Stars presents 20 unique pin-hole constellation cards for helping families and stargazers find the shapes in the night's sky, along with a companion book exploring the significance of these stellar patterns.

This portable and interactive kit includes a mix of northern- and southern-hemisphere constellations, such as:

• Orion
• Bootes
• Taurus
• Virgo
• Perseus
• Ursa Major
• Crux
• Hydra
• ... and many more

Once you've used the cards to identify the shapes in the night sky, read through the book to learn about their mythological and cultural history, as well as all of the fascinating deep sky objects and celestial events the constellations are home to. 

Noticing the constellations in the night skies above can foster a sense of curiosity and awe like nothing else on Earth. With a mix of scientific fact and meditative insight, this kit will help you discover how the twinkly skies can connect us all more deeply to our inner selves. This is the perfect gift for a night of stargazing or for those embarking on a stargazing holiday.

Mark Westmoquette is an astronomer, ordained ex-Zen monk, and pilgrimage walker. He regularly teaches courses and workshops in mindfulness, meditation, and yoga. Mark was a scientist researching astronomy at the European Southern Observatory in Munich and at UCL in London. He regularly blogs at www.youruniverseyoga.co.uk about the mindful journey of the outer universe to the inner universe. He is the author of Mindful Thoughts for Stargazers, Stars, and The Mindful Universe.

CONTENTS

Introduction to the night skies  4
How to use the kit

1. Orion  8
Fierce compassion

2. Ursa Major  14
A view that connects all of humanity

3. Ursa Minor  20
Navigating life

4. Boötes  26
Losing touch with the old ways

5. Cassiopeia  32
Vanity

6. Cygnus  38
Bridges to enable relationships

7. Taurus  44
Finding awe and beauty

8. Perseus  50
The changing nature of things

9. Auriga  56
Craving simplicity and quiet

10. Lyra  62
The beautiful music of life

11. Scorpius  68
Instinctual fears

12. Tucana  74
Neighbours and relationships

13. Crux  80
Emptiness and potential

14. Centaurus  86
Suffering, wants and aversions

15. Sagittarius  92
The arrow of time

16. Carina  98
Keeping an even keel

17. Virgo  104
The rhythms of life

18. Eridanus  110
Life’s path is like a river

19. Hydra  116
Distractions

20. Cetus  122
The influence of ideas

Endmatter: Reading resources & acknowledgements  128