Starwatchers

A History of Discovery in the Night Sky

Joanne Baker

$39.99

Hardback

Forthcoming
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English

Bloomsbury
30 September 2025

Prose: non-fiction; Social & cultural history; Mathematics & Sciences; Cosmology & the universe

'An exhilarating exploration of how we've been touched by the cosmos across human history' LEWIS DARTNELL

'A contemplative journey ... illuminating how astronomy connects us to the stars, and also to each other' REBECCA BOYLE

What draws us to the night sky and how can we make sense of all that lies there?

In this unique synthesis of science and culture, former astrophysicist and writer Joanne Baker charts the global history of humanity’s relationship with the cosmos. Starting with the nearby Moon before venturing through the solar system to the stars and beyond, she unveils a rich mosaic of stories and research that illuminate the significance of celestial bodies in our everyday lives.

It is a history that transcends borders and cultural traditions, taking us from Mesopotamian moon worship to the science fiction of H. G. Wells and the discovery of black holes. Driven by a personal quest to understand the universe as more than just an abstract mathematical realm, Baker also includes her own sparkling first-hand experiences – from watching a total solar eclipse in Idaho to visiting an ancient observatory in Samarkand.

Starwatchers invites readers on an extraordinary journey through space that interrogates the boundaries of our earthly existence and encourages us to reflect on how we project meaning onto the skies.

By: Joanne Baker
Imprint: Bloomsbury
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 238mm, Width: 154mm, Spine: 28mm
Weight: 500g
ISBN: 9781526608055
ISBN 10: 1526608057
Pages: 272
Publication Date: 30 September 2025
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

Joanne Baker is a writer and editor. She holds a PhD in astrophysics from the University of Sydney and master’s degrees in natural sciences and landscape architecture from the Universities of Cambridge and Greenwich. Baker has a background in astronomy research, where she studied quasars, black holes, galaxy evolution, and cosmology. She has been a NASA Hubble Fellow at the University of California, a Royal Society University Research Fellow at the University of Oxford and a Radcliffe Fellow at Harvard University. She has written three books on physics and edited for Nature and Science magazines.

Reviews for Starwatchers: A History of Discovery in the Night Sky

Baker leads us on an exhilarating exploration of the other worlds of our solar system, and the distant stars and galaxies beyond. From the royal stargazers of ancient Babylon to the space probes and orbital telescopes of today, this is the fascinating story of how we've been touched by the cosmos across human history. My head is still reeling! -- Lewis Dartnell, author of BEING HUMAN