Astronomy poses many of the same questions that religion does, the deepest questions a human being can ask: What is the universe? How big is it? How did it begin? How will it end? What part do we play in it? Are we alone? Through most of history, in fact, astronomy was part of religion. The astronomers of ancient times usually were priests.
Astronomy in the 20th century changed humans' understanding as profoundly as Copernicus and Galileo did. At the start of the century, soon after George Ellery Hale, the first astronomer covered in this book, built his first large telescope, people thought the solar system was essentially at the center of the universe, much as people of Copernicus's time had believed the Earth was.
By the end of the century, that picture had altered completely. Astronomers had shown that the Sun is a rather average star, located on one of the Milky Way's spiral arms rather than in the galaxy's center. The solar system is one of an untold number of planetary systems. Similarly, the Milky Way is just one among billions of galaxies. Those galaxies, in turn, are mere specks compared to vast masses of invisible, or "dark," matter surrounding them, whose nature is completely unknown. Read more...
Filled with data about the Earth, Moon, the planets, the stars, our Galaxy, and the myriad galaxies in deep space, this invaluable resource reveals the latest scientific discoveries about black holes, quasars, and the origins of the Universe. It includes maps supported by detailed tables of the names, positions, magnitudes, and spectra of the main stars in each constellation along with key data on galaxies, nebulae, and clusters. MNASSA wrote, "This book fills a niche : with detailed astronomical data and concise explanations, all at an accessible level : it is an excellent resource, and probably will be the first book I shall reach for : ."
Reviews
Paul Murdin, Editor-in-Chief Macmillan/IOP Encyclopedia of Astronomy and Astrophysics
"Patrick Moore is the leading presenter and educator in astronomy of our age - this little book is all one needs to enjoy and learn something of this endlessly fascinating subject."
Choice Magazine, May 2001
...oriented towards amateur astronomers...unlike some other data books, this volume contains considerable explanatory material...Recommended. Read more...
* Allows the reader to quickly and easily grasp the math, fundamentals, and general concepts involved in astronomy
* Covers techniques for using telescopes, the challenges of amateur astrophotography, and the special problems of observing the sky at "invisible wavelengths"
* Unlike most books on the topic, it presents general concepts first and details follow
* Contains quizzes, tests, and final exams
Quick and easy math, fundamentals, and general concepts involved in astronomy.
In this book, we'll go on a few "mind journeys." For example, we'll take a tour of the entire Solar System, riding hybrid space, aircraft into the atmospheres and, in some cases, to the surfaces of celestial bodies other than Earth. Some of the details of this trip constitute fiction, but the space vehicles and navigational mechanics are based on realistic technology and astronomical facts. Read more...
