Looking for Astronomy books?
Just thought this would be helpful for any of you who are looking to find the best Astronomy books. Enjoy our recommendations.
Catching Stardust
Editorial Reviews
Review
A brief History of Time
In the years since its publication in 1988, Stephen Hawking’s A Brief History Of Time has established itself as a landmark volume in scientific writing.
It has become an international publishing phenomenon, translated into forty languages and selling over nine million copies. The book was on the cutting edge of what was then known about the nature of the universe, but since that time there have been extraordinary advances in the technology of macrocosmic worlds.
These observations have confirmed many of Professor Hawkin’s theoretical predictions in the first edition of his book, including the recent discoveries of the Cosmic Background Explorer satellite (COBE), which probed back in time to within 300,000 years of the fabric of space-time that he had projected.
Video by Pontus Presents
In the years since its publication in 1988, Stephen Hawking’s A Brief History Of Time has established itself as a landmark volume in scientific writing.
It has become an international publishing phenomenon, translated into forty languages and selling over nine million copies. The book was on the cutting edge of what was then known about the nature of the universe, but since that time there have been extraordinary advances in the technology of macrocosmic worlds.
These observations have confirmed many of Professor Hawkin’s theoretical predictions in the first edition of his book, including the recent discoveries of the Cosmic Background Explorer satellite (COBE), which probed back in time to within 300,000 years of the fabric of space-time that he had projected. Find the many 5 star reviews and latest price on Amazon here.
The Planet Factory: Exoplanets and the Search for a Second Earth
Twenty years ago, the search for planets–and life–outside the solar system was a job restricted to science fiction writers. It is now one of the most rapidly growing fields in astronomy, with thousands of these “exoplanets” discovered so far. The detection of these worlds has only been possible in the last decade, with the number of discoveries increasing enormously over the last year following the findings of the Kepler Space Telescope.
These new worlds are more alien than anything in fiction. Planets larger than Jupiter with years lasting one week, planets circling the dead remains of stars, others with two suns lighting their skies or with no sun at all. These locations hint at Earth-sized worlds but with split hemispheres of perpetual day and night, waterworlds drowning under global oceans, and volcanic lava planets spewing seas of magma.
The Planet Factory tells the story of exoplanets, planets orbiting stars outside of our solar system. Discover the specks of dust that circle a young star come together in a violent building project that can form colossal worlds hundreds of times the size of the Earth; the changing orbits of young planets that risk dooming the life forming on neighboring worlds or, alternatively, that can deliver the key ingredients needed to seed its beginnings.
Exoplanets are one of the greatest construction schemes in the universe and they occur around nearly every star you see. Each result is an alien landscape, but is it possible that one of these could be like our own home? The Planet Factorydiscusses the way these planets form, their structure and features, and describes in detail the detection techniques used (there are many) before looking at what we can learn about the surface environments and planetary atmospheres, and whether this hints at the tantalizing possibility of life. Find the latest price on Amazon here.
The Backyard Astronomer’s Guide
The modern classic, completely updated.
The newest edition of The Backyard Astronomer’s Guide includes the latest data and answers the questions most often asked by home astronomers, from beginners to experienced stargazers. Terence Dickinson and Alan Dyer provide expert guidance on the right types of telescopes and other equipment; photographing the stars through a telescope; and star charts, software and other references. They cover daytime and twilight observing, planetary and deep-sky observing, and much more.
With over 500 color photographs and illustrations, The Backyard Astronomer’s Guide is one of the most valuable, beautiful and user-friendly astronomy books ever produced.
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New and updated for this edition:
- A 20-page full-color Atlas of the Milky Way provides location and context for hundreds of celestial objects mentioned throughout the book.
- A chapter on Astrophotography with Digital Cameras specifies what equipment works best and how to use it to collect a color gallery of celestial portraits.
- Telescopes for Recreational Astronomy features assessments of a wide range of new telescopes, from models for beginners to those for veteran astronomy enthusiasts, with special emphasis on computerized telescopes and how they work.
- Accessory Catalog spotlights the best of the accessories and flags the frivolous and irrelevant.
- Three practical appendices: Polar Aligning Your Telescope; Optics Cleaning and Collimation; Testing Your Telescope Optics.
Any serious home astronomer must have this superb guide as an ongoing reference. Find the latest price on Amazon here.
The National Geographic Backyard Guide
Explore the star-studded cosmos with this fully updated, user-friendly skywatcher’s guide, filled with charts, graphics, photographs, and expert tips for viewing — and understanding — the wonders of space.
Stargazing’s too much fun to leave to astronomers. In these inviting pages, “Night Sky Guy” Andrew Fazekas takes an expert but easygoing approach that will delight would-be astronomers of all levels. Essential information, organized logically, brings the solar system, stars, and planets to life in your own backyard.
Start with the easiest constellations and then “star-hop” across the night sky to find others nearby. Learn about the dark side of the moon, how to pick Mars out of a planetary lineup, and which kinds of stars twinkle in your favorite constellations.
Hands-on tips and techniques for observing with the naked eye, binoculars, or a telescope help make the most out of sightings and astronomical phenomena such as eclipses and meteor showers.
Photographs and graphics present key facts in an easy-to-understand format, explaining heavenly phenomena such as black holes, solar flares, and supernovas. Revised to make skywatching even easier for the whole family, this indispensable guide shines light on the night sky–truly one of the greatest shows on Earth! Find the latest price on Amazon here
The Total Skywatcher’s Manual
For stargazers, comet-spotters and planet-seekers looking to enhance your deep sky knowledge and observations – this is your quintessential guide. The Total Skywatcher’s Manual will help you choose the best telescope, identify constellations and objects in the night sky, search for extraterrestrial phenomena, plan star parties, capture beautiful space imagery and much more. With high-quality design, intricate detail, and a durable flexicover—this manual is the perfect gift!
With fully illustrated star charts, gorgeous astrophotography and step-by-step project instruction, this family friendly book is the only guide you’ll ever need to navigate the nightsky. Learn about the phases of the moon, how to conduct your own deep-sky observations, how the universe is expanding, our search for life on other planets, meteors vs. meteorites, sunspots and solar flares, best eclipse-viewing techniques—everything you need to know to appreciate the wonder of our universe.
Based in San Francisco, the Astronomical Society of the Pacific has a 125-year history of providing resources, tools, and information to astronomy enthusiasts, including amateur astronomers, families, and science educators (K-16). Join the ASP on this journey through the nightsky and beyond. Find the latest price on Amazon here.
Discover the Stars
For everyone who has looked up at the stars on a clear night and longed to know more about them, here is the perfect introduction and guide to discovering the stars.
Discover the Stars leads you on a tour of all the stars and constellations visible with the naked eye and introduces you to deep-sky objects that can be seen with binoculars or a simple telescope. The tour is conducted by the editor of Astronomy magazine, Richard Berry, whose two-color, computer-plotted sky maps and clear instructions make stargazing fun and productive from your first night out.
The heart of Discover the Stars is two sections of big, beautiful sky maps and charts. The first section features twelve maps that show the entire sky overhead as it appears during each month of the year. These outline all the constellations visible anywhere in the Northern Hemisphere, and the accompanying text reveals the rich ancient mythology that surrounds the star groups.
The second section is made up of twenty-three star charts that depict smaller regions of the sky in great detail. These charts give the names of key stars and lead you to fascinating features such as stars with unusual colors, double stars, variable stars, nebulae, and galaxies.
Separate chapters cover basics, such as how the stars move through the sky, how to find your way around the moon and the planets, making an astronomer’s flashlight, and choosing and using a telescope — all in terms that are easy to grasp and remember.
Discover the Stars is the perfect introduction to the heavens, simple enough to be useful if you’re just starting out but packed with enough information to keep you learning and enjoying the stars for years to come. Find the latest price on Amazon here.
Easy Things to See with a Small Telescope
Specifically written with the beginner in mind, this book highlights over sixty objects easily found and observed in the night sky. Objects such as:
* Stunning multiple stars
* Star clusters
* Nebulae
* And the Andromeda Galaxy!
Each object has its own page which includes a map, a view of the area through your finderscope and a depiction of the object through the eyepiece.
There’s also a realistic description of every object based upon the author’s own notes written over years of observations. Additionally, there are useful tips and tricks designed to make your start in astronomy easier and pages to record your observations.
If you’re new to astronomy and own a small telescope, this book is an invaluable introduction to the night sky.
Customer reviews.
Praise for other books by Richard J. Bartlett:
“This is my third book from Mr. Bartlett and this one is as good as the others. I recommend it to all the beginners in my astronomy club.” By Darren C. Bly on August 15, 2015 reviewing “2016: The Night Sky Sights”
“Lots of wonderful information. A great reference guide and easy to follow. Every star gazer should have one with them” – By janine on November 18, 2015 reviewing “2015 An Astronomical Year”
“This is a superb book, well laid out and easy to follow even if you are a complete novice or keen astronomer.” by mr Fletcher on October 26, 2014 reviewing “The Astronomical Almanac, 2015-2019”
You can find more reviews and the latest price on Amazon here.
Astronomy for Beginners.
With the Eighth Edition of Astronomy: A Beginner’s Guide , trusted authors Eric Chaisson and Steve McMillan bring a renewed freshness and analysis to recent changes in our understanding of the cosmos.
As with the other two books in their Astronomy suite (one for two-semester courses and the other, a brief visual book), the authors continue to emphasize three major themes: the process of science, the size and scale of the universe, and the evolution of the cosmos. This new edition ignites reader interest with new discoveries from the latest space missions and a new focus on reader-oriented engagement. Find the latest price on Amazon here.
Stargazer’s Guide to the Night
The Stargazers Guide to the Night Sky offers everything you need to explore the remarkable beauty of the stars, moon, and planets. Dr. Jason Lisle, a research scientist with a masters and Ph.D. in astrophysics provides a very thorough, practical and easy to read resource to fuel the curiosity of amateur astronomers ages 10 to 100.
- Understand how the eye works to enhance your views of the night sky
- Study the 150 stunning, full-color star charts to learn the names and placement of constellations
- Discover how to observe the galaxies with the naked eye
- Learn how to choose and use a telescope
- Investigate the celestial motions and events
- Learn best practices for astrophotography
These simple tips and tricks from Dr. Lisle will make your stargazing sessions go from mediocre to spectacular. The Stargazers Guide to the Night Sky is the size of a hardcover textbook, boasting 240 glossy pages of education for the hobby astronomer or science student. This resource is excellent for the family, couples, or individuals who like to learn and explore the beauty of God’s creation.
Now includes the free Stargazer’s Planisphere. This chart helps you locate the positions of stars on any night of the year so you can better enjoy God’s amazing night sky.
Find the latest price on Amazon here.
The One-Minute Astronomer
Here’s some great reading for a cloudy night… a collection of more than 110 short and easy-to-read articles about stargazing, articles that will inform, inspire, and intrigue you, whether you’re an experienced stargazer or a complete beginner. Most of these articles take just a minute or two to read and help you cultivate your fascination with the night sky.
The first section, “Tips”, includes ideas on how to choose and use telescopes and accessories, along with techniques to help you get the most out of whatever equipment you have, whether it’s binoculars, a telescope, or simply your unaided eyes. Find the latest price on Amazon here.
The Glass Universe
#1 New York Times bestselling author Dava Sobel returns with a captivating, little-known true story of women in science
In the mid-nineteenth century, the Harvard College Observatory began employing women as calculators, or “human computers,” to interpret the observations their male counterparts made via telescope each night. As photography transformed the practice of astronomy, the women turned to studying images of the stars captured on glass photographic plates, making extraordinary discoveries that attracted worldwide acclaim. They helped discern what the stars were made of, divided them into meaningful categories for further research, and even found a way to measure distances across space by starlight .
Elegantly written and enriched by excerpts from letters, diaries, and memoirs, The Glass Universe is the hidden history of a group of remarkable women whose vital contributions to the burgeoning field of astronomy forever changed our understanding of the stars and our place in the universe. Find the latest price on Amazon here.
Field Guide to the Night Sky
The most comprehensive field guide available to the fabulous mysteries above–a must-have for any enthusiast’s day pack or home library–from the go-to reference source for over 18 million nature lovers.
Find the latest price here on Amazon.