Though our knowledge of the heavens has increased astronomically-pun intended-since 1895, when this primer on skywatching was first published, this work, with its Victorian charm and poetical bent that will remind readers of H.G. Wells and Jules Verne, remains a treat for fans of the night sky. Chambers has an equally pleasant approach to the hard science of his day-from a simple explanation of how the study of the stars is connected to with the terrestrial science of geography to his ponderings on the meanings of "temporary stars, " which we today understand are supernovas-as he does on the history of how we've observed the celestial realm, from a brief history of the constellations to an exploration of the stars in verse, from Shakespeare to Tennyson. A lawyer by profession, British author GEORGE FREDERICK CHAMBERS (1841-1915) was one of the most prominent amateur astronomers of the late 19th century. His books include Handbook of Descriptive and Practical Astronomy (1889) and Story of Eclipses (1902).