Book Reviews
Below you will find reviews of astronomy related books for all levels and interests, whether you just want a simple guide to the night sky or suggestions for university level reading. If you’d like to purchase any of these books we’d recommend that you click on the amazon links provided, as this will help fund the website, to search amazon please use the search tool on the left.
Contents
- Beginners Books
- Observing Guides
- Solar System
- Deep Sky
- Solar System
- Equipment
- Astrophotography
- History of Astronomy
- Cosmology, Astrophysics, Particle Physics & Relativity… Physics stuff!
- Indepth Astronomy & textbooks
- Other Books
Beginners Books
Turn Left at Orion: A Hundred Night Sky Objects to See in a Small Telescope – and How to Find Them by Guy Consolmagno
amazon synopsis: change this!:A guidebook for beginning amateur astronomers, Turn Left at Orion provides all the information you need to observe the Moon, the planets and a whole host of celestial objects. Large format diagrams show these objects exactly as they appear in a small telescope and for each object there is information on the current state of our astronomical knowledge. Revised and updated, this new edition contains a chapter describing spectacular deep sky objects visible from the southern hemisphere, and tips on observing the upcoming transits of Venus. It also includes a discussion of Dobsonian telescopes, with hints on using personal computers and the internet as aids for planning an observing session. Unlike many guides to the night sky, this book is specifically written for observers using small telescopes. Clear and easy-to-use, this fascinating book will appeal to skywatchers of all ages and backgrounds. No previous knowledge of astronomy is needed.
Philip’s Planisphere
Amazon synopsis: Turn the disc to reveal the stars visible from your location on any night of the year. The 51.5N and 35S editions of this practical hour-by-hour tracker come with their own full-colour season-by-season guide to exploring the skies. Major constellations are used as signposts to navigate the night sky, introducing the novice astronomer to the joys of stargazing. The wallet also contains illustrated step-by-step instructions on how to use the planisphere.
Nightwatch: A Practical Guide to Viewing the Universe by Terence Dickinson
The third edition of Nightwatch continues its tradition of being the best handbook for the novice astronomer. Terence Dickinson covers all the problems beginners face, starting with the fact that the night sky does not look the way a modern city-dweller expects. He discusses light pollution, how to choose binoculars and telescopes, how to pronounce the names of stars and constellations, telescope mounts, averted vision and why the Harvest Moon looks especially bright. Most of the lovely photographs in the book were taken by amateurs, which gives the section on astrophotography a particularly inspirational gleam. Dickinson’s star charts are very handy, each covering a reasonable field of view and mapping the most interesting amateur objects. He gives good advice for planet watching, which he notes “is one of the few astronomical activities that can be conducted almost as well from the city as from dark rural locations.” Altogether, the maxim for Nightwatch is indeed “practical”: this is a book to be used, not just read. Spiral-bound to lie flat or to fold back undamaged, this is a field guide that pulls its own weight in the field. Author Timot hy Ferris says, “Like a good night sky, Nightwatch is clear and wind-free”. Try it and see for yourself.” –Mary Ellen Curtin, Amazon.com
Observing Guides
Solar System
Atlas of the Moon by Antonin Rukl
Amazon review: From full charts to detailed renderings, this book has the best information in the best form available for systematic observation of the Moon. This is the book to buy if an authoritative reference is needed or detailed observing of the Moon is undertaken with amateur telescopes, small or large. There is plenty of information on the Moon to read, along with the many sectional drawings and photographs of prominent and unique features.
Discover the Moon by Jean Lacroux
Amazon synopsis: The Moon is accessible to everyone, and easy to observe even in big cities. It is a prime target for aspiring astronomers and for those who are merely curious about the night sky. This easy-to-use guide to discovering lunar sites takes the reader through fourteen observing sessions from New Moon to Full Moon. For each evening, the book shows which craters, mountains and other features can be seen, and how to find them. Each photograph shows what the observer actually sees through a telescope, solving the usual difficulties of orientation confronting beginners. Images are shown as they appear through both refracting and reflecting telescopes. Maps printed on the front and back flaps of the book show the whole Moon with sites as seen through a refractor, through a Newtonian reflector, or, when turned upside-down, through binoculars.
Deep Sky
Deep Sky Companions: The Messier Objects by David H. Levy
Amazon review: Steve O’Meara has been called “the best visual planetary observer of modern times.” The first to spot Comet Halley on its return in 1985, the first to determine the rotation period of Uranus, he now turns his amazing visual skills to the deep sky. Charles Messier was one of the best comet hunters of the 1700s, with 12 comet discoveries to his credit. He was frustrated because he kept wasting time looking at fuzzy objects that turned out not to be comets. The list he kept and published of “things that aren’t comets” turned out to be his ticket to immortality. Amateur astronomers of all ages enjoy tackling the Messier catalogue members, because they represent a good sampling of what’s “out there”, and because finding them helps to hone observing skills. In a sense, the Messier objects are the testing grounds for budding sky watchers. O’Meara’s guide is unique in conveying his approach to observing: “It’s an approach based on creative perception and on using the imagination to see patterns and shapes in the subjects seen through the eyepiece. It involves using not just your eye but also your mind’s eye to associate those patterns and shapes with things that are familiar with you, to create pictures and even stories.” With O’Meara as your docent, you will truly appreciate the art of the universe. –Mary Ellen Curtin, Amazon.com
Solar System
Equipment
Using the Meade ETX: 100 Objects You Can Really See with the Mighty ETX by Mike Weasner
Amazon synopsis: In 1996 Meade, the world’s largest astronomical telescope manufacturer, introduced the ETX, a low-cost and genuinely portable instrument capable of results close to the theoretical limits of optical performance. Since then several different models have been introduced, most of them controlled by on-board computers that automatically point the telescope at objects selected from a database of 12,000. Unfortunately not all these objects are visible when looking through the ETX! (They are included because they can be imaged with special equipment. ) Mike Weasner is a world expert on the ETX range, and describes the “best” 100 objects to start with, and offers hints and tips about using and looking after the telescope to get the best possible results.
Astrophotography
Practical Amateur Spectroscopy by Stephen F. Tonkin
Amazon Synopsis: Because today’s amateur astronomical telescopes are both powerful and affordable, spectroscopy – once the province of professionals – is becoming more and more popular. Various spectroscopes, at prices to suit everyone, are now available “off the shelf”. Practical Amateur Spectroscopy contains everything an amateur needs to grasp the basic principles, to begin observing, and to understand just what the spectra show. Contributions by leading practical amateurs from America and Europe cover a very wide range of amateur equipment and techniques. One even describes how an audio CD can be used to show solar emission and absorption lines!
History of Astronomy
The Cambridge Concise History of Astronomy by Michael Hoskin
amazon synopsis: change this to a real review! Astronomy is one of the oldest sciences, and one which has repeatedly led to fundamental changes in our view of the world. This book covers the history of our study of the cosmos from prehistory through to a survey of modern astronomy and astrophysics (sure to be of interest to future historians of twentieth-century astronomy). It does not attempt to cover everything, but deliberately concentrates on the important themes and topics. These include stellar astronomy in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, at the time subordinate to the study of the solar system, but the source of many important concepts in modern astronomy, and the Copernican revolution, which led to the challenge of ancient authorities in many areas, not just astronomy. This is an essential text for students of the history of science and for students of astronomy who require a historical background to their studies.
Cosmology, Astrophysics, Particle Physics & Relativity… Physics stuff!
Relativity by Albert Einstein
This is one of the best books available on the topic of relativity. Translated from the German in the 1920’s the language seems a little quaint compared to modern books. However the simple explanations my Einstein himself make the book worth reading.
Facts and Mysteries in Elementary Particle Physics by M.G. Veltman
amazon review to pad text for the moment. The book of Martinus Veltman is a thorough description of the world of elementary particle physics. It begins with the basic concepts that gave birth to quantum mechanics, and presents the (really) elementary particles. The approach is sometimes historical but the book mainly concentrates on what is currently known and not known in particle physics. It goes from the description of the different elementary particles (what are they, their reactions, their bound states), to the technical developments of particle accelerators and detectors, and to the development of QED and QCD.
Spacetime Physics by Edwin F. Taylor
Swiped from amazon: This book is the best I have read on special relativity. It is brilliantly written and is a really interesting read. Unlike many other books I have read on the subject this book made everything really clear and easy, and with lots of examples and practise questions you really do master the foundations of special relativity!. The book also focuses on giving the reader a deep knowledge of the theory not just telling you how to answer questions therefore giving you a wonderful insight to the way the world works! This book is unmissable if you want a deep understanding and appreciation of the special theory of relativity!.
The Road to Reality: A Complete Guide to the Laws of the Universe by Roger Penrose
PADDING: The Road to Reality is the most important and ambitious work of science for a generation. It provides nothing less than a comprehensive account of the physical universe and the essentials of its underlying mathematical theory. It assumes no particular specialist knowledge on the part of the reader, so that, for example, the early chapters give us the vital mathematical background to the physical theories explored later in the book. Roger Penrose’s purpose is to describe as clearly as possible our present understanding of the universe and to convey a feeling for its deep beauty and philosophical implications, as well as its intricate logical interconnections. The Road to Reality is rarely less than challenging, but the book is leavened by vivid descriptive passages, as well as hundreds of hand-drawn diagrams. In a single work of colossal scope one of the world’s greatest scientists has given us a complete and unrivalled guide to the glories of the universe that we all inhabit.
Indepth Astronomy & textbooks
An Introduction to Modern Stellar Astrophysics by Bradley W. Carroll
Amazon synopsis: This exciting new text opens the entire field of modern astrophysics to the reader by using only the basic tools of physics. Designed for the junior-level astrophysics course, each topic is approached in the context of the major unresolved questions in astrophysics. The core chapters have been designed for a course in stellar structure and evolution, while the extended chapters provide additional coverage of the solar system, galactic structure, dynamics, evolution, and cosmology.
An Introduction to Radio Astronomy by Bernard F. Burke
PADDING from Amazon: Radio astronomy uses unique observational techniques and offers the only way to investigate many phenomena in the Universe. This book, by two founders of the field, presents both a clear introduction to radio telescopes and techniques, and a broad overview of the radio universe. The material in this new edition has been expanded and updated, reflecting the developments in the field over the last decade. New material reflects the increasing use of aperture synthesis and Very Long Baseline Interferometry, and the further exploitation of molecular spectral lines. A new chapter is devoted to the fundamentals of radiation and propagation theory. The second half of the book constitutes a review of radio observations of our Milky Way galaxy. Wide-ranging and clearly written, this book provides a thorough and up-to-date introduction to the subject for graduate students, and an invaluable overview for researchers turning to radio astronomy for the first time.
Other Books
Life’s Solution: Inevitable Humans in a Lonely Universe by Simon Conway Morris
Amazon synopsis: Is the path to intelligent life inevitable on Earth, or is evolution random? Hence, the larger questions also arise – If intelligent life is inevitable where are our “cousins” in our Galaxy?, and if we are alone what does this tell us about our Earth? The assassin’s bullet misses, the Archduke’s carriage moves forward, and a catastrophic war is avoided. So too with the history of life. Re-run the tape of life, as Stephen J. Gould claimed, and the outcome must be entirely different: an alien world, without humans and maybe not even intelligence. The history of life is littered with accidents: any twist or turn may lead to a completely different world. Now this view is being challenged. Simon Conway Morris explores the evidence demonstrating life’s almost eerie ability to navigate to a single solution, repeatedly. Eyes, brains, tools, even culture: all are very much on the cards. So if these are all evolutionary inevitabilities, where are our counterparts across the galaxy? The tape of life can only run on a suitable planet, and it seems that such Earth-like planets may be much rarer than hoped. Inevitable humans, yes, but in a lonely Universe.
