2nd, revised edition.This book compiles the updated and illustrated essays on astronomy and calendar reckoning in "The Hobbit", "The History of The Hobbit" and "Lord of the Rings" that one author of Codex Regius had previously published on Lalaith's Middle-earth Science Pages.Few are the story-writers who would observe the laws of the sky. And why would you, as a writer, bother? Aren't astronomical details use­less as long as you have a bestselling plot?Well, why would you ask for less than great authors like Mark Twain or J.R.R. Tolkien did? You do not need to study astronomy to use the stars and planets properly in your story. With astronomy freeware that can compute millenia into the past or future being available for every computer or mobile phone, there is no excuse left not to engage into this enlightening topic!This book may give you an idea how to apply the moon and the seasons in a narrative by examining in detail how Tolkien did it, still without our modern technical means. The moon is a significant actor in the plot of 'The Hobbit', and it drove Tolkien nuts.