Astronomy: A Self Teaching Guide

Description

This book lets you discover the wonders of the night sky with this bestselling astronomy guide. For a generation, "Astronomy: A Self-Teaching Guide" has introduced hundreds of thousands of readers worldwide to the night sky. Now this classic beginner's guide has been completely revised to bring it up to date with the latest discoveries and graphics. This book features over 80 new photos and illustrations, including a full-color insert. It reviews the newest telescopes and spacecraft. It includes an overview of the best astronomy Web sites. It is written by award-winning author Dinah Moch. Packed with valuable tables, charts, and star and moon maps, this user-friendly guide makes it easy for you to quickly grasp the basic principles of astronomy and start observing the night sky. The book includes objectives, reviews, and self-tests, and can be used on its own as a self-teaching guide or as a supplement to astronomy course materials.

Author description

Dinah L. Moche, PhD, is Professor of Physics and Astronomy at the City University of New York and an award-winning author and lecturer. Her books have sold more than ten million copies in seven languages.

Table of contents

List of Tables. Introduction Cosmic View. Chapter 1 Understanding the Starry Sky. Chapter 2 Light and Telescopes. Chapter 3 The Stars. Chapter 4 The Sun. Chapter 5 Stellar Evolution. Chapter 6 Galaxies. Chapter 7 The Universe. Chapter 8 Exploring the Solar System. Chapter 9 The Planets. Chapter 10 The Moon. Chapter 11 Comets, Meteors, and Meteorites. Chapter 12 Life on Other Worlds? Epilogue. Useful Resources and Websites. Periodicals: Print and Online. Databases. Books by Dinah L. Moche. Career Information. Almanacs, Observing Guides, and Star Atlases. Organizations. Stunning Color Images and News Online. Appendixes. 1. The Constellations. 2. Physical and Astronomical Constants. 3. Measurements and Symbols. 4. Periodic Table of the Elements. 5. The Nearest Stars. 6. The Messier Objects. Index. Star and Moon Maps. Spring Skies. Summer Skies. Autumn Skies. Winter Skies. Moon Map.