Astronomy: A Visual Guide

Astronomy provides a survey of science's growing understanding of space, including facts on space research and space probes. Packed with stunning images and diagrams, the book features:

• A wide variety of heavenly phenomenas, including distant stars, the planets of the solar system, comets and shooting stars, eclipses and black holes.
• Vivid cross-sections of the planets with concise descriptions and a chart of their relative distance from the sun.
• Spectacular photographs from the world's finest observatories and space-based cameras, many further expertly clarified by digital graphics.
• Easy-to-read monthly sky maps with symbols to identify open and globular star clusters, galaxies and planetary nebulae.
• Labeled and diagrammed constellations.
• Profiles of nebulae, clusters and galaxies.
• Pictographs showing whether viewings require binoculars or a telescope.

Astronomy is a highly recommended, fascinating and easy-to-use illustrated reference for amateur astronomers of all levels.

Astronomy provides a survey of science's growing understanding of space, including facts on space research and space probes. Packed with stunning images and diagrams, the book features:

- A wide variety of heavenly phenomenas, including distant stars, the planets of the solar system, comets and shooting stars, eclipses and black holes.
- Vivid cross-sections of the planets with concise descriptions and a chart of their relative distance from the sun.
- Spectacular photographs from the world's finest observatories and space-based cameras, many further expertly clarified by digital graphics.
- Easy-to-read monthly sky maps with symbols to identify open and globular star clusters, galaxies and planetary nebulae.
- Labeled and diagrammed constellations.
- Profiles of nebulae, clusters and galaxies.
- Pictographs showing whether viewings require binoculars or a telescope.

Astronomy is a highly recommended, fascinating and easy-to-use illustrated reference for amateur astronomers of all levels.

Valerie Ott - VOYA

Experts and amateurs alike will love this book for its stunning photography and clear descriptions of celestial phenomena. The book begins with an overview of humankind's fascination and exploration of the sky, from the Mayans' sun-centered architecture in third century B.C., to the Hubble telescope and the Odyssey's latest exploration of Mars. Helpful time lines for events like the space race and the development of astronomical tools are dispersed throughout this section. Subsequent chapters on the solar system, stars and galaxies, the night sky, and the universe cover topics such as the planets and how they were formed, the life spans of different kinds of stars, how to read monthly star maps as well as mind-boggling concepts such as dark energy and wormholes. Finally a section called Factfile is full of statistical information, making it a handy source for ready reference. Although some concepts are difficult to fathom, they are explained with simple language in a relaxed, informal style. For example, to explain the Big Bang Theory the author portrays the universe as the size of a grapefruit before it "cooled and cooked its broiling fog of subatomic particles." Wormholes are described as the "super-highways through spacetime." Clearly this book is considerably more interesting to read than a textbook, but the real star of the show is the full-color, spectacular photography, some shots spanning two pages. The author's passion for astronomy is apparent, and he successfully presents the topic in an overview that will inspire budding astronomers. This highly recommended volume joins a companion Visual Guide, Weather (Firefly, 2004). VOYA CODES: 5Q 2P M J S A/YA (Hard to imagine it beingany better written; For the YA with a special interest in the subject; Middle School, defined as grades 6 to 8; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9; Senior High, defined as grades 10 to 12; Adult-marketed book recommended for Young Adults). 2004, Firefly, 304p.; Glossary. Index. Illus. Photos. Maps., Ages 11 to Adult.

Mark A. Garlick, PhD, is a member of the International Association of Astronomical Artists and the author of The Story of the Solar System, The Expanding Universe and many other science books.