<p>OK, an old question, but I believe this is the book you're looking for.</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/a5g2r.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/a5g2r.jpg" alt="The Stars by Clock and Fist" /></a></p>
<p>I was always partial to HA Rey's <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Stars:_A_New_Way_to_See_Them" rel="nofollow noreferrer">The Stars: A New Way to See Them</a>.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-03-07T23:49:14.620Z
+1 for HA Rey. My copy is over 60 years old and very worn.
John Doty
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-03-08T07:42:39.887Z
It's not old enough for you to not get credit for the answer. Thanks very much :-)
Mark Morgan Lloyd
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-03-07T21:44:19.173Z
2024-03-07T21:44:19.173Z
Bumptious Q Bangwhistle
<p>Thinking about this recent question <a href="https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/questions/52015/identify-t-shaped-constellation">Identify T-shaped constellation</a> the first thing I have to say is that I applaud the poster for actually looking up and noticing the stars: something that becomes harder every year, particularly from a city like London.</p>
<p>I remember coming across mention of a classic book called something like &quot;The Sky by Clock and Hand&quot;, which went a bit further than the usual &quot;star finder&quot; disc by guiding the reader between constellations by stepping around the sky using a handspan as the unit of angle.</p>
<p>Does anybody recognise the book? Is it still in print, and if not is there a PDF anywhere that could be recommended as a useful learning resource?</p>
<p>Googling for the two words &quot;handspan&quot; and &quot;angle&quot; turn up some useful resources, albeit not a step-by-step guide.</p>

<star><constellations>
Finding ones way around the sky
Mark Morgan Lloyd
# Finding ones way around the sky

(Asked by: username_0 on 2023-02-27)

Thinking about this recent question [Identify T-shaped constellation](https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/questions/52015/identify-t-shaped-constellation) the first thing I have to say is that I applaud the poster for actually looking up and noticing the stars: something that becomes harder every year, particularly from a city like London.

I remember coming across mention of a classic book called something like "The Sky by Clock and Hand", which went a bit further than the usual "star finder" disc by guiding the reader between constellations by stepping around the sky using a handspan as the unit of angle.

Does anybody recognise the book? Is it still in print, and if not is there a PDF anywhere that could be recommended as a useful learning resource?

Googling for the two words "handspan" and "angle" turn up some useful resources, albeit not a step-by-step guide.

**Tags:** star, constellations


---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2024-03-07. Score: 4 | Accepted answer

OK, an old question, but I believe this is the book you're looking for.

[![The Stars by Clock and Fist](https://i.sstatic.net/a5g2r.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/a5g2r.jpg)

I was always partial to HA Rey's [The Stars: A New Way to See Them](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Stars:_A_New_Way_to_See_Them).

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: +1 for HA Rey. My copy is over 60 years old and very worn.  
> **username_0**: It's not old enough for you to not get credit for the answer. Thanks very much :-)  

---

