Astronomy for Dummies

by Stephen P. Maran and Stephen Maran

Book Overview

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,...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0764584650
• ISBN13: 9780764584657
• Release Date: May 2005
• Publisher: For Dummies
• Length: 344 Pages
• Weight: 1.21 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 7.4" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

An excellent introduction to basic astronomy.

This book is a MUST read for all those interested in astronomy. It is an excellent introduction to the field of astronomy. It really helps the reader to comprehend fundamental astronomy concepts and much more complicated scientific theories and explanations. All fundamental concepts of astronomy are covered, from the big bang to spotting the 88 constellations. It even gives the reader an explanation of antimatter and dark matter (topics which are generally discussed in quantum physics). On top of this, this book gives the reader more references on the various websites dealing with astronomy. In summary, I would deeply recommend this book to all beginners to the topic of astronomy. If the reader desires to dive deeper into this fascinating science, he/she should visit the websites stated in this book.

Great for the Beginning Astronomey

I'm always a little hesitant to purchase books from the "For Dummies" series mainly because of my ego, I don't want people thinking I might be a dummy. I am, however, very glad I purchased this book. It provides overwhelming depth while still remaining clear and concise. The chapters are very easy to follow and lay the foundation for the majority of popular astronomical topics. It also is packed full of web links to just about any information you might be interested in. I consider this to be an excellent resource for the budding astronomer. Afterwards, you might want to pick up a slightly more advanced book such as "40 Nights to Knowing the Sky" by Fred Schaaf.

WOW!

This is a terrific book for any astronomer, serious or casual. If you have ever looked up at the stars or moon, and started asking questions to yourself, they are answered here. All of the following topics are covered: Explanations of antimatter and dark matter, how to search for comets (and instructions for reporting discovered comets), common mistakes of astronomy, upcoming eclipses planet locations and oppositions, what most people don't know about astronomy (did you know there are probably microscopic meteorites in your hair every time you walk outside?), and hours and hours more of extremely pleasurable reading! I LOVE this book; if you know how to read, you will be able to understand some of the most difficult amstronomy concepts!

Will Appeal to a Wide Audience

This is an outstanding, well-written introduction to astronomy that will appeal to beginners and more advanced readers alike. I have a Ph.D. in physics and have studied a lot of astronomy over the years, and found a lot of material here to keep me interested. Many discoveries have been made in astronomy in the last few years, and this book serves as a very nice overview to the field that includes the latest research results. Also included are many nice tips for amateur astronomers and references to Web sites for further information. Very informative, fun to read -- I highly recommend it!

Happly surprised.

At first glance, this book seemed to be another, "these are the planets and this is the sun..." type of third grader material because of the title. It was much more. Filled with websites, interesting facts, and tons of first-timer tips, this book is excellent for some that is wanting to get there feet wet in astronomy. Well organized and entertaining, I would buy it merely for the references to all the websites.