. This invaluable tool has informed and educated generations of astronomers - (I have a battered and abused one that dates from the 1970s and it still gets regular use. James).

The glow-in-the-dark planisphere is in two parts: the star map base and the rotating oval overlay, which can be separated by unclipping the stud in the middle. Hold the star map beneath a bright light for a short period just before you use it to make the stars and constellations glow. Then turn the oval panel to the required date and time to reveal the whole sky visible from your location. The map, by the well-known celestial cartographer Wil Tirion, shows stars down to magnitude 5.

Much quicker and convenient to use than planetarium software on a computer - the great strength of the Planishere is that it can be used outside and direct comparisons can be made holding the Planisphere up agaist the sky to identify stars and other targets. This new glow-in-the-dark version makes that process even easier as a light source is not required.

Ideal for identifying constellations, the Planishere is supplied with a useful table of data that gives the positions of Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn until 2020. Sunset and sunrise times can be predited as well as the rise,set and high transit time (the point when an object is highest in the sky and best placed for observation or imaging) of stars and other targets.

Philip's Exploring Stars and Planets is a colourful and entertaining introduction to astronomy and written with 8 to 14 year olds in mind (not forgetting it's also useful for those of us who just behave like 8 to 14 year olds as well! Ed.).

The Atlas is illustrated with more than 200 colour photographs, artworks and maps, the majority of which have been chosen or created specially for this new edition.

Concise chapters introduce the Sun, the Earth and all the other planets in our Solar System. Then, moving further into space, the author introduces the stars, galaxies and the origin of the Universe.

Maps and charts for practical observing(see pictures).

Philip's Exploring Stars and Planets includes an entire set of star charts, showing all the stars visible to the naked eye. A budding astronomer will be able to use these charts to learn the constellations from any point on Earth. A large photograph of the Moon, with all the major features labelled, will encourage anyone with binoculars or a telescope to start Moon watching.

What's so great about Exploring Stars and Planets?

Ian Ridpath's excellent starter guide will inspire and inform explorers of all ages. Written in a format designed to engage children and young adults, it's clear text makes no assumptions and is ideal for young explorers aged 8 to 14 - but even adults will find much to marvel at in this comprehensive overview of the visible universe. The Atlas of Stars and Planets is the ideal guide book to accompany the use of binoculars or a small telescope.

Packed with easy-to-use star maps and colour illustrations this expertly written guide takes you on a tour of the night sky.

The star maps show easily recognisable naked eye stars and there are easy to understand "sign-post" diagrams of bright stars in simple star patterns to aid recognising major constellations.

This guide book educates and inspires and is an ideal introduction to the wonders of astronomy.

The book concludes with a quiz, so that the reader can test how much he or she has learned.

The author:

Ian Ridpath is a full-time writer, broadcaster and lecturer on astronomy. He is a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society and a member of the Association of British Science Writers.

Softback: 80 pages.

Philip's Solar System Poster: A large attractive folded wall chart (580 x 870mm) illustrating the planets and other bodies in the Solar System, with informative text and tables by Ian Ridpath.