The book “O Céu nas Pontas dos Dedos”, by the astronomy promoter Guilherme de Almeida, was recently included in the Ler+ program of the National Reading Plan. António Piedade, coordinator of the project «Science in the Regional Press», interviewed that amateur astronomer.
Science in the Regional Press – Why did you write this book?
Guilherme de Almeida – After four books published on the subject, with different approaches and different levels of depth, I didn't stop there, and over the years I've been taking the pulse of readers and their interests and needs for support in knowledge of the night sky.
I found there was space and opportunity for a first-rate book, with figures appealing to the youngest, equipped with an interactive multifunctional tool that was easily adjustable by the reader, in order to show the visible sky at each date and at each hour, to any night of the year and valid for over 100 years.
Thus came “Heaven at the Fingertips”. The public needed a book with these new features and the ability to predict how the sky would look at the desired day and time.
The multifunctional tool I'm referring to is precisely the multifunctional celestial planisphere, which comes with the book and is a very simple to use way of accessing the sky, with 24 modes of use, all explained in the book.
“O Céu nas Pontas dos Dedos” became the new entry book. It is with him that one should start, paving the way for the other books mentioned above that develop and complement it.
The previous books were “Introduction to Astronomy and Astronomical Observations”, in collaboration with Máximo Ferreira, “Roteiro do Céu”, “Observar o Céu Profundo”, in collaboration with Pedro Ré, and finally “Telescopes”. All these books are published by Plátano Editora, from Lisbon.
CIR – What kind of readers did you have in mind when you wrote it?
Guilherme de Almeida – It can be said that it is a book for everyone, from 9 to 90 years old. In a first phase, “O Céu nas Pontas dos Dedos” is aimed at the lay public, including young people and adults curious about heaven.
But it's not just limited to that audience. After all, who has never wanted to know the name of a star? Or point your finger at a bright star with a household name? How can I find Regulus in Leão? Where is the constellation Scorpio? How to locate Orion and the Taurus on a winter night? And the Andromeda Galaxy?
With its celestial orientation diagrams, this book does not require the use or help of any optical instrument, so everyone can use it without the need for special equipment, gaining familiarity with the night sky. And it doesn't require prior knowledge either.
The book and the celestial planisphere are specifically designed for the national territory and the planisphere was designed for great versatility (it has 274 mm in diameter).
"Command the sky" with your own fingers, turning the celestial planisphere, it's fascinating and it was this slope which gave rise to the title of the work
If the reader really wants to participate in these “star journeys”, here is the invitation for this great adventure.
However, we don't stop there! The work was conceived in such a way as to allow the reader's progression to be followed, at different levels of use according to the profile, age and experience gradually acquired by each person.
As you learn more, you will find other ways to use the book and the celestial planisphere that accompanies it. From the novice to the experienced observer, whatever the age, as long as it can be read, everyone will find this work useful.
This also applies to people who claim to know nothing of the night sky: in a short time this will change. However, those who already know the night sky can use the capabilities of the celestial planisphere to plan their observation opportunities, make predictions and determine the best visibility times for each part of the sky they wish to explore — with the naked eye or with observation instruments, complementing the sky atlases...
CIR – Can this book help us to better understand astronomy? Like?
Guilherme de Almeida – Together with the accompanying celestial planisphere, “O Céu nas Pontas dos Dedos” will help the reader to easily locate and identify the main stars and recognize the constellations that populated the imagination of our ancestors and that still today serve us as a reference to locate the planets and other stars in the sky.
It is a work to follow the observations of the sky with the naked eye, which at first sight seems unambitious. Many will say: "Observing with the naked eye for what, when there are telescopes?"
But, it should be noted, knowing the sky with the naked eye is a very important requirement to then profitably use binoculars and telescopes, knowing where to point them and having the ability to orient yourself in the night sky.
In fact, there are many—too many—cabinets and storage rooms across the country, with telescopes abandoned to dust and oblivion, just because they were bought at a time when the interested party did not know the sky with the naked eye. Knowing the sky, exploring a telescope is much more productive and interesting.
Knowing how the sky “works”, throughout the hours of each night and throughout the months and seasons, is an interesting and useful learning experience, which opens the door to further observations and new horizons of understanding.
Following “Heaven at the Fingertips”, the reader will find a practical and easy-to-use guide, simple and concrete information, useful and straightforward unnecessary and demotivating advice, along with effective solutions to know the sky and start “with the foot right” his heavenly observations. It's like having a friend by your side who constantly supports you.
“Commanding the sky” with your own fingers, rotating the celestial planisphere, is fascinating and it was this aspect that gave rise to the title of the work.
In short, the reader is invited to practice and venture into the progressive knowledge of the firmament. The monthly positions of the planets, variable over time, are made available online by the author, until the year 2024, on the Editora's website, according to the indications given on page 21 of the book.
More information about the book can be seen here: http://www.platanoeditora.pt/?q=C/BOOKSSHOW/7595
CIR – Now that “O Céu nas Pontas dos Dedos” is on the Ler+ program of the National Reading Plan, do you expect it to reach other audiences?
Guilherme de Almeida – I think so. Through the National Reading Plan (PNL), the book goes more directly to youth audiences, traditionally curious about these subjects.
The inclusion of the book in the NLP will make the book known to this other audience to a much greater extent than the shelves of bookstores.
And also to the teachers of these young people and children, who will be able to use it to explain concepts, phenomena and examples in a direct and interactive way. Mimicking the apparent movement of the sky with your own fingers gives an indescribable feeling that everyone will appreciate...
CIR – How do you characterize the evolution of the dissemination of astronomy in Portugal in recent decades?
Guilherme de Almeida – In my opinion, this interest has been growing since the 50s. With the entry of Astronomy topics in elementary school (8th grade) in 1993, this interest grew even more.
That year, Máximo Ferreira and I published the first edition of our “Introduction to Astronomy and Astronomical Observations”, which since then has seen seven editions, all out of print.
Without false modesty, this book has contributed to an increase in that interest, shedding light on many subjects that the citizen interested in heaven would like to see explained in plain language.
This book shows how the reader can make astronomical observations for himself, instead of just reading about them, as it usually used to be, which gave the subject a new lease of life.
Interest in sky observation was also boosted by the visibility of two exceptionally bright comets that are visible to the naked eye: Hyakutake (1996) and Hale-Bopp (1997).
Guilherme de Almeida: «this book contributed to an increase in this interest, shed light on several subjects that the citizen interested in heaven would like to see explained in clear language»
An important expansion factor were the events and meetings for the dissemination of astronomical observations, such as Astrofesta and others, which gave the public access to observation with telescopes, in places with little light pollution, showing people that they could see with their own eyes much more than they ever thought possible.
Other factors in the expansion of interest in sky observation were the official dissemination programs, promoted by the Ministry of Education and by the Ciência Viva Agency: “Astronomia na Praia” and later “Astronomy in Summer”, whose implementation counted with the collaboration of hundreds of amateur astronomers and many dozens of telescopes placed throughout the Portuguese territory, allowing anyone to observe the skies (free of charge) and provide live explanations. There were even more than five or six Astronomy dissemination events per year. It reached a peak around 1998-2004.
Since then, there has been some decrease in the number of interested parties, with a curious cleavage. On the one hand, the number of people interested out of simple curiosity has reduced, although the sky continues to be available for us to observe, even if it is just for pleasure.
On the other hand, although the number of amateur astronomers has also decreased, their specialization has increased.
There are currently amateur astronomers doing work of excellent level and quality in terms of lunar and planetary photography, deep sky photography, observation and solar photography at various specific wavelengths.
Still others collaborate with professional astronomers in detecting extrasolar planets, automatic meteor recording, etc. These last activities are usually referred to as PROAM collaboration (collaboration between PROfessionals and AMadores).
The advancement of equipment, greater availability of telescopes and access to software to support all these activities were many other factors in triggering this specialization.
Science in the Regional Press – Ciência Viva
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