Product Description
Astronomy: Journey to the Cosmic Frontier, 5th edition, provides enough content and background in astronomy so the student will be able to follow current developments in astronomy years after they complete the course. The historical development of astronomy is emphasized to show that astronomy, like other sciences, advances through the efforts of many scientists, and to show how present ideas have been developed. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Disapointed.
When I recieved the book it was not "new" like the seller stated. It is obviously used. The edges are bent, there was sticky residue on the cover, a hole on the spine. I would have been perfectly happy if the seller listed this book as "good condidtion" I would not of had any problems. He listed it as "new" so I expected it to also come wrapped in plastic. The seller also listed saying it would come with the Stary Nights program. After I ran my card through I get an Email saying it would not come with the DVD. So to anybody else who buys from this buyer make sure you contact him before you buy. He is a shady one. 1 star. Extremely disapointed. Will NEVER do business with him again.

Textbook Review
The product was new and in perfect condition, as stated by seller. The product arrived quickly and promptly. Wonderful product and seller! ... Read more

Product Description
With 21st Century Astronomy, students see the universe through the eyes of a scientist.
21st Century Astronomy’s distinctive writing style, superior art, and supporting media package all work together to teach students how science works, help students visualize basic concepts and physical processes, and keep students focused on the “big picture.”

For the Third Edition, the entire text has been reread from a student’s perspective and rewritten to eliminate jargon and ensure that the book’s hallmark tone resounds throughout every chapter. New Visual Analogy icons help students connect the textual analogies used to describe physical processes with the figures that illustrate them, and new AstroTour animations and simulations developed at the University of Nebraska provide students with opportunities for interactive learning.

... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

book
Needed this textbook for class... received it very fast and the book was in great condition!

great
I bought the book and received it in less than 3days. It was exactly what I expected, in gread condition. Very pleased. ... Read more

Product Description
Astronomy in Depth fills the need for a textbook that covers pre-university level Astronomy courses (in the UK, the GCSE syllabuses) and provides numerical examples to help students. It is also written as a serious foundation in Astronomy for amateurs who want to take a more detailed approach than can be found in the bulk of introductory astronomy books. Almost every aspect of astronomy is considered, from Earth and its place in the solar system, through instrumentation, the planets, stars, and galaxies, to black holes and the beginnings of cosmology. This book is perfect for anyone who wants to get to know astronomy in detail, as quickly as possible. ... Read more

Product Description
This is a fascinating introduction to the history of Western astronomy, from prehistoric times to the origins of astrophysics in the mid-nineteenth century. Historical records are first found in Babylon and Egypt, and after two millennia the arithmetical astronomy of the Babylonians merged with the Greek geometrical approach to culminate in the Almagest of Ptolemy. This legacy was transmitted to the Latin West via Islam, and led toCopernicus's claim that the Earth is in motion. In justifying this Kepler converted astronomy into a branch of dynamics, leading to Newton's universal law of gravity. The book concludes with eighteenth- and nineteenth-century applications of Newton's law, and the first explorations of the universe of stars. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

A Wonderful Introduction to Astronomy
Astronomy is one of the oldest intellectual disciplines, and together with mathematics it has a distinction that its history can be traced continuously for several thousands of years. In fact, it is probably much older than mathematics, since we have indirect evidence that even the Stone Age peoples had used positions of stars in the sky for navigation, not to mention all the effort that had gone in the understandings of the sun and the moon. It is maybe somewhat surprising to the moderns that for the better part of its history astronomy had a very practical and sometimes crucial role to play in human societies. As has already been mentioned, being able to predict positions of the stars was invaluable in navigation, and the monthly and yearly positions of the moon and the sun were crucial for the planning of large and predictable agricultural projects.

This very short introduction aims to recapture some of these historical developments. It deals with all the major highlights in the (recorded) history of astronomy up to the middle of the nineteenth century. It is a fascinating look at the way that our understanding of the humanity's place in the universe has developed. I particularly enjoyed the fact that the author did not go down the trite and misleading "religion vs. science" path when approaching this subject, and showed how for each astronomical development there have been many points of view within religious community itself. Furthermore, many (most?) religions do rely on astronomical phenomena for their religious observances, and have throughout history been major supporters of astronomical research.

This is very well written and accessible book. As someone who enjoys reading about both history and science I have been practically glued to it. I highly recommend it.

The History of Astronomy
This "Short Introduction" was certainly informative for me. And it was what I expected. Now, I hope that there will be a sequel that picks up where this one ends, updates us readers into the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.

Big Bang for the Buck!
I love this Oxford "A Very Short Introduction:..." series. I have quite a collection and have yet to find an edition I didn't enjoy reading or learn something new from. If you want an accessible introduction to a new difficult subject, this series is the place to begin from.

A lucid overview
Lucid overview of the development of astronomy as a science, from ancient times till the mid-19th century.

Centuries of Astronomy in 123 Pages
This is an excellent short history of developments in astronomy from prehistory to the 19th century. And there is perhaps no one better suited than Michael Hoskin to write it: he is the editor of the `Cambridge Illustrated History of Astronomy'; he has also been the long-standing editor of the `Journal for the History of Astronomy.' He if anyone can distill millennia of stargazing to under 125 pages.

The six short chapters cover the sky in prehistory, astronomy in antiquity, astronomy in the middle ages, the Copernican revolution, astronomy in the age of Newton, and developments in stellar and nebular astronomy (looking beyond our solar system). The book also provides a number of useful illustrations.

This is a great primer, a perfect pocket introduction to the history of astronomy. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (61)

Good and interesting, better used as a modern complement to other books
This is a good and informative book that is amusing to read. It is hard to add anything to what has already been written in these reviews but here comes my little contribution. There is a wealth of information in this book, although, as other stated, biased towards dobsonians. My favourite parts are the good description of modern type of oculars and on urban observing skills. I think that Sidgwick's "Amateur Astronomer's Handbook" contains much more substance than this book, but as it is badly dated, I find the combination of both a very complete set of information for the amateur astronomer.
My only negative comment on this book is on the opening sentence in hack 27 ("Maintain an observing notebook"): "Being organized makes your observing sessions more productive". Of course the importance of a logbook cannot be overestimated in science (I am a scientist and know what I am talking about) and it is also central for the serious amateur astronomer. However, I was struck by the mentioning of the concept "productivity", as it seems to me extraneous and disquieting in the context of a hobby. Beware that this is my personal opinion, I really do not want to care about "productivity" in my hobby. As an amateur astronomer I observe the skies for the only sake of enjoyment and the feeling of awe about nature (although I do have an sketch- and logbook!).

Slightly silly title for a great book
While it is true that this book is "biased" in the sense that it concentrates mainly on Dobsonion Reflectors (and the cover is therefore somewhat misleading), that doesn't bother me at all since a Dob is what I own! In any case Dobs are easily the most common telescopes amongst amateurs in my part of the world (New Zealand), where SCTs are rarer than in the USA. It is also clear that the authors prefer reflectors. This book really is a must for anyone starting out with a Dobsonion. It is packed full of great tips and handy advice. I use it as a reference book. If I had bought this before buying my first eyepieces, I would have saved several hunded dollars. They were right, I was wrong. It is quite common with technical books for reviewers to say that the book will save you more than its purchase price, but in the case of this book it is absolutely true. This book represents the best money you will ever spend on your hobby. I have only two (very minor) quibbles. Firstly, it is written with an American readership in mind rather than an international one. I can't hold a quarter at arm's length, I'm not certain what the milk jug referred to is (is it the same as our plastic milk bottles?), and I will pass on the authors' advice to take a revolver with me when I observe out in the countryside!! The other tiny quibble is that the glossy paperback cover has a tendency to curl a bit. Nevertheless, I don't hesitate to give this book the full 5 stars, since if I ever lost it I would simply have to buy another copy immediately. It will really help you get the best performance out of your telescope.

Boring and nearly useless
I don't know which is sadder, that this miserable and embarrassing book exists - or is it a marketing brochure for the eyepiece industry? - or the overwhelmingly positive reviews of equally dubious merit that is has received. If you know nothing about astronomy and telescopes, do NOT read this book and put down this review - get thee to Sidgwick, Muirden, Menzel and the like from earlier days. In the past, astronomy had a dignity that placed it beyond "hacking" and consisted of a solid body of knowledge that was passed on from one generation to the next. Today, the books likely to be found are either exercises in hyperbole and logorrhea over pure speculations, rather than solid presentations of established facts which demand some effort on the part of the reader beyond a gaping mouth - or else marketing pamphlets for the cheap Dobsonian and ultra expensive eyepiece market. These modern books (and the one under consideration is one of the worst) impart neither knowledge nor ability, and tend to be inadvertent confessionals of the author's ignorance and worse, his lack of even understanding the intellectual ethos in which astronomy once was, and properly should be, surrounded. He knows neither the facts nor the rules, and acts an embarrassing oaf among good company.

I will not even begin to list the countless whoppers in this horrible work, starting with its smart-aleck title. It may as well have been gracelessly copied directly from the author's note pads, which might have been filled with "star party" and online folk wisdom, something that exists solely to justify the endless chase after equipment at the expense of developing observing skill. I would be frankly embarrassed to be associated with it in any way.

-antimatter33

Stellar (pun intended)
I ordered this book encouraged by enthusiastic user reviews, and it actually surpassed my wildest expectations. The book will guide, teach and even entertain you. One doesn't expect a sense of humor in a collection of highly specialized technical advice - yet there it is! I've had my first telescope (an 8" Dobsonian) for less than a month, yet thanks to this book I'm already achieving wonderful things with it.

The authors state that one of their goals in writing this book was wanting to "pay forward". In other words, they can't pay back the many experienced astronomers who helped them learn the ropes, so now they're helping others to learn and enjoy the hobby. This reminded me of something that happened to me when I was a student. I hitched a ride, and the guy who pulled over told me: "But you must return this favor". When he saw the puzzled expression on my face, he continued: "Not to me, just give someone else a ride, when you have a car". And that's what I've done. Many times. And I truly appreciate gifts such as delivered by Robert and Barbara, the authors of this book.

Astronomy Hacks to the Rescue!
In this hectic world of rushing around, some of us are lucky enough to get outside and enjoy the night sky from time to time. This book will help you get the most out of your time practicing amateur astronomy. It's a collection of advice, short essays, tips and tricks that will help you get up to speed without many of the frustrations typically encountered when learning this hobby.

The authors jump right in with invaluable tips that every amateur astronomer should know. The first chapter is loaded with goodies that will help you get geared up and understand basic safety, observing site etiquette, preparation, and offers advice on choosing the right equipment.

From there, you are taken into the field with a heap of great observing hacks. Starting with the basics like how to keep your night vision, you'll learn how to describe the brightness of an object, identify stars by name and understanding the various celestial coordinate systems. Fundamentals like learning to locate objects geometrically, star hopping, and learning to see both deep & shallow space objects are also covered here.

Urban observing skills, organized logging, and how to prepare for and run a Messier Marathon are included as well. The book closes with chapters covering scope and accessory hacks like collimation, tricking out your Dobsonian, aligning and upgrading your finder scope, and help on choosing planetarium software for your computer.

The hacks vary in length from quick single-pagers up to some very thorough ten-plus page hacks. The book contains many black & white photographs that compliment the text. When you decide it's time to clean your primary mirror for example, several photos of the multi-step process help guide you through. Icons accompany each hack, indicating the relative complexity of the hack, from beginner to expert. Each hack is numbered (from 1 to 65) and cross references are shown where related hacks are mentioned.

Other reviews of this book mention the authors' bias towards Dobsonian scopes. The authors don't have blinders on; they thoroughly describe many types of telescopes (and binoculars) and the advantages and disadvantages of each type. They have spent a huge amount of time in the field and they are simply reporting their observations when they say "If you attend a large star party, you'll probably see more Dobs than all other types of scopes combined." The reason so many people buy them is simple: Dobs offer arguably the best bang for the buck. If you're a beginner, you'll do well to learn the basics of star hopping and celestial navigation without relying on the crutch of a go-to scope. Have the batteries in your GPS ever died when you were in an unfamiliar area? Good thing you know how to read a map. ;)

Astronomy Hacks is the second book I've read by the dynamic duo of Robert & Barbara Thompson. Theirbook Illustrated Guide to Astronomical Wonders was an excellent read and continues to be a great resource. I highly recommend both of these books. ... Read more

Product Description

This book contains everything an astronomer needs to know about binocular observing. The book takes an in-depth look at the instruments themselves. It has sections on evaluating and buying binoculars and binocular telescopes, their care, mounting, and accessories. In addition there is a selection of fifty fine objects to be seen with 50mm and 100mm binoculars.

The advantages of using both eyes for astronomical observing are many and considerable, largely because of the way the human brain processes visual information. This book enables the astronomer to maximize those advantages.

Product Description
Astronomy: Journey to the Cosmic Frontier, 5th edition, provides enough content and background in astronomy so the student will be able to follow current developments in astronomy years after they complete the course. The historical development of astronomy is emphasized to show that astronomy, like other sciences, advances through the efforts of many scientists, and to show how present ideas have been developed. ... Read more

Product Description

The common perception of Celestial Mechanics is that of a discipline which needs advanced mathematics and astronomy to be understood. Yet modern Celestial Mechanics has a rather different taste and a truly interdisciplinary nature. The number of celestial objects known to mankind has dramatically increased, the long-awaited presence of extrasolar planets has been eventually detected around other stars, spaceflight dynamics has brought new applications encompassing rocked dynamics, the place-in-orbit of artificial satellites and interplanetary mission design. Solar System exploration has grown as a long term strategy for the construction of a permanent base on the Moon and a manned mission to Mars.

The aim of the book is to show to the people at large, as well as to a more skilled audience, the many fascinating aspects of modern celestial mechanics. After giving to the reader the necessary technical tools needed for a basic understanding of the underlying physical phenomena (using only elementary mathematics), facts and figures are provided on historical events, modern discoveries and future applications. Contents are divided into major topics where the three "souls" of modern celestial mechanics (dynamical systems, Solar System & stellar systems, spaceflight dynamics) play a major role. As an example, spin-orbit resonances can be explained using fractional algebra and subsequently described in action as "cosmic spinning tops". Easily observable effects such as the existence of a "dark side of the Moon" (and of many other satellites) can be compared to the "complete synchronous rotation" achieved by a geostationary telecommunication satellite in order to be always in view of the receiving parabolas on the ground. On longer time scales, the consequences of spin-orbit interaction may dramatically change the evolution of a planet when chaos enters the scene and must be taken into account in searching habitable planets around other stars.

Customer Reviews (3)

Celestial Mech: Waltz of the Planets
This book on celestial mechanics is very thorough and a good value.
Though written by Italian astronomy colleaguesit is in good
to excellent English. It has little mathematics except geometry and that was a disappointment to me. Good coverage of chaos theory as it applies to celestial mechanics. Primarily deals
with the Solar System.

Good Primer for Celestial Mechanics
I had always been curious about how and why things worked in our solar system.This book did a good job of answering my questions.As stated in the product description, only "elementary mathematics" are employed, but the instances of math usage are for illustrative purposes only, and are NOT essential for understanding the material presented.In fact - in my opinion - getting value from this book requires no practical application of mathematics on the part of the reader at all.However, I did find the text to be quite technical (as expected), and a basic understanding of astronomical terms and concepts is necessary in order to grasp the material.(Example glossary term:"Resonance:A commensurability among the periods of motion of two or more celestial bodies.The most common resonances are the mean motion resonances, which involve the revolution periods of different celestial bodies, and the spin-orbit resonances between the revolution and the rotation periods of the same celestial body.")I give it five stars for telling me what I wanted to know.This is not only a good beginner's book for someone who is interested in a further study of celestial mechanics, but it would also provide useful information for a beginning astronomer as well.

Quick overview of recent developments
Celestial mechanics studies the motion of bodies (stars, planets, satellites, etc.) under gravity.This book provides a quick overview of the subject, focusing especially on recent developments.The book presumes some knowledge of astronomy, but it's suitable for any amateur astronomer.(It contains virtually no math.)My primary objection to this book is that it doesn't explain many of the phenomena that it mentions.The book includes both a glossary that defines jargon and a guide to further information.

Contents:

Ch. 1: history of the subject; terminology regarding orbits
Ch. 2: chaotic orbits and the multi-body problem
Ch. 3: orbital resonances: their role in the motions of moons and asteroids, and their exploitation by interplanetary probes
Ch. 4: spin-orbit resonances: tidal forces; synchronous resonance; geosynchronous satellites; obliquity; precession and its exploitation in archaeoastronomy
Ch. 5: stability of the solar system; paths of comets, meteorites, and asteroids
Ch. 6: danger of asteroids colliding with the Earth
Ch. 7: motions of the moon; eclipses; the moon's role in the creation of life; novel trajectories to the moon
Ch. 8: spacecraft flight: "halo" orbits; space debris around Earth; interplanetary trajectories (Hohmann transfer orbits, gravity assists)
Ch. 9: planetary rings: their structure; the Roche limit; shepherd satellites
Ch. 10: newly discovered objects in the solar system (Centaurs, etc.)
Ch. 11: planets around other stars and the search for them (nulling interferometry) ... Read more

Product Description
Astronomy, astrophysics and space research have witnessed an explosive development over the last few decades. The new observational potential offered by space stations and the availability of powerful and highly specialized computers have revealed novel aspects of the fascinating realm of galaxies, quasars, stars and planets. The present completely revised 5th edition of The New Cosmos provides ample evidence of these dramatic developments. In a concise presentation, which assumes only a modest prior knowledge of mathematics and physics, the book gives a coherent introduction to the entire field of astronomy and astrophysics. At the same time it takes into account the art of observation and the fundamental ideas behind their interpretation. Like its predecessors, this edition of The New Cosmos will provide new insight and enjoyment not only to students and researchers in the fields of astronomy, physics and earth sciences, but also to a wide range of interested amateurs. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

The New Cosmos, Intro Astronomy & Astrophysics
This book meets my expectations in that it covers a wide variety of topics, in some detail.I wanted to take a "step up" regarding technical detail, and this book is what I was looking for.The only drawback is the occasional heavy mathematics, but this is something I can grow into, and is not essential to enjoying the book.

applies physics to astronomy
As a physics undergrad, an earlier edition of this book was one of our texts in 1982. The latest edition continues the tradition of providing a lucid description of the basic physical principles underlying astronomic phenomena.

Hence, you are shown how the temperature in a star can rise, because as its atoms fall towards each other under mutual gravity, the conservation of energy leads to an increase in kinetic energy and hence temperature. Enough to eventually trigger ignition of nuclear reactions. Well, provided the initial mass is large enough. Otherwise one gets brown dwarfs or gas giants like Jupiter.

Other subjects like spectroscopy are also derived from basic principles. It's nice to see how we can get the surface temperature of a star by looking at its spectrum and seeing which lines exist. And the strength of the magnetic field on its surface by the amount of splitting in certain lines. And even the rate of rotation by the minute Doppler shifts.

The evolution of the elements, from nuclear fusion, is well done. The text refers to the classic papers, including B2FH (Burbidge, Burbidge, Fowler and Hoyle). Other key contributors like Chandrasekhar get their fair mention.

A very good introduction to astronomy and astrophysics
It's not the flashiest text, I agree.But I think it can be used for a first course on astronomy and astrophysics (for students with some basic calculus and physics).

It covers everything:Celestial mechanics, the Sun and its planetary system, electromagnetic radiation, telescopes and detectors, astrophysics of individual stars, star clusters, interstellar matter, the Milky Way, galaxies, clusters of galaxies, cosmology, and cosmogony.But the style is concise, and there isn't enough space to cover it all in detail.It requires careful reading, and if used for a class, some topics probably need to be skipped or amplified by an instructor.

What would I add to it?Not much.Maybe a little more on planetary dynamics and magnetospheres, since I happen to find them interesting.Perhaps more material on relativity.

Solid astronomical textbook
This book may not be the most flashy in illustrations and will require that you actually read whole sections instead of just browsing the highlights in sidebars. But it does contain a lot of solid information going into more detail on several topics than other introductory textbooks. It is targeted rather at the graduating physics student than at an interested lay person.

German Science
Being a German-American, I thought this book would get to the rudiments of astrophysics - and it does. Unfortunately, I seem to fall asleep before reading a page or two. The book is full of information ... in TEXT form. The illustrations offered are dry and somewhat difficult to extract information from. The methods of problem solving assume that you have a good handle on the topics discussed already (not for introductory Astrophysicists). If you are in need of a book to give straight to the point explanations, and fundamental equations - you've found it! Try reading at a coffee shop, though - and no decaf! ... Read more

Product Description
The first edition of this very successful book was a winner of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific's "Astronomy Book of the Year" award in 1986. The popularity of the book's programs is based on the ease with which the amateur astronomer can perform calculations on a personal computer. The routines are not specific to any make of computer and are user-oriented in that they utilize a simple version of the BASIC programming language and require only a broad understanding of any particular problem. Seven new subroutines in this new edition can be linked in any combination with the existing twenty-six.Since the programs themselves take care of details, they can be used, for example, to calculate the time of rising of any of the planets in any part of the world at any time in the future or past, or they may be used to find the circumference of the next solar eclipse visible from a particular place. In fact, almost every problem likely to be encountered by the amateur astronomer can be solved by a suitable combination of the routines given in this book.Peter Duffett-Smith is the author of another popular astronomy book: Astronomy with Your Calculator (3rd Edition), also published by Cambridge University Press. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Review of Astronomy With Your Personal Computer
Good set of astronomical algorithms and GWBASIC code for them + explanations.Code would need to be converted into a more modern language, but the algorithms are just as valid.Of course, more extensive and precise algorithms exist, but these are a good optimization of simplicity and accuracy.

Excelent book with clearly commented source
I bought this book out of curiosity, and found the functions fun to play with. I ported some of them to 16bit assembly language and had to make a floating point adder as this book uses a lot of real type numbers.However, the code may not run in newer Basic compilers like Qbasic as the syntax is more for AppleIIe/Commodore 64 basics. So some porting will be necessary.

I can't believe this book is still available
I own the original 1985 printing.I bought it for use on my AppleII+ probably back in 1985.
All the code is written for very basic BASIC. Yes, it is all suppose to be written as ONE program.The code routines all use GOSUB's.None of it is written for todays BASIC, or even older Basics like QuickBasic.Trying to translate or port the routines to todays languages is nearly impossible. First, it only supports Integer numbers, no floating point, so there is high inaccuracies in the calculations.
You would spend more time trying to translate this code then you would going it from scratch.

This book is too outdated to be of any use on todays computer languages.It was great in its day - it's useless now.

excelent but Sadly out of Time .
Although the book covers a great range of astronomical programs, its psudo-code doesn't make for easy translation into other landuages like C++ or Pascal. He goes through the program one by one,but one can't help butfeel it was ment to writen as one big program. Not for the noviceastronomer or programmer.

Excellent but missing something...
As the book "astronomy with a calculator" this book lacks the concept of tracking outside our solar system (other stars and galaxies). The fact that BASIC is used is almost bad, a better language to displayscience in is Pascal or now Delphi. ... Read more

Product Description
Key Benefit:

Key Topics:

Charting the Heavens : The Foundations of Astronomy, The Copernican Revolution: The Birth of Modern Science, Light and Matter: The Inner Workings of the Cosmos, Telescopes: The Tools of Astronomy, The Solar System: Interplanetary Matter and the Birth of the Planets, Earth and Its Moon: Our Cosmic Backyard, The Terrestrial Planets: A Study in Contrasts, The Jovian Planets: Giants of the Solar System, Moons, Rings, and Plutoids: Small Worlds Among Giants, The Sun: Our Parent Star, Measuring the Stars: Giants, Dwarfs, and the Main Sequence, The Interstellar Medium: Star Formation in the Milky Way,  Stellar Evolution: The Lives and Deaths of Stars, Neutron Stars and Black Holes: Strange States of Matter, The Milky Way Galaxy: A Spiral in Space,

Normal and Active Galaxies: Building Blocks of the Universe, Hubble’s Law and Dark Matter: The Large-Scale Structure of the Cosmos, Cosmology: The Big Bang and the Fate of the Universe, Life in the Universe: Are We Alone?

Market: Intended for those interested in learning the basics of astronomy

Customer Reviews (1)

Excellent A to Z
I purchased the "International" edition of this book in a local book store so I'm assuming the difference being the conversion to metric units.
Although this book was wrapped and I couldn't open the book it immediately stood out from the rest of the books. So this was actually a wild guess but it turned out a real good one.

This book is so well written that you need very little knowledge of astronomy in advance. The average person with basic education could pick this one up and let himself/herself be guided from the first chapters where the basics of spectroscopy and gravitation are explained, followed by the A-Z of our neighboring planets, our star and the rest of the milky way, ending with the final chapters that deal with such topics as black holes and general relativity.

And what makes it even more great is that a code is included that enables you to view interactive animations and videos on the Pearson website which will clear up things that otherwise may look confusing in still pictures.

Very much recommended for people who aren't familiar with the workings of our solar system and universe.
They will learn all the basics (and they are a lot) of the universe.
But for people who are already familiar with astronomy will find this a good reference.

It is also updated with the latest theories and findings, including NASA info from 2008. ... Read more

Product Description

A brief, introductory astronomy book designed for readers with little or no scientific background, A Beginner's Guide uses an exceptionally clear writing style. The authors present a broad view of astronomy without complex mathematics, yet the book discusses important concepts without simplification. The book's organization follows the popular and effective “Earth-Out” progression, starting with our planet and then moving through the solar system. A study of the Sun as a model star follows, then the book covers the Milky Way Galaxy, cosmology, and the universe as a whole. Because of its easy-to-read yet comprehensive coverage of astronomy, this book can serve as excellent reference material for those readers interested in learning about our universe. Personal Response System: Through a partnership with Interwrite PRS, this text is available with the PRS clicker system. The Instructor Resource Center on CD-ROM contains conceptual "clicker" questions in PowerPoint.

Customer Reviews (11)

What I thought
exactly what I thought it was. Decent book, works great.
Make the most of life.

Quick Shipping from Seller
A++ Seller. Book came in a quick and timely manner... Received well before the start of class. Thanks

Just what I was looking for!
The person who sold me this book is a life saver! I need this book for my college class and as we all know college books are a rip-off! I saved $70 buying this book from here! Thank you!

Awesome purchase.
Fast turn around after purchase :) Very nice to do buisness with, was very satasfied with material. Thanks!!

Great. fast shipping.
After having problems with another seller for the same product. This seller was excellent, fast shipping, provided continuous communication in-order to be contacted, and considered the matter I dealt with previously, which, they expedited my order.I will most certainly purchase from this buyer again.Thank you again!
Trina ... Read more

Product Description
Look to the stars.

Although Astronomy has been around for more than 5,500 years, astronomers say that we've learned more than 90% of what we know about the universe in just the last 50-and much of that in the last decade! The Complete Idiot's Guide(r) to Astronomy, Fourth Edition, continues to be the most comprehensive introduction to the topic, covering all the latest advances and discoveries, including:
• The demotion of Pluto and promotion of Ceres as planetary objects
• Breakthrough evidence of recent water flow on Mars
• New developments in asteroid-tracking programs
• New information on the nature and shape of our universe
• Mind-bending theories concerning multiple universes
• Information on the latest telescopes

As a bonus, this book includes a fascinating CDROM with more than 200 of the most spectacular images from NASA, star maps, and other tools for backyard astronomers. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

In depth, entertaining and straightforward
I was looking for something a bit more technical but this book has given me a context in which I can fit a lot of my future endeavors in astronomy. I thoroughly enjoyed it, read it from cover to cover and will keep referring to it for its extensive lists of references. A book well researched and well written.

The Idiot's Guide to Astronomy
This was a great reference book for me, as I've been teaching astronomy to elementary homeschool students, but never actually taken a course in astronomy. I had the library book, but needed my own copy that I can underline. I didn't like some snide references to "those who believe in creationism" (not an exact quote), but the information was clearly presented in a way I could understand, so I can overlook such jibes.

sucks
HARD TO READ.NOT GOOD AT ALL!!!!!!!!
THE COPY I HAVE IS HOLDING UP A
BROKEN SHELF.

Kindle version needs some work
Amazon needs to repair the kindle version. On almost any given page you will find words put together that shouldn't be, and it slows down the reading when your brain has to take the time to figure out what the words really are. In other words, spaces are missing in many places throughout the text. For example, one paragraph reads in part, "If the face of the moon presented a puzzle to our ancestors, the way the Moon apparentlychanged shape surely also fascinated them. One night, the Moon might be invisible (a "new Moon"); then, night by night, it would appear to grow (wax), becominga crescent...."

Otherwise, the book is a terrific read, and I learned some things even my college Astronomy class didn't teach.

A good start
This book has stimulated my interest in astronomy.It is very timely as I have been watching the progress of the Phoenix lander on Mars. ... Read more

Product Description
An accessible guide to the wonders of the night sky, now updated
From asteroids to black holes, from quasars to white dwarfs, this new edition of Astronomy For Dummies takes backyard stargazers on a grand tour of the universe. Featuring star maps, charts, gorgeous full-color photographs, and easy-to-follow explanations, this fact-filled guide gives readers a leg up on the basic principles of astronomy and shows how to get the most out of binoculars, telescopes, planetarium visits, and other fun astronomical activities. This updated edition includes an updated color signature and covers the many discoveries made in recent years, as well as new astronomy Web sites. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (30)

Liked the book, pleasantly surprised
Used this book to pass a college course on astronomy, was pleasantly surprised with the information. Would recommend it for the not very very serious student. Good for parents: Overcoming ADHD Without Medication: A Parent and Educator's Guidebook World Poetry: Dawn of a New Discovery: Poems of Life, Wonder, Conflict, and Far Away Places

Stargazing through Amazon
This is a great book for beginners in the field of Astronomy. Unlike some of the other books I considered purchasing, it is clear cut and easy to understand. Enough content to keep you interested, but not so much it will bog down a beginner.I do wish it had information on astrophotography. If it is there, I have not come across it yet. There are only eight pages of color photos,and more color photos of what you might see would be very helpful. I am planning on using this book in conjunction with a new telescope and the information it provides will certainly get me around the Universe in an informative and fun manner. I am looking forward to getting into this book more as our Missouri sky warms this spring.
I was also fortunate to come across this book in a hard back version which I feel is much more practical due to the use this book will get! Amazon was the only source I found that offered a hard back version.

Not just for Dummies !!
Got it to help get back into a hobby I had many years ago.Found it easy to read, follow and at times funny while still learning.Great links included .

Gary,
Florida

Introductory Material but no math
I originally read this book for Science Olympiad to learn about the different types of galaxies and the math that went along with it. It was not very helpful in helping me identify the Deep-sky objects but instead only introduced the most general topics (such as black hole, planets, etc.) it also didn't have any math, which was essential for Science Olympiad. I was looking for something beyond this. However, it is an overall a good introductory material.

Thought the topics covered were very good!
For someone who is just entering this fascinating field, this is a great beginning place. The price is reasonable and topics are covered in a way that both keeps your attention and adds a little humor. Would advise anyone to start with this book.

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Product Description
Explorations:An Introduction to Astronomy is built on the foundation of its well known writing style, accuracy, and emphasis on current information. Accessible writing style that allows coverage of technically complex ideas without confusing students. Tom Arny and Steve Schneider give the students a reason to read every sentence.

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Customer Reviews (1)

Better than described
I ordered this book for a college class.It was the exact book for sale in the school book store.They only had new ones so I checked online using the book's isbn number.I found this one and it was described as good condition.I ordered it and received it far before the date I expected.Also, I considered it to be in very good condition, like new.I'm very pleased with the service I received, the item's condition, the speed of shipping and the safe condition is was shipped in.Thanks very much! ... Read more

Product Description
This book is primarily a practical guide for observers with normal or giant binoculars, or 'richest-field' telescopes, who wish to get the most out of their instruments. Apart from that, it is also a readable, well-illustrated book for 'arm-chair observers'. The central point of interest is wide-field astronomy - areas of the night sky that are particularly rich in objects. The Milky Way itself is the ultimate 'wide-field' object and therefore its general features and the regions rich in clusters and nebulae are described. A chapter on clusters emphasizes open clusters best viewed in binoculars followed by a chapter on large but faint nebulae invisible to standard telescopes but visible to binoculars. The last chapter deals with fields in which groups of bright galaxies can be seen. The full-page color and black-and-white photos are one of the best features of this book and make it appealing to the general reader. The practical observer is shown exactly where objects are with respect to one another. ... Read more

Product Description

After describing cosmic gamma-ray production and absorption, the instrumentation used in gamma-ray astronomy is explained. The main part of the book deals with astronomical results, including the somewhat surprising result that the gamma-ray sky is continuously changing.

Customer Reviews (1)

Great But Dated
This book was a great introduction, even if necessarily behind the latest in gamma astronomy. Read it for a good foundation and then hit the web. ... Read more

Product Description
In the last few years, digital SLR cameras have taken the astrophotography world by storm. It is now easier to photograph the stars than ever before! They are compact and portable, flexible to adapt with different lenses and for telescope use, and above all DSLR cameras are easy and enjoyable to use. In this concise guide, experienced astrophotography expert Michael Covington outlines the simple, enduring basics that will enable you to get started, and help you get the most from your equipment. He covers a wide selection of equipment, simple and advanced projects, technical considerations and image processing techniques. Unlike other astrophotography books, this one focuses specifically on DSLR cameras, not astronomical CCDs, non-DSLR digital cameras, or film. This guide is ideal for astrophotographers who wish to develop their skills using DSLR cameras and as a friendly introduction to amateur astronomers or photographers curious about photographing the night sky. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

OUTSTANDING ADDITION TO MY LIBRARY
BOOK IS VERY, VERY PRATICAL WITH "DOWN TO EARTH" EXPLANATIONS.EXCELLENT
PUBLICATION FOR THE NOVICE ASTRO-PHOTOGRAPHER AND BOOK CAN BE USED AS A
REFERENCE WHEN ATTEMPTING DEEP SPACE PHOTOGRAPHY.IT IS EVERYTHING
I HAVE EXPECTED AND MORE.

Astrophoto basics plus
Mr Covington is an amayeur astronomer who has taken some wonderful astrophotos and is well qualified to explain the hows of this art.He has written a straight forward, easy to understand book that makes the subject to digital photography easy for the average person.I found his explanations understandable, making sense to even my "photo challenged" mind. Excellent book!

Excellent resource for current information on DSLR Astrophotography
Michael Covington's new book contains the latest information, it was published in December of 2007, on recent cameras' and their features that apply to digital astrophotography. The author, after covering the DSLR features, makes informed recommendations regarding their use for astrophotography. I highly recommend this book.

DISAPPOINTING...
In first place, I bought this book because of it was recommended from Sky and Telescope.
But, when having it on my hands and after reading it I found:
1- Author is making constant references to his other two books, with no further explanations (if you want to know more, BUY my other books).
2- Book is soft cover and pictures are black and white.
3- Has many formulas. Amateurs want a "hands-on" style, not making calculations that show the author as "how much I know", that's not practical.
4- Many parts are really useful, and some others don't.
5- Some parts look like a handful of advices that you can find everywhere on the net.
6- He explains methods, that end up with author saying like "despite of this method I prefer..." and then he mentions another one. A waste of time!
7- Add the book cost, and this is not a deal.
Hope my review can be helpful to other people that as me, thought this book was a real good one (before purchase).

An informative read
No matter how much you know...there is always much more to learn. Thats the feeling I got after reading this book. I thought I knew a bit about photography and image processing, but it appears my knowledge had as many holes in it as a block of Swiss cheese. If you are new to astrophotography, this book should be your bible. If you already know a bit, there are still topics you may not have even considered. Highly recommended for the serious amatuer. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

Good, but Lost Star of Myth and Time is better
If you are interested in this book, you'll LOVE "Lost Star," by Cruttenden. You also might want to read Swami Sri Yukteswar's little book, "The Science of Religion," - even though it requires sustained concentration on every word. More accessible are related passages in Paramahansa's "Autobiography of a Yogi." ... Read more

Product Description
Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free.This is an OCR edition with typos.Excerpt from book:fifth century B.c. [the present reformed Jewish calendar dating from the fourth century A.d.], a date a " little more than a century after the grandfathers and great-grandfathers of those whose business is recorded had fled into Egypt with Jeremiah " (Sayce); and (2) that the order of intercalation at that time was not dissimilar to that in use at the present day.Then again, Knobel reminds us of " the most interesting discovery a few years ago by Father Strassmeier of a Babylonian tablet recording a partial lunar eclipse at Babylon in the seventh year of Cambyses, on the fourteenth day of the Jewish month Tammuz." Ptolemy, in the Almagest (Suntaxis), says it occurred in the seventh year of Cambyses, on the night of the seventeenth and eighteenth of the Egyptian month Phamenoth. Pingre and Oppolzer fix the date July 16th, 533 B.c. Thus are the relations of the chronologies of Jews and Egyptians established by these explorations.3. Ancient Greek Astronomy.We have our information about the earliest Greek astronomy from Herodotus (born48oB.C.). He put the traditions into writing. Thales (639-546 B.c.) is said to have predicted an eclipse which caused much alarm, and ended the battle between the Medes and Lydians. Airy fixed thedate May 28th, 585 B.c. But other modern astronomers, give different dates. Thales went to Egypt to study science, and learnt from its priests the length of the year (which was kept a profound secret!), and the signs of the zodiac, and the positions of the solstices. He held that the sun, moon, and stars are not mere spots on the heavenly vault, but solids; that the moon derives her light from the sun, and that this fact explains her phases; that an eclipse of the moon happens when the earth cuts off the sun's light from her. He supposed the earth to... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Excellent book of early astronomy
This starts with the ancient Chinese, then goes through the Chaldeans, Greeks, and Arabs, then Copernicus and others of the Renaissance, and lastly the 18th and 19th centuries. There are chapters about the telescope and other instruments, the sun, moon, planets and the stars.

The author does a good job of showing how astronomers used the findings of earlier astronomers to increase their own knowledge of the subject. It's amazing to read how much was known about astronomy in the past, and how accurate their findings were. It's also funny to read things which were thought to be true at the time when the book was written. Several people reported having seen a planet inside Mercury's orbit. One man thought Mars had artificially made canals with vegetation growing on their banks. There are lots more. Maybe in 100 years astronomers will be laughing at us for thinking that dark matter and dark energy exist.

The table of contents is active, which is unusual for these free books. There are footnotes and an index at the end.

This is a great book loaded with historical information. I recommend that you have at least a basic knowledge of astronomy before reading this book, because it's not written for beginners.
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