Legends of the Stars

The stories behind the constellations

Have you ever wondered how the constellations got their names? Or wanted to know the stories of the gods and heroes immortalised in the night sky?

In Legends of the Stars, Patrick Moore, Britain's best-loved astronomer and presenter of The Sky at Night for over fifty years, re-tells some of the stories behind these star-groups, and explains how to look for them in the heavens. From the great hunter Orion to his nemesis the Scorpion, and from Pegasus the flying horse to Jason's ship the Argo, he guides the reader through the celestial picture book, bringing alive some of greatest tales ever told. In an age when the ancient myths are seldom taught in schools, this is an ideal book for anyone who has ever gazed at the stars and asked themselves how the names of the constellations came about.