Originally published in 1988, this dictionary explores the origins of a large number of astronomical names, including the better-known stars, the constellations, all the planets and many of their satellites. It also provides information on major features on celestial bodies, such as the craters and 'seas' of the Moon, the largest of the minor planets and a number of nicknamed nebulae, star clusters and other formations. For ancient names, the stories behind the names are outlined and interpreted, and for the most recent names, from the sixteenth century onwards, the history of the name and particulars of the namer(s) and occasion of naming are also given.

A substantial introduction considers the whole subject of astronomical names, at both scientific and popular levels, and the dictionary contains two important appendices - the first giving brief biographical particulars of the many people who have given their name to a crater on the Moon (together with the locations of the Moon's craters) and the second giving the origins, as far as they are known, of the names of the first 1000 minor planets to be discovered.