Product Description

Viewing the Constellations with Binoculars is a complete guide to practical astronomy, written for beginners, intermediate-level astronomers, and even people who have not yet turned their gaze to the night sky. The required observing equipment to get the full value from this book is no more than a pair of regular 10 x 50 binoculars, but even more can be seen with a small astronomical telescope.

This comprehensive introduction to astronomy and practical observing is far more than a guide to what can be seen in the night sky through binoculars. It introduces the reader to some basic (and some not-so-basic) astronomical concepts, and discusses the stars and their evolution, the planets, nebulae, and distant galaxies. There is a guide to selecting and using binoculars for astronomy, as well, as a ‘getting ready to observe’ section containing invaluable practical hints and tips.

The second part of the book is an extraordinarily complete atlas and guide to the night sky down to 30º N (covering all the USA and Europe). It is illustrated with superb and sometimes beautiful amateur astronomical photographs, detailed maps (down to 5th magnitude), descriptions, and data on all astronomical objects of interest.

Product Description
Covering all aspects of astronomy, including its history, the origins of the Universe, the Solar System and its exploration, stars, and galaxies, this is the essential handbook for the amateur astronomer. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Astronomy
An excellent introduction to the study of astronomy - beautifully presented, like all DK books, and reasonably priced.

good companion
This book is appropriately named as a companion book,...the kind that is small enough to take with you, and it will give you ideas of potential sky objects to view or photograph that night.Nice reading, and good photographs to aid you.Excellent for beginners and intermediates alike. ... 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
Winner of the 1987 New York Academy of Sciences Children's Science Book Award, Exploring the Night Sky is aimed at novice star gazers anxious to expand their astronomical repertorie beyond the Big and Little Dippers. Dickinson has designed a superb introduction to astonomy that is clear, concise, and very "user friendly" no matter what the child's age. 50 color photographs and illustrations. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Great book for kids & adults.
We purchased this book for our grandchildren so that they can learn about & enjoy the night skies through our telescope.

Exploring the night sky
We purchased this for our eight year old grandson. We selected this particular book for its clear text.Our grandson seemed pleased to receive it.

Little information
Childrens book, but even for that, din motivate stuff appropriately. I had to give it half heartedly to the kid having thrown money :-((

A GIFT FOR MY UNIVERSE LOVING SON
THIS GUIDE IS VERY USEFUL AND INTERESTING. WE ARE TOTALLY BEGINNERS AND FACINATED AT THAT.

Young Minds Latch onto the Stars
My eight-year-old grandson practically ate up this book, he was so excited and interested. He had gotten a telescope for Christmas and this book brought his explorations of the night sky to life. ... Read more

Product Description

Fundamental Astronomy gives a well-balanced and comprehensive introduction to the topics of classical and modern astronomy. While emphasizing both the astronomical concepts and the underlying physical principles, the text provides a sound basis for more profound studies in the astronomical sciences.
The fifth edition of this successful undergraduate textbook has been extensively modernized and extended in the parts dealing with the Milky Way, extragalactic astronomy and cosmology as well as with extrasolar planets and the solar system (as a consequence of recent results from satellite missions and the new definition by the International Astronomical Union of planets, dwarf planets and small solar-system bodies). Furthermore a new chapter on astrobiology has been added.
Long considered a standard text for physical science majors, Fundamental Astronomy is also an excellent reference and entrée for dedicated amateur astronomers.

Customer Reviews (6)

Print Quality Issue
I'm familiar with the previous edition as I used to borrow it from my uni library. I've already completed the first three chapters. The exercises are great, you might want to write a program for some of the stuff if you have some programming skills. The book is just great for an amateur astronomer; the math is a bit advanced for most people frankly, but if you're already into astronomy and physics you probably have a good mathematics and physics background so it shouldn't be hard to sharpen it.

The only thing I found disappointing was the print quality. The book first couple of pages were already torn from the rest when I received the book and you can tell easily that's it's one book you need to handle with a lot of care.

FUNDAMENTAL errors in teaching ASTRONOMY
NOTE: This review refers to the ENGLISH language version. Also, please forgive me if I sound like typical, self-centered American. The focus of my review will be for English speaking Americans, since the Amazon description of the book doesnt seem to mention what I will in my review:

Let me give a brief background of myself and why I sought out this book: I am an American born, raised, and schooled in America. I have a bachelors in math with a minor in astro, and a masters in math education. I am looking to return to grad school in the hopes of obtaining a PhD in applied math with an emphasis on astro. I wanted to brush up on my undergraduate astronomy studies before returning to school and so I was looking for a reputable text that would be sufficient for self study. The descriptions of the book as well as Amazon reviews and other internet reviews made me choose this title. Unfortunately, this book is riddled with problems that make studying from it and appreciating the subject matter unnecessarily difficult:

1. The english version of the book is merely a TRANSLATION. I have lived overseas myself for a few years and understand when the language is being translated. Consequently, there are many awkward sentences, poorly structured paragraphs, and sometimes you'll even find random sentences that seem out of place within a paragraph. I am not nitpicking as if I were a grammar-crazed nut, what I'm saying is that after a few pages of reading it becomes clear that the language being used is not very natural english. The book may be in English, but it requires further translation into understandable, cohesive English.

2. Some of the common math formulas, and the way in which diagrams are labeled appear in somewhat different forms (certainly not incorrect, just different from an american math textbook approach). I'm guessing that this is how it's done in Europe, but for an american it will require an extra step (and wasted time) to turn a formula into a more recognizable 'american' version.

3. Black and White pictures! this is the 21st century and the most visually inspiring science is being robbed of its awe and wonder by being displayed in BLACK AND WHITE! For some strange reason, there are a few color pictures in their own section in the very back of the book.


I cannot recommend this book to any American. There is just too much extra work required on behalf of an American reader to make sense of it, especially considering there are plenty of American textbooks with an American approach to math that won't require the extra effort of translation and that also aren't limited to black and white photos.

Perhaps a european who speaks english, but not Finnish will get some use out of it. And maybe the Finnish version is great for the people of Finland, but I would not recommend this book to be used in any American university.

Great fundamental Astronomy Text
As an amateur astronomer who loves theory and the math that goes with it, I found this text to be utterly exquisite for helping me recapture a lot of my old math skills. While the real amount of calculus needed in the text was not overtly taxing, I did find the text very useful indeed for requiring the use of a strong algebra background, along with lots of Trig, and of course, geometry and Calculus.

The problems in this book were intriguing, challenging and just awesome in every respect. For example, I found myself for the first time since I can recall, drawing Trig and geometrical diagrams to assist in visualizing a particular problem as an aid toward the ultimate answer! These problems, all of them mathematical in nature, are extremely interesting and encourage you to make a sketch of the phenomenon at hand in order to arrive at a solution.

And in addition to the problems, the text has very useful solved examples that show you how a particular problem calculation is reached. You really do learn a lot just from these examples.

I think the book might have benefitted from having even more exercises in it, which to me would make it even more useful for a semester university course in introductory Astrophysics. Instead of having 73 exercises, perhaps 150-200 problems would have been more 'whetting' to an appetite like mine is for Astronomy. But, I can heartily recommend that this book, if completed and all the problems worked, will definitely prepare one for a more challenging text with more Math and problems!

The authors could only improve this thing with more text length and more problems, as far as I am concerned. The appendixes and Tables in the back give the student a little bit of good background to the Math needed in the book as well.

This text is a complete WINNER in the category of INTRODUCTORY TEXTBOOKS for the beginning course in college Astronomy!

A Fundamental Astronomy Reference
Fundamental Astronomy is both the title and an excellent description of the content of this handsome hard back volume. For the book to reach the fourth edition, it must be hitting a niche in the market. The preface to the first edition in 1987 identifies that market as a "university textbook for a first course in astronomy" which is also suited for serious amateurs who "find the popular texts too trivial". In my opinion, that description from the original preface is "spot on" and makes this volume a must-buy for any serious amateur looking for a comprehensive overview of matters astronomical.

The book covers the basics of astronomy, stellar astrophysics and mainly features of our Universe which are relatively close-at-hand. Large scale structure and cosmology are less than ten percent of the content. It covers all topics to considerable depth, far more so than most publications aimed at a general readership. It is mathematical, although the maths is present largely for academic completeness, and can be skimmed or by-passed as required without reducing to any great extent, the utility provided. Its usefulness for education purposes is enhanced by worked examples in each section followed by exercises.

Within its 19 major sections, it contains much relevant and dare I say fundamental material. The book is well illustrated with mainly monochrome plates which are relevant to the subject at hand plus many carefully constructed, concise graphics and illustrations.

This is a comprehensive reference volume, which will age but slowly on any serious amateur's book shelf, as the subject matter is largely timeless.

A Great Astronomy Textbook!
.This is a great and comprehensive primary textbook for a student. It is massive introduction to the huge field of astronomical study, and as such contains much of the basic concepts and plenty of hands-on exercises.
I have been mainly using theFinnish version, but having also browsed through the English one I can safely say that the two differ from each other only minimally and thus my experiences with the original hold true with the translation too.
As an end note I might point out, that even though having studied astronomy at the university, it is by no means my area of expertise: I'm majoring in linguistics. That alone, I think, proves how clear and well-written this tome really is: even an Arts students can read it and actually understand and learn! ;) ... 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
The long-awaited second edition of this well-received textbook gives a thorough introduction to observational astronomy. Starting with the basics of positional astronomy and systems of time, it continues with charts and catalogs covering both historically important publications and modern electronic databases. The book builds on a fundamental discussion of the basics of light and the effects of the atmosphere on astronomical observations. Chapters include discussions of optical telescopes, detectors, photometry, variable stars, astrometry, spectroscopy, and solar observations. This edition contains new discussions of measurements with CCDs and appendices give basic statistical methods, useful astronomical software and websites, and sources of accurate time-calibration signals. Observational Astronomy is the perfect textbook for upper level undergraduate or beginning graduate courses on astronomy. Examples based on real astronomical data are placed throughout the text. Each of the well-illustrated chapters is supported by a set of graduated problems and suggestions for further reading. ... Read more

Product Description
It has taken modern science over 3,500 years, and the genius of such men as Einstein to catch up with what Abraham and Moses knew so long ago.We can only ponder how many more wonders of God may be hidden in the astounding translations of Joseph Smith.

In this book, Dr. Richard Ingebretsen, former science editor for the Ensign, a medical doctor and a PhD scientist confirms the truth of the writings and translations of Joseph Smith using advances in modern science. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A nice blend of science and religion
The author of this book, Richard Ingrebretsen, does a fantastic job writing a book about both science and religion and how both and be correct!Usually science and religion are in a game of tug-of-war, with truth being the rope.The author's writing is so clear, it is easy for a novice of astronomy to understand the theory of relativity, the big bang, and even black holes.The book then goes into a religious aspect of these phenomena.And with the amount of degrees and education the author has, according to the introduction, I found his grasp on science credible.The book is quite short, so you and zip right through it.Even if you don't believe some of his conclusions, it is great reading. ... Read more

Product Description
Pathways to Astronomy is designed more like a series of mini-lectures instead of a monograph of the entire field of astronomy.The same material covered in other introductory astronomy texts is included, but this is broken up into smaller self-contained units.These units are woven together to flow naturally for the person who wants to read the text like a book, but it is also possible to assign them in different orders, or skip certain units altogether.Professors can customize the units to fit their course needs.They can select individual units for exploration in lecture while assigning easier units for self-study, or they can cover all the units in full depth in a content-rich course.With the short length of units, students can easily digest the material covered in an individual unit before moving onto the next unit.

Pathways to Astronomy offers the most complete technology media support package available. That technology media package includes: Starry Night Planetarium Software free with the purchase of every new text; ARIS (text web site providing a complete online tutorial, electronic homework, and course management system); 23 Interactives (on the text web site and Digital Content Manager CD); Animations (on the text web site). Electronic Media Integration has been incorporated throughout the text by the use oficons to indicate where additional understanding can be gained through an animation or interactive. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Super quick service, great shape!
The book was delivered quickly and was in great condition--like brand new!And I saved money buying it from this company rather than the school bookstore!

SWIFT AND EXACTLY HOW DESCRIBED
This book was exactly how they said it was and also it arrived super duper fast.I would order from them again ... Read more

Product Description
the nightly appearance of the stars their arrangement in the sky their regular risings and settings through the course of the year have been a source of ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

An excellent translation, with one big flaw
This book serves very well as a translation and commentary for the Catasterismi of Pseudo-Eratosthenes and the Poeticon Astronomicon of Hyginus.I would recommend this book to the scholar and archeoastronomer.

However, reading from the text, it is clear that this book is primarily a labor of translation rather than Astronomy.In order to identify stars, Condos compared the texts of Pseudo-Eratosthenes and Hyginus to that of Ptolemy's Almagest.If she could not positively comfirm the identity of a star by cross-referencing it through Ptolemy, she simply left it unidentified in her translation (designating it with a ?).A clear example of the problem with this came when she tried to identify the three stars in Orion's head as lambda, ?, and ?.In this case, if she had a simple star atlas in front of her (like Norton's), she would have been able to easily identify the two unknown stars as phi-1 and phi-2.The sky hasn't changed that much since the time of the Greeks and an atlas might have been helpful to Condos in her work

So, yes, this is a recommendable book, but keep in mind that Condos' translation was made through referencing ancient texts alone without a proper study of the actual sky and stars upon which the texts were based.This flaw isn't fatal, but it is significant enough for me to dock one star and recommend that the reader have an atlas of his or her own to reference when using this book.

More scholarly than entertaining.
Star Myths is an excellent sourcebook - for a serious student. If you're looking for entertaining and engaging writing, look elsewhere. If you want a learned (if brief) overview of how the Greek and Roman constellations were named, by whom, and what stars are contained therein, then you've got the right volume!

Theony Condos, the translator, draws mostly on two prime sources; Poeticon Astronomicon (Poetic Astronomy), attributed to Hyginus; and Catasterismi (The Constellations), by Eratothenes. In the introduction, Condos discusses the backgrounds of Hyginus and Eratothenes, their influences and sources, and some supporting and relating works by their contemporaries and historical peers. Moving on from the (mercifully!) brief introduction, Condos procedes directly to the heart of the matter, and launches into an alphebetized listing of the major 'western' constellations, each with a idealized line-drawing of the constellation and its namesake image, a brief discussion of the associated legend(s) as discussed in the primary works, and a translators commentary. Primary stars, where possible, are indicated by their symbols (rather than spelling out their names) in the text. This last I found most frustrating, for while a serious scholar of Latin and Greek would recognize these symbols immediately, I found myself struggling to interpret them.

This book comes with fairly extensive end notes and appendicies, useful to the student looking for more insight. While I find this volume to be useful in a limited way, it's really aimed towards the more serious student, and not to the casual sky-watcher. If you want an education on the origins of the Western European constellations, this is a good place to start, though it's not the ultimate word on the subject. However, if you want to identify that intriguing cluster of bright lights in the nighttime sky, you'll probably want to go elsewhere.

recommendable book
This is a very interesting and readable book. I hope to read HYGINUS' "The MYTHS of Hyginus" once translated by M. Grant in 1960. I think the latter is more interesting to read for the fans of Greco-Romanmythology. ... Read more

Product Description
A dynamic, alphabetical tour of our mysterious universe–from the A Star to the ZZ Ceti Star and everything in between

"We are all part of this astonishing creation–our very bodies fashioned of atoms that were made inside giant stars long ago.Bring only your imagination and the courage needed to gaze up and out across 1.5 billion light-years!"
–From the Introduction

The Universal Book of Astronomy compiles more than 3,000 extensively cross-referenced entries to cover every noted star, planet, authority, and telescope that has influenced our modern understanding of the universe. Spanning everything from major observatories and space telescopes to biographies of astronomers throughout the centuries, The Universal Book of Astronomy showcases an extraordinary array of newfound wonders, including microquasars, brown dwarfs, and dark energy, as well as a host of individual comets, asteroids, moons, planets, stars, nebulas, and galaxies.A one-stop reference for the seasoned astronomer as well as the starry-eyed layperson, The Universal Book of Astronomy is further complemented by:

• More than 200 illustrations throughout
• Eight vibrant pages of color photographs
• Succinct articles on astronomy’s esteemedhistory and technology
• The fascinating biographies of those who shaped, and continue to shape, our knowledge of this infinite universe

Customer Reviews (1)

Good for the Astronmy Library
In A to Z encyclopedia format, has a great cross-reference system which highlights a word or term if it is described elsewhere in the book.Most definitions are a little too brief for me, but what I love most about this book is its listing of the brightest stars in a constellation along with their distances which is wonderful for me since my kids are always asking how far away certain stars are and it's good to have one place to go to answer quickly.Has a very small center section with color photos -- somewhat unnecessary and probably raises the price of the book too.A great source for an amateur astronomer like me, but if you are looking for a good "first" astronomy book -- go with Dickenson's "NIGHTWATCH" and buy this one a bit later. ... Read more

Product Description
Written by two prominent figures in radio astronomy, this well-established, graduate-level textbook is a thorough and up-to-date introduction to radio telescopes and techniques. It is an invaluable overview for students and researchers turning to radio astronomy for the first time. The first half of the book describes how radio telescopes work - from basic antennas and single aperture dishes through to full aperture-synthesis arrays. It includes reference material on the fundamentals of astrophysics and observing techniques. The second half of the book reviews radio observations of our galaxy, stars, pulsars, radio galaxies, quasars, and the cosmic microwave background. This third edition describes the applications of fundamental techniques to newly developing radio telescopes, including ATA, LOFAR, MWA, SKA, and ALMA, which all require an understanding of aspects specific to radio astronomy. Two entirely new chapters now cover cosmology, from the fundamental concepts to the most recent results of WMAP. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Intro to Radio Astronomy
A comprehensive and modern text book on the subject , I found it well presented and feel it should appeal to both astronomy students as well as radio astronomy amateurs .

Hard Read
In a graduate course that I was taking on Radio Astronomy, this book was often criticized by the students. In short, it was a difficult book to wade through.If my education had included more study of the Greek alphabet, maybe the long recitations of formulae would not have made this the book you can't pick up. I'm just going to assume that all the math you would want is right here but you don't get to see them in action. It is pretty clearly a course textbook but there are no problems to solve and no attempt to work through examples.

I do want to make a strong plug for the 3 appendices. One is a good introduction to Fourier transforms (27 formulae in 8 pages without any examples worked out - typical for this book); the second discusses celestial coordinates, distances and time; the third is the best 7 page history of radio astronomy that you will find.

Very poor editing and writing style, many errors...
Well, I got to say, this does pass the test of a pretty good introduction to the subject for someone with a good technical background.What others have said stands.That said, the careful reader with be constantly annoyed with the flagrant basic errors of math and language that frequent this text.Where the heck were the editors and proof-readers for this thing?Very often equations are written that are just flat out wrong due to omissions or typos that the reader must deduce.In other cases statements are made in the text I suppose to try to explain a point but in the end just demonstrate that the author's had absolutely no idea what they were talking about since what they state is in fact just plain wrong, oftentimes just plain bad basic math.Finally there is a general sloppiness to the writing style with the frequent use of ambiguous pronouns that often point to the wrong subject or predicate.

Some small examples:

Eq 5.8 is s = s0 + d

(Vectors, little hats over s and s0 to indicate unit vectors, and d is actually the greek letter sigma).

The text following states:

------
where d is a small vector, normal to s0. (It must be normal, since both s and s0 are unit vectors).
------

The parenthetical adds absolutely nothing to the understanding of the problem and is IN FACT WRONG.If s and s0 are unit vectors then d CANNOT be normal to EITHER ONE OF THEM.Basic vector math folks, in fact just a basic understanding of a right triangle.Amazing that the authors went out of their way to make a statement that not only contains no illuminating information but is flat out wrong.Not only that, but no proof-reader or editor noticed this obvious error - this is high-school math here.Other examples such as this are throughout the text.

Another example highlighting the awful writing style:

------
The autocorrelation function is related to the spectrum of f(t); for zero time shift it is simply its square.
------

Try reading that a few times.The first clause is true.The second clause is extremely confusing.I love that "it" and "its" are in the same clause for starters.To top it off "its" refers to f(t) which would be your last guess unless you already knew what they were trying to say.It is plain bad english.Again, numerous examples throughout the text.

I can't really fault the authors to much here.Writing a book is a very hard task and the authors have taken on a very wide subject and as far as information content goes have done a very good job.Unfortunately it reads a bit like some sloppy class notes.Often the most knowledgable folks, and even the best teachers, are not the best writers.It is the job of the editor to bridge the gap here.In this case the editors at Cambridge University Press should be ashamed of themselves.They have let both the authors and their readers down.

Anyway, I guess I'd recommend, but get ready to be confused and annoyed.And not by the subject matter which is actually quite accessible.

Advanced Introduction - Targets Researchers and Graduate Astronomy Students, But Accessible to Others
An Introduction to Radio Astronomy (1997) targets astronomy graduate students and others committed professionally to radio astronomy. The authors - two noted radio astronomers, Bernard F. Burke and Francis Graham-Smith - also hope to interest optical astronomers and others who want to be informed of the principal ideas current in radio astronomy, and may even be thinking of carrying out radio observations that would complement other work in progress.

With a background in geophysics, I did not always find An Introduction to Radio Astronomy to be easy going, but most topics were not out of reach. That is, readers with some background in physics, electrical engineering, and/or signal processing will find substantial familiar ground, including electromagnetics, thermodynamics, Fourier analysis, and spectral analysis. I give five stars to this not-so-easy, self-contained, advanced introduction to radio astronomy.

I found the first six chapters (about 80 pages) to be the most challenging, perhaps due to my limited familiarity with radio telescopes. Key topics included radio telescopes as antenna, signal detection and noise, single-aperture radio telescopes, the two-element interferometer, and aperture synthesis.

Chapter 7 - the absorption, amplification, refraction, and attenuation of radio waves - addresses radiative transfer, astrophysical masers, radio propagation through ionized gas, Faraday rotation of polarized waves, scintillation (radio amplitude variations akin to the optical twinkling of stars), and radio propagation in the earth's atmosphere. Take your time with this chapter as the authors frequently return to these topics.

The remaining nine chapters offer a wide-ranging review of the radio universe and are more immediately accessible to a wider audience. The chapter titles are Galactic Continuum Radiation, The Interstellar Medium (ISM), Galactic Dynamics, Stars, Pulsars, Radio Galaxies and Quasars, Cosmology and the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB), Cosmology: Discrete Radio Sources and Gravitational Lenses, and The Place of Radio in Astronomy.

Two Suggestions: I strongly urge the reader to stay the course with the first seven chapters as the later chapters require a basic understanding of radio observation methodologies, antenna temperature, radio brightness temperature, non-thermal radiation, 21 centimeter radiation, bremsstrahlung emission spectra, etc.

Also, a reader that is relatively new to radio astronomy will find it helpful to read at an early stage the three appendices:Appendix 1 - a concise review of Fourier transforms, intended as a review, not as a self-tutorial,Appendix 2 - a general overview of celestial coordinates , distance, and time, and Appendix 3 - a fascinating account of the origins of radio astronomy (1932 -1954).

Excellent Advanced Radio Astronomy Text
This book is a great Radio Astronomy text for the undergraduate major or the graduate level.It is a little advanced for most of my students.... ... Read more

Product Description
With this newly revised 6th edition of ASTRONOMY: THE SOLAR SYSTEM AND BEYOND, Mike Seeds and Dana Backman's goal is to help students use astronomy to understand science and use science to understand what we are. Fascinating and engaging, this text illustrates the scientific method and guides students to these fundamental questions: "What are we?" and "How do we know?" In discussing the interplay between evidence and hypothesis, The authors provide not just facts, but a conceptual framework for understanding the logic of science. The book vividly conveys their love of astronomy, and illustrates how students can comprehend their place in the universe by grasping a small set of physical laws. Crafting a story about astronomy, The authors show students how to ask questions to gradually puzzle out the beautiful secrets of the physical world. With the use of mathematics set off in boxes, the book's presentation is flexible and allows instructors to teach to differing student levels. This is the only Seeds/Backman text to be written using a traditional planets-first approach. The revision addresses new developments in astrophysics and cosmology, plus the latest discoveries, from Mars' buried water to proto-galaxies at the limits of the observable universe. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Visual Intro to Astro! Cool!
Our local community college has adopted this book for the Fall 2009-Spring 2010 academic year. I must say that I am highly impressed with this book's fresh, engaging layout, easy to read fonts, and other features. It's better--light years better-- for the student than the previous text: The Cosmos: Astronomy in the New Millennium (with AceAstronomy(tm), Virtual Astronomy Labs Printed Access Card) (Paperback)

Astronomy: The Solar System and Beyond, 6E book offers an array of beautiful images and illustrations that really give the student lasting impressions of astronomy concepts, inspiring wonder, sparking curiosity. This text will be most appreciated by those who are visual learners and those who struggle reading science texts for comprehension. I wish I had had this text when I was taking my beginning astronomy courses! // Use Amazon's "Look Inside" feature to view the book's table of contents!

I love the Flash Reference insert that describes the H-R Diagram, comparative planetology, and motion. I especially enjoy the inner sheets that depict "The Universe Bowl," a helpful image which describes the history of the universe in terms of a football field game. This image allows the student to visualize the formation of the universe from the Big Bang Theory to present. The image takes a difficult concept and makes it approachable to the non-scientist. The Sky Around You, The Cycle of the Seasons, The Phases of the Moon, The Ancient Universe, Atomic Spectra, Three Kinds of Nebulae, Terrestrial and Jovian Planets pages are the best graphics (and explanations)I've ever seen in a beginning astronomy text. Appendix B Observing the Sky introduces naked eye observation and the use of star charts.

Detailed Study & Review sections help the learner to practice chapter topics and to explore problems related to the material. How Do We Know Sections? offer great added commentary and points to ponder on chapter material and related topics with an emphasis on scientific methods. The Celestial Profiles are a fun feature that introduce objects in the solar system, and they are most helpful for comparative planetology. Chapter 4 The Origin of Modern Astronomy offers a lovely summary of astronomical efforts through the ages.

Instructors: this book is worth examining for your introductory course, especially if you want a stimulating text that carries the learner...well...into space! :D // This would also be a fun book for those who are backyard astronomers! Makes a great reference! ... Read more

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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.

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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

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This fast, effective tutorial helps you master the core concepts of astronomy -- and get the best possible grade. From planets, stars, and galaxies to the search for extraterrestrial life, you get clear, jargon-free explanations of the fundamentals, including all the latest discoveries and theories. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Astronomyreview
Although it covers the topic well, unlike other entries in the Quick Review series, it does NOT have start of chapter goals ('Chapter Check-In'), end of chapter questions ('Chapter Checkout'), end of book review test ('CQR Review'), a glossary, and worst of all considering the length of the book, an index. ... Read more

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Charge-Coupled Devices (CCDs) are the state-of-the-art detector in many fields of observational science. Updated to include all of the latest developments in CCDs, this second edition of the Handbook of CCD Astronomy is a concise and accessible reference on all practical aspects of using CCDs. Starting with their electronic workings, it discusses their basic characteristics and then gives methods and examples of how to determine these values. While the book focuses on the use of CCDs in professional observational astronomy, advanced amateur astronomers, and researchers in physics, chemistry, medical imaging, and remote sensing will also find it very valuable. Tables of useful and hard-to-find data, key practical equations, and new exercises round off the book and ensure that it provides an ideal introduction to the practical use of CCDs for graduate students, and a handy reference for more experienced users. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

CCD Astronomy book condition
The book arrived in the condition stated.It took a little longer than I expected for it to arrive, but it did arrive in good condition.

every thing about learning CCDs
I loved it,... i though me EVERY thing about CCDs,...how do they work...and how to understand the results....

a very valuable book, entertaining too
For a graduate student who has not had an observational astronomy course, the process of self-teaching the essentials of CCD astronomy is not a smooth one.You really don't know what kind of things you have to worry about before going to a telescope!

Though this book does not cover comprehensively the topic of detection techniques in scientific contexts (too much for such a small book), it has an excellent, totally readable introduction to the basics of CCD detection in astronomy.The author obviously has been in the field for a long time, so his numerous anecdotes from his rich, past expericnes are entertaining as well as enlightening.It is such a short book but very satisfying, which is rare for a technical science book.

This book would make a perfect textbook or supplement reading for any decent undergraduate observational astronomy course.Highly recommended as the first reading for observers.

An essential reference
Steve is the master of the art of CCD photometry.This is an essential book for professional astronomers and amateurs alike. ... Read more

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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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Each year as Earth cruises through space a number of amazing and remarkable events occur. For example, like clockwork, we’ll run head-on into asteroid and cometary debris that spreads shooting stars across our skies. On occasion we’ll get to watch the disk of the Moon passing the Sun, casting its shadow upon the face of the Earth, and sometimes we’ll get to watch our own shadow as it glides across the face of the Moon. The Sun’s path will constantly change across the daytime sky, as will the stars and constellations at night. During this time, we’ll also get to watch the other majestic planets in our solar system wander the skies, as they, too, circle the Sun in this elaborate celestial dance.
Astronomy explains the patterns of the heavens, the equinoxes and the solstices, the major meteor showers, and the solar and lunar eclipses. It’s a guided tour of the solar system and beyond and explains how the way we measure time itself is intimately related to celestial phenomena. Astronomynot only helps readers become experts in space and time, it’s also a fun ride! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Perfect for children, not adults
Would be nice to be able to tell whether such books are intended for the the understanding of children, so that we could make the right choice. This would be a great gift for a child.

to the moon
I have always been interested in astronomy, but always a novice.From my early experiences at the smithsonian museum of air and space to a few electives in college.This book is great, the pictures arecaptivating, and the material is great.This is a great gift or a fantastic buy for the home enthusiast. ... Read more

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There are two basic methods of recording astronomical images seen through the eyepiece of a telescope. Photography (these days, usually digital imaging with a CCD camera) is one, the other is sketching.

Astronomical sketching and drawing has a long and esteemed history. Many astronomers believe it is still unrivalled for recording and illustrating transient phenomena (such as TLPs) or for taking advantage of the fleeting moments of extreme clarity that result from the turbulent atmosphere through which Earth-based astronomers carry out all their observing.

Unfortunately, astronomical sketching and drawing is seldom taught as such, and is regarded by many amateur astronomers as the province of a talented few. This is not the case – the necessary techniques can be taught, just as portraiture and still-life drawing can be (and is) taught.

This book could become a classic.

Customer Reviews (4)

Solid resource for the astronomical sketch artist
Although I imagine a fair amount of the techniques and approaches in this book are covered in other books on sketching, the focus on astronomical targets is beneficial.The authors go over various targets from the moon to galaxies to star clusters both open and globular, and techniques from graphite pencil sketching to charcoal and colored pencil work.Very solid resource, and one of the only on the subject of astronomical sketching.I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking to pursue sketching of the moon, planets, and other heavenly subjects.

What choice do you have?It's one of a kind.

Let's face it, not many people are into astronomical sketching.But for those who are this is THE book.I know of no other book quite like it.I've been to most of the web sites on astronomical sketching.They can be very helpful.In fact, I learned later that several of the web sites I found most helpful were by the authors of this book!Websites help, but, even the web sites are incomplete.Sketching is covered regularly in various astronomy magazines.Those articles are also helpful, but it would take years for them to cover the material covered in this book.If you want to try your hand at Astronomical Sketching, you need this book to get you started.

Great starters book on Astro sketching
Approaches to different subjects are well set out. Inclusion of some information on digitizing would be useful but internet web-sites are listed that provide some further discussion and instruction about that by the authors.Tips and techniques are spread throughout different chapters. Perhaps it would have been better to have them presented in one section but it's not a big issue.

Good book for advanced or beginner astronomers
I was already familiar with most of the material in this book. If you have any art training you probably already know the techniques. The strength of this book is the detail given on how to use art techniques to draw astronomical objects! Even if you know little about art it is detailed enough to get you started at a high level of sketching at the eyepiece. ... Read more

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Ancient Astronomy: An Encyclopedia of Cosmologies and Myth draws on archaeological evidence and oral traditions to reveal how prehistoric humans perceived the skies and celestial phenomena. With over 200 entries, it offers a number of ways to approach ancient astronomy, from key examples and case studies worldwide (Stonehenge; Mexican and Egyptian pyramids; Chaco Canyon, New Mexico; the Nazca lines in Peru) to general themes (cosmologies, calendars, ancient ideas of space and time, origin myths), to fundamental concepts and methods (how the sky has changed over the centuries, how to survey a site), and to the field's most frequently asked questions (How did ancient peoples navigate the ocean using the stars? How does astrology relate to ancient astronomy? Can ancient sites be dated astronomically?)

By revealing the astronomical significance of some of the world's most famous ancient landmarks and enduring myths and by showing how different themes and concepts are connected, Ancient Astronomy: An Encyclopedia of Cosmologies and Myth brings a unique authoritative perspective to an area too often left to speculation and sensationalism.

Customer Reviews (1)

Archaeoloastronomy at its best!
Clive Ruggles is professor of archaeoastronomy at the University of Leicester and has published numerous astronomy works in past: his ANCIENT ASTRONOMY: AN ENCYCLOPEDIA OF COSMOLOGIES AND MYTH provides over 200 A-Z entries in an updated collection of world case studies revolving around themes ranging from calendars and space/time concepts to key issues of assessing evidence. Jargon-free explanations, discussions of problematic issues, bibliographic references and history and observations make for a reference recommended to a wide audience, from high school through college.
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