scientific article; zbMATH DE number 1930854

Recreational mathematics (00A08) General applied mathematics (00A69) Introductory exposition (textbooks, tutorial papers, etc.) pertaining to astronomy and astrophysics (85-01)

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Another book by the same author! (For the previous volume see Zbl 1018.85001). It is astonishing to discover how many interesting themes and results are hiding in the most ancient science. The chapters are as follows: The Moon, eclipses and occultations, Planetary motions, Planetary phenomena, On the celestial sphere and varia. Some of the discussed themes are: The Moon's elongation. Duration of the lunation and its variations. Brightness of the full Moon. More ``morsels concerning the eclipses: Total solar eclipses per country (list of 227 names!). Coverage of the globe by paths of totality. Is a noncentral annular-total solar eclipse possible? Do the eclipses occur on Christmas? Long-duration eclipses. Lunar eclipses on Easter Sunday. Simultaneous occultations of stars by planets and minor planets. Mutual occultations of them. Long-period variations of planetary orbits. Mars closest approaches to Earth. Interesting facts concerning minor planets (lost and found, remarkable orbits). Cometary orbit's evolution. Motions of satellites. Planetary conjunctions. Planet-star conjunctions. Groupings of planets, Transits of Mercury. Position of Saturn rings. Equinoxes and solstices on Uranus and Neptune. Transits as seen from Pluto. The shortest day, culmination and transit. The pole motion. 21(22) zodiacal constellations! Precession, aberration, nutation, apparent positions of stars. Tropical year duration? List of special astronomical phenomena during the 21st century. Twilights duration. Some astronomical anomalies and popular misconceptions as well as incorrect definitions. The whole text is full of explanatory figures and tables. I must repeat that this book, too, must be found on the shelves of serious amateur astronomers and in libraries of professionals.

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