James Mullaney is an astronomy writer and lecturer who has published more than 700 articles and eight books on observing the wonders of the heavens, and logged over 20,000 hours of stargazing time with the unaided eye, binoculars and telescopes. Formerly Curator of the Buhl Planetarium & Institute of Popular Science in Pittsburgh and Director of the DuPont Planetarium, he served as staff astronomer at the University of Pittsburgh's Allegheny Observatory and as an editor for Sky & Telescope magazine. One of the contributors to Carl Sagan's acclaimed Cosmos PBS television series, his work has received recognition over the years from such notables (and fellow stargazers) as Sir Arthur Clarke, Johnny Carson, Ray Bradbury, Dr Wernher von Braun, and former student NASA scientist/astronaut Dr Jay Apt. His 50-year mission as a 'celestial evangelist' has been to 'celebrate the universe!' - to get others to look up at the majesty of the night sky and to personally experience the joys of stargazing. In recognition of his work, he has been elected a Fellow of the prestigious Royal Astronomical Society of London.

The very first work of its kind, Celebrating the Universe! is a tour of the wonders of the heavens, with a focus on the "soul" of the night sky. Astronomer and author James Mullaney has written this travel guide to the stars from a metaphysical and spiritual perspective in addition to a scientific one. The unique unifying theme throughout is the personal benefits of communing with these marvels firsthand—the joy and heady excitement of participating in the great cosmic drama unfolding nightly overhead.
Everything the budding stargazer and celestial pilgrim needs for this journey is contained within this volume, from how to observe the sky (with the unaided eye and binoculars) . . . to what to see—and why! This book covers:
• The Sun, the Moon, and all of the planets
• Comets, asteroids, meteors, and artificial satellites
• Variable and exploding stars, colorful double and multiple stars, and glittering star clusters
• Eerie glowing nebulae, our majestic Milky Way, and remote galaxies
Through exercises and reflections, you'll also learn about little-known aspects of stargazing such as therapeutic relaxation, celestial meditation, expansion of consciousness, spiritual contact, and astral travel; and you'll explore profound concepts such as our heritage as children of the stars (we are made of stardust!) and our cosmic destiny as citizens of the universe.