Whenever I tell stories of our Hawaiian stars and constellations, people always ask me what books they should buy. Here is my most recent list, which contains some new materials as well as classics.
And. . . if you are in Hilo stop by Basically Books, at 334 Kilauea Ave, Hilo, HI 96720. Phone them at 1-808-961-0144. Email to bbinfo@basicallybooks.com. The folks there know books, so ask them what they recommend for your specific interest area.
Purchasing through Basically Books helps a family-owned business in Hilo! They also can ship many items!
Purchasing through the Amazon affiliate links helps keep this website running, as it is my own labor of love. Both choices are appreciated!
NA INOA HOKU: HAWAIIAN AND PACIFIC STAR NAMES
Rubellite Kawena Johnson, John Kaipo Mahelona, and Clive Ruggles
The foundation book around which you should build your Hawaiian astronomy library is Nā Inoa Hōkū, the seminal compendium of Hawaiian astronomical lore. When originally published in 1975 it was the first, and remains the most comprehensive such work. Hawaiian scholars Rubellite Kawena Johnson and John Kaipo Mahelona created a work that is still widely regarded as a definitive source of reference for anyone interested in the use of astronomy in Polynesian voyaging or the nature and development of ritual and calendrical practices throughout the Pacific.
Working together with British archaeoastronomer Clive Ruggles, the authors have extensively revised and extended the catalogues and transformed the discussion of their wider context and significance, resulting in a much stronger focus upon the rich historical legacy of the Hawaiian Islands themselves. This new edition of Nā Inoa Hōkū is completely overhauled, vastly expanded, and includes new translation of many key primary Hawaiian sources from the mid-nineteenth century onwards.
Stars Over Hawaiʻi
Edwin H. Bryan, Richard Crowe, Timothy F. Slater
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Another foundational book for your library is Stars Over Hawaiʻi. For many of us who grew up in the islands, this was our first book on astronomy which centered the Hawaiian night sky, rather than the sky over North America. This is an excellent introduction to the science of Astronomy. It includes some of the Greek and Roman mythology associated with the constellations, twelve monthly star charts, and two charts with Hawaiian star names.
Readers can learn about “Lahaina Noon,” when the sun casts no shadow, a phenomenon exclusive to latitudes near the equator, and will be introduced to Hawaiian Astronomy through legend, surviving oral history, and the ongoing observation of the skies and our planet.
It includes the Hawaiian Moon Calendar is discussed and the Nights of the Moon are depicted and labeled in Hawaiian and other Pacific languages. The Polynesian Voyaging Society’s Star Compass is included.
First published over 60 years ago, this latest edition builds upon a solid foundation to bring star gazers up to date with current statistics and theories about our universe. Stars Over Hawai i marries the knowledge of the masterful navigators and astronomers of ancient Hawai i with today’s astronomy experts to bring you an integrated view of Hawai i’s skies, past and present.
North Star to Southern Cross
Will Kyselka, Ray Lanterman
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North Star to Southern CrossInformed by a decade of teaching audiences in the Bishop Museum planetarium and star parties by the sea with thousands of young people, the book was designed to provide a framework for understanding the heavens. It is intended for a range of readers, from youngsters to adults, from country folk to city dwellers, from the arm chair enthusiast to the avid night hiker.
Filled with images and charts, and easy-to-read text, this book is an excellent starting point for the new star gazer, and a great refresher for the experienced.
Moʻolelo Kilo Hōkū
by Leilehua Yuen
To purchase, contact Basically Books, 334 Kilauea Ave, Hilo, HI 96720. Phone them at 1-808-961-0144. Email to bbinfo@basicallybooks.com.
This log book for charting Hawaiian stars goes far beyond the usual offering. Written in both Hawaiian and English, it is useful for anyone studying astronomy and/or the Hawaiian language. Yuen gave talks on Hawaiian astronomy for over 20 years. She is now putting all of that research into a series of books on Hawaiian astronomy.
In addition to charting pages for sketching your observations and making notes, there are sample pages showing how to use the charts, an astronomy vocabulary/glossary section which lists the Hawaiian and English translations of astronomical terms, constellations, stars, etc. Hawaiian stories of some famous constellations are included.
Another unique feature is the chart of the Hawaiian lunar phases which shows the orientation of the moon when it rises.
Charts include traditional Hawaiian calendar systems from different areas in the archipelago and a chart of principal meteor showers.
Ample room for notes and clippings, and a bibliography with both book titles and URLs complete the workbook.
On the cover, be sure to write your own name in as co-author!
161 pages, approximately 30 are resource/info and the remaining are sky charts for you to fill in.
Back cover text in Hawaiian: Ua hoʻomaka ʻo Leilehua Yuen e aʻo aku i nā haʻawina kilo hōkū i ka makahiki 1997 i ka manawa mua āna i aʻo aku i nā moʻolelo hōkū ma ka Visitor Information Station i Mauna Kea.
Aʻo aku ʻo Kumu Leilehua i nā haʻawina kilo hōkū ma ke ʻano he haʻi moʻolelo. Ua koho ʻo ia i nā moʻolelo piha hoʻi me nā kaona i mea e makana aku ai i nā haunauna e hiki mai ana.
Hoʻokumu ʻia kēia puke moʻomanaʻo o no ke kōkua ʻana iā ʻoe e aʻo aku e pili ana i nā moʻolelo kilo hōkū, nā ʻikepili, nā kuhikuhina o ke kilo ʻana, a me ka hoʻopaʻa ʻana i nā mea i kilo ʻia ai.
Back cover text in English: Kumu D. Leilehua Yuen has taught perspectives of Hawaiʻi astronomy since 1997 when she gave her first presentation on Hawaiian star lore at the Visitor Information Station on Mauna Kea.
Kumu Leilehua approaches Hawaiian astronomical concepts from the perspective of a storyteller, seeking to leaarn what lessons were considered so important that they were encoded into tales passed down through the generations.
This logbook is designed to help you begin your journey in learning about Hawaiian star lore by providing some background information, som suggestions for how to record your own observations, and a simple format for recording them.
A starfinder is a useful tool for observing the night sky. I use this one.
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Star Finder