The Search for Life in the Universe (Third Edition)

Book Description

Long recognized as the "Gold Standard" text for astrobiology courses, The Search for Life in the Universe now appears in a completely revised and updated Third Edition. This book engages students in astronomy by presenting a great, unsolved mystery: How likely is life beyond earth, and how can we find it if it exists? The text covers the fundamentals of astronomy and astrophysics, including the discovery of more than 55 planets around other stars, and also provides an overview of biology, geology, evolution, and the possibilities of interstellar travel and communication. Written for readers with no background in mathematics, the book includes 24 color insert pages and brilliantly rendered illustrations by Jon Lomberg.

Customer Reviews:

Jack Kennedy.......2006-02-27

This book is used as a text by the University of North Dakota Space Studies program where I was exposed to its content. It is an excellent book filled with the recent nuggets of information about the search for life in the universe. It is an excellent guide to understanding the cosmos in galatic and down-to-Earth terms. This book can be read for pure pleasure as well as for general knowledge of astrobilogy and astronomy.

Excellent Overview.......2003-11-07

The new edition of this book still is by far the most comprehensive introduction to Bioastronomy, touching almost every branch of science along the exciting path it follows. Remaining firmly grounded in science it shows that reality is so fantastic that it is in no way necessary to fantasize up facts and fictions. Science still is one of the greatest adventures of mankind, and the search for life in space is one of its most stimulating branches. It also is a good motivation for young college students from other subjects to further their knowledge in science - which is necessary because we live in a science dominated world.

Stefan Thiesen www.bioastronomie.de

Great for people interested in SETI ..........2001-02-27

The book deals with everything from the formation of stars and planets, to how life formed, to even the best ways to search for life and the odds of life being on other planets. It goes step by step, is easy to understand and even has review questions at the end of each chapter (along with a summary). Lots of photos, some in color, along with figures and tables to help explain and give more details. Great for people who want to understand the reasons people are searching for life on other planets, but also great for just understand the science of life on our planet too. All that and humor too.

The search for life in the spotlight........2000-09-04

This book really explaines in simple language how scientists work on this search. It is written in a way that keeps your interest on top all the way.

A Beginner's Guide to Constructing the Universe: Mathematical Archetypes of Nature, Art, and Science

Average customer rating:

presents both practical and mystical aspects of numbers as they relate to nature
This book changed my life
A few gems--mostly blather
geometry for the art
Discover a hidden depth to numbers and geometry

A Beginner's Guide to Constructing the Universe: Mathematical Archetypes of Nature, Art, and Science
Michael S. Schneider
Manufacturer: Harper Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Astronomy | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

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Sacred Geometry: Philosophy and Practice (Art and Imagination)
Sacred Geometry (Wooden Books)
Harmonograph: A Visual Guide to the Mathematics of Music (Wooden Books)
The Geometry of Art and Life
The Golden Ratio: The Story of PHI, the World's Most Astonishing Number

ASIN: 0060926716

Book Description

The Universe May Be a Mystery,
But It's No Secret

Michael Schneider leads us on a spectacular, lavishly illustrated journey along the numbers one through ten to explore the mathematical principles made visible in flowers, shells, crystals, plants, and the human body, expressed in the symbolic language of folk sayings and fairy tales, myth and religion, art and architecture. This is a new view of mathematics, not the one we learned at school but a comprehensive guide to the patterns that recur through the universe and underlie human affairs. A Beginner's Guide to Constructing, the Universe shows you:

Why cans, pizza, and manhole covers are round.
Why one and two weren't considered numbers by the ancient Greeks.
Why squares show up so often in goddess art and board games.
What property makes the spiral the most widespread shape in nature, from embryos and hair curls to hurricanes and galaxies.
How the human body shares the design of a bean plant and the solar system.
How a snowflake is like Stonehenge, and a beehive like a calendar.
How our ten fingers hold the secrets of both a lobster and a cathedral.
And much more.

Customer Reviews:

presents both practical and mystical aspects of numbers as they relate to nature.......2007-09-23

A Beginners Guide to Constructing the Universe shows the mathematical underpinnings of nature by explaining how nature makes use of the numbers 1 - 10 and also 12 and 13. For example number six is used by nature in the construction of many things including walls of cells as the six sided hexagon is a very stable geometric object. There is some focus on mystical aspects of math but not too much so that there ends up being a lot of practical knowledge to be found here. The Fibonacci sequence is presented along with the use it is put to by nature. There is a presentation of the golden mean also. I highly recommend this book to those who have had interest in math drilled out of them by the drudgery of unfocused arithmetic and algebra lessons. This book is a peak into the fascinating world of mathematics and should whet your appetite for more. One book to consider after reading this book is "Fascinating Fibonacci's" as it contains more detailed information on the material found in chapter 5 of this book.

This book changed my life.......2007-09-11

An amazing combination of mathematics, science, history, religion. As the story of geometry unfolds so unfolds many other stories of our universe.
Hint: invest in a compass, do the suggested activities and examples, have fun

A few gems--mostly blather.......2007-08-22

Reminds me of people who see number patterns in everything--even when it's mere coincidence. A few good ideas and concepts, but trying to tease them out is a chore. And some of the books statements are flat wrong--sorry, but nature is sometimes horribly prolific with resources, not studiously careful. If you are interested in a kind of metaphysical approach, it might be very interesting, but if you are interested in real numbers, real math, real life, um, not here. He points things out that are derived from a triangle or rectangle or the intersection of this or that . . . but really, the 'things' could be designed with other concepts in mind.

geometry for the art.......2007-08-03

I did very little geometry in school and as I was wanting to understand the golden mean I bought this book. I'm now on the number 5. This book discribes the making of the universe and how each number got its name. How everything starts from 1 and it goes on what 2 does and so on. It is deep reading but very interesting.

Discover a hidden depth to numbers and geometry.......2006-11-03

I always enjoyed geometry in school, and this book opened up a whole new depth to the subject for me.

Reading the book, I dug out my compass, pencil, straight edge and 30, 60, and 90 degree angles to perform the various exercises recommended by the author.

Constructing the various geometrical figures I found to be akin to creating mandalas. You create something originating in the abstract that becomes concrete, that in turn ultimately becomes personally meaningful.

Also, I learned to view several churches in town on a completely different level.

Reading this book, you will never look at the numbers one through ten in quite the same way again.

The numbers take on significance and hint at something sublime and even transcendent.

Through this book, I discovered the rich undercurrents of pythagorean number theory, and their application to the rich christian architecture of the medieval churches.

With all the fuss over feng shui, this book draws from our decidedly western tradition, revealing we have our own undiscovered architectural history that has yet to capture the popular imagination.

A wonderful introduction, chapter by chapter, number by number, to sacred geometry and the pythagoreanism that runs through it.

The Phenomenon of Life: The Nature of Order, Book 1 An Essay of the Art of Building and the Nature of the Universe (The Nature of Order, Book 1)

Average customer rating:

Gordon L. Prescott come to life?
Some of these reviews are flawed
Dissapointing
The actual physical book is not up to the ideals of the content
This book changed the way I look at everything...

The Phenomenon of Life: The Nature of Order, Book 1 An Essay of the Art of Building and the Nature of the Universe (The Nature of Order, Book 1)
Chris Alexander
Manufacturer: Center for Environmental Structure
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

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Similar Items:

The Process of Creating Life: The Nature of Order, Book 2 An Essay of the Art of Building and the Nature of the Universe (The Nature of Order, Book 2)
The Luminous Ground: The Nature of Order, Book 4
A Vision of a Living World: The Nature of Order, Book 3
A Pattern Language: Towns, Buildings, Construction (Center for Environmental Structure Series)
The Timeless Way of Building

ASIN: 0972652914

Amazon.com

Christopher Alexander, the humble messiah of good architectural design, invites readers to get comfortable with their inner judgments in The Nature of Order: The Phenomenon of Life. Best known as principal author of A Pattern Language, Alexander has designed and built countless projects worldwide, all the while thinking deeply about the nature of his work. Frustrated with the 20th century's reluctance to acknowledge human commonality and reliance on Cartesian mechanism, he urges us to rethink our understanding of space itself. With an architect's precision and clarity, he explains his theory of life as the order inhabiting space--an order both variable in degree and apprehensible to human minds. Though the scientifically minded will resist his seeming subjectivity, it will be hard for any to argue that his many examples of good and bad design are equivalent. Alexander's combination of powerful analysis and compelling synthesis makes The Nature of Order essential 21st-century reading. --Rob Lightner

Book Description

What is happening when a place in the world has life? And what is happening when it does not? In Book 1 of this four-volume work, Alexander describes a scientific view of the world in which all space-matter has perceptible degrees of life, and sets this understanding of living structure as an intellectual basis for a new architecture.

He identifies fifteen geometric properties which tend to accompany the presence of life in nature, and also in the buildings and cities we make. These properties are seen over and over in nature, and in cities and streets of the past, but have all but disappeared in the deadly developments and buildings of the last one hundred years.

The book shows that living structure depends on features which make a close connection with the human self, and that only living structure has the capacity to support human well-being.

The other three volumes of The Nature of Order continue this thesis with three complementary views giving a masterful prescription for the processes which allow us to generate living structure in the world. They show us what such a world must gradually come to look like, and describe the modified cosmology in which "life" as an essential quality, together with our inner connection to the world around us-towns, streets, buildings, and artifacts-are central to a proper understanding of the scientific nature of the universe.

". . . Five hundred years is a long time, and I don't expect many of the people I interview will be known in the year 2500. Christopher Alexander may be an exception."-David Creelman, author, interviewer and editor, HR Magazine, Toronto

Christopher Alexander is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, architect, builder and author of many books and technical papers. He is the winner of the first medal for research ever awarded by the American Institute of Architects, and after 40 years of teaching is Professor Emeritus at the University of California, Berkeley.

Customer Reviews:

Gordon L. Prescott come to life?.......2006-09-25

Read 'The Fifteen Properties' excerpted in the 'First Nomination for Book of the Century' customer review, or any other excerpt, and then consider the words of Gordon L. Prescott from 'The Fountainhead':

"The flowing life which comes from the sense of order in chaos, or, if you prefer, from unity in diversity, as well as vice-versa, which is the realization of the contradiction inherent in architecture, is here absolutely absent. I am really trying to express myself as clearly as I can, but it is impossible to present a dialectic state by covering it up with an old fig leaf of logic just for the sake of the mentally lazy layman."

I wish I could give a 'no star' review, but amazon doesn't have that option.

Some of these reviews are flawed.......2005-12-04

Anne Broadbent's review below is completely unjustified. She writes "At the beginning of the first book, Alexander shows a beautiful pagoda - but I still think I wouldn't want to have one near me, in the guise of a shopping centre, school, house, gym, restaurant, bank or whatever: I'd rather see it in its original cultural setting." Alexander agrees completely with this point. His whole theory involves local adaptation following the fundamental properties and transformations that he has outlined in these books. Nowhere does he suggest that we should use the pagoda's form in any other cultural context. If you look at some of the examples he gives from nature you will understand this. He discusses the way sand dunes form following some of the fundamental properties. Does this mean he claims we should create sand dunes in the jungle? Of course not. Examples of buildings, places, and natural phenomena, are used as a means of displaying these fundamental properties and how these properties occur universally in phenomena which the majority of humans, and all other life forms would agree contain the quality of life. Throughout the series of books, Alexander provides hundreds of examples of human creations and natural creations to support his thesis. This may or may not be news to Miss Broadbent, but this is widely acknowledged as good scientific method.

Dissapointing.......2005-11-17

I very much enjoyed 'Pattern Language' and had great hopes for this series, however, after finishing book one, I am not sure I will invest in further volumes. I give the author credit for the time and effort spent in trying to develop his 'unified field theory' of good design, but unlike some of the common sense examples in Pattern language, this book moves to a level of metaphysical abstraction that seems to stretch the ideas past their breaking point. Not-Separateness? The Void? Though he makes a valiant effort, I just couldn't shake the fact that I was reading an after-the-fact justification of the authors pre-conceived tastes. Which essentially boil down to: old = good, new = bad.
Most off-putting also, were the scrawled, barely legible sketches that were meant to illustrate some of the principles. They are so poorly rendered as to be distracting and not very helpful to boot. I would expect more graphic sense from someone purporting to explain the universal secrets of good design. I really wanted to love this book, but I find it simply frustrating.

The actual physical book is not up to the ideals of the content.......2005-08-02

I haven't finshed reading the content of this book - this is more a comment on the delivery medium...

The 'hardcover' book more closely resembles a cardboard cover book. Mine is easily bent and permanently warped in multiple dimensions - makng it much more like your typical large paperback book than a $75 hardback book. It seems harder and harder for publishers to strike that balance between quantity and quality of pictorial content on the one hand, and quality and flashiness of the cover on the other.

This book changed the way I look at everything..........2005-07-10

As a total amateur, I have no design training. I am fascinated by architecture and design, but really only "know what I like". I read "A Pattern Language" when working on object oriented computer systems and find it fascinating - I still re-read it. So, when I saw this book, I was hoping that it would be interesting.

It is way beyond interesting. It completely changed the way I look at the world. It deserves to be read carefully, slowly, savored. Alexander makes his work accessible to both architects and lay people alike.

Bravo.

Even with two kids in college, I am going to spring for book 2. Higher praise could not be given.

The Constants of Nature: From Alpha to Omega--the Numbers That Encode the Deepest Secrets of the Universe

Average customer rating:

Historical and Baffling at times!
Are there any constants in the universe?
Good book
ARE FINE-TUNED CONSTANTS EVIDENCE OF GOD?
Barrow embraces change.

The Constants of Nature: From Alpha to Omega--the Numbers That Encode the Deepest Secrets of the Universe
John D. Barrow
Manufacturer: Pantheon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Cosmology | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Science | Subjects | Books

Cosmology | Physics | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Physics | Science | Subjects | Books

The Book of Nothing: Vacuums, Voids, and the Latest Ideas about the Origins of the Universe
The Anthropic Cosmological Principle (Oxford Paperbacks)
PI in the Sky: Counting, Thinking, and Being
Impossibility: The Limits of Science and the Science of Limits
The Infinite Book: A Short Guide to the Boundless, Timeless and Endless

ASIN: 0375422218
Release Date: 2003-01-14

Book Description

A major contribution to our understanding of the basic laws of the universe -- from the author of The Book of Nothing.

The constants of nature are the fundamental laws of physics that apply throughout the universe: gravity, velocity of light, electromagnetism and quantum mechanics. They encode the deepest secrets of the universe, and express at once our greatest knowledge and our greatest ignorance about the cosmos.

Their existence has taught us the profound truth that nature abounds with unseen regularities. Yet while we have become skilled at measuring the values of these constants, our frustrating inability to explain or predict their values shows how much we have still to learn about inner workings of the universe.

What is the ultimate status of these constants of nature? Are they truly constant? And are there other universes where they are different?

John D. Barrow, one of our foremost mathematicians and cosmologists, discusses the latest thinking about these and many more dramatic issues in this accessible and thought-provoking book.

Customer Reviews:

Historical and Baffling at times!.......2007-08-27

Barrow's has a good humour about philosophy but also takes it seriously enough to explain all concepts clearly. Numbers are not my thing but this one pulled me in pretty tight. This bloke knows his stuff but the book is very readable. If you're interested in math and M Theory stuff, this a good one. It starts from the beginning when measurements were first used and numbers' significance in the universe, thus spiralling into some fairly complex and modern issues.

Are there any constants in the universe?.......2007-02-23

In considering physics, Einstein once asked whether God had any choice in laying out the rules.

After discussing the history of human measurements (historically a product of chance), Barrow turns his attention to the so called physical constants of measurement and ultimately asks the question of whether they too are a product of chance (albeit on a different scale).

Though admittedly he makes errors along the way (like saying it takes 3 seconds for light to reach Earth from the sun instead of eight minutes), Barrow nonetheless manages to create a physics book that accessible makes cutting edge insights available to the casual reader.

And what Barrow has to say about the "constants of the universe" and perhaps their ultimately changeable nature speaks mightily to the boundless enigma that is the universe (perhaps one of many) in which we live.

Good book.......2007-01-13

This was an entertaining book but a little tedious at times. Also it was not exactly what I expected. I thought it would be more of a description of different physical phenomena, while this is more like a survey of different historical approaches to uniting all constants with one theory, which constantly failed but shed light on many side issues along the way.

ARE FINE-TUNED CONSTANTS EVIDENCE OF GOD?.......2006-09-30

As one who believes that life is a natural property of the universe, I am intrigued by the concept that the constants of nature seem to have been fine-tuned to make life possible. The conservative Patrick Glynn asserts, in God: The Evidence, that they constitute essentially incontestable evidence for what was once merely a matter of faith: "the existence of soul, afterlife, and God." The notion that the universe is really an infinite multiverse, and that we just happen to inhabit one of the infinitesimal few whose constants make the wildly improbably string of coincidence leading to our existence possible, is dismissed as far-fetched nonsense propagated by atheistic scientists desperate to find some way to justify their materialist dogma.

While I once considered the notion of a multiverse to be unlikely, further study has convinced me this is not so. However, even if the multiverse is a fact, the theory offers no more support for materialism than fine-tuned constants constitute evidence for a God whose existence is completely external to the universe. We have no way of examining these other universes, and hence no way of knowing that they have constants incompatible with the evolution of life and intelligence. If consciousness is intrinsic to physical existence, and there is no compelling reason for insisting that it is not, then the constants of nature would necessarily have "fine-tuned" values.

It is odd that John Barrow's interest in this possibility arouses such animosity and ridicule in some people. Is the idea that our existence might not be an accident really so distasteful? There are those who argue that the anthropic principle should instead be called the insectoid principle since the constants are also fine-tuned to produce insects. True enough, but insects are unable to discuss the matter. We are.

Dr. Barrow's book is an excellent choice for anyone interested in gaining a better understanding of some of the intriguing coincidences of nature, and of the myriad ways in which these coincidences have been interpreted by scientists of different historical eras. There are some minor errors in the book, such as the sun being three light-seconds from Earth instead of eight light-minutes, but these are really important. The one question I have is the claim that human behavior, even if free will is illusory, is unpredictable in principle because if people are aware of the predictions made about their behavior, then they can act to falsify those predictions. But if free will really is illusory, why should the scientist not be able, in principle, to predict that behavior also?
(Peter Payne, author of CAPTAIN CALIFORNIA BATTLES THE BEELZEBUBIAN BEASTS OF THE BIBLE)

Barrow embraces change........2005-10-03

Interesting and topical to a discussion on the possibilities of existence. Barrow explores the difficulties of objective measurement, Einstein's fascination with what the universe could have been, Eddington's strange love of theory over experiment, the position of Dirac in the coincidence vs. consequence of habitable places, and the unexpected finding of possible variance in the fine structure constant from the worlds earliest known nuclear reactor.

Galaxies and How to Observe Them (Astronomers' Observing Guides)

Average customer rating:

A very good book
most up-to-date, clearly structured reference book on galaxy observing
A Wealth of Information, Poorly Organized

Galaxies and How to Observe Them (Astronomers' Observing Guides)
Wolfgang Steinicke , and Richard Jakiel
Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Astronomy | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

Astrophysics & Space Science | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

Cosmology | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

Star-Gazing | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

Universe | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

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Nebulae and How to Observe Them (Astronomers' Observing Guides)
Star Clusters and How to Observe Them (Astronomers' Observing Guides)
Deep-Sky Companions: Hidden Treasures (Deep-Sky Companions)
Supernovae: and How to Observe Them (Astronomers' Observing Guides)
Steve O'Meara's Herschel 400 Observing Guide

Accessories:

Celestial Mechanics: The Waltz of the Planets (Springer Praxis Books / Popular Astronomy)
Distant Worlds: Milestones in Planetary Exploration
Praxis Manned Spaceflight Log 1961-2006 (Springer Praxis Books / Space Exploration)

ASIN: 1852337524

Book Description

Galaxies are perhaps the most popular of all visual targets that are sought after by visual observers. At present the only way to get up-to-date information, is to query various (often highly technical) speciality books or digging deeply into the Internet. This can be a time consuming and often frustrating task, as the data aren’t often compatible. This book satisfies the need for a modern, comprehensive review in combining the three major aspects: the physical background on the nature and data of galaxies, the relevant instrumentation and viewing techniques, and finally the targets and their individual appearance in telescopes of various apertures. To illustrate the latter, a comprehensive sample of galaxies, including quasars, groups and clusters of galaxies is presented. This combination of theoretical knowledge and practical information guarantees successful observing sessions. The book could become a standard source on galaxy observing for all kinds of amateur observers, from the beginner to the experienced.

Customer Reviews:

A very good book.......2007-10-04

It is excellent writting, comprehensive, analytical and all subjects well presented and in the appropriate order.

most up-to-date, clearly structured reference book on galaxy observing.......2007-08-13

Wolfgang Steinicke was the leading author of the german "Praxishandbuch Deep Sky"(Kosmos 2004), which I like very much. So I started reading his new book on Galaxies with high expectations...and I was not disappointed :
I believe this is the most up-to-date, clearly structured reference book on galaxy observing - satisfying a very broad range of interests.
In three major sections, the authors not only address the needs of the most ambitious observers, but frequently add encouraging hints for beginners as well.
I recommend it A) as a reading book to gain a broader knowledge
and B) as an excellent planning guide when you want to observe MUCH MORE than the most commonly known galaxies.
SECTION I (70 pages) provides a basic understanding of the different types of galaxies and clusters, plus all those data that are important for visually observing them.
Chapter 1 explains different galaxy classification schemes, special cases and pecularities - then chapter 2 introduces pairs, groups and clusters of galaxies and shows their place within the hierarchy of the universe.
Chapter 3 presents a well structured overview for many different types of galaxy catalogs, containing galaxy data and nomenclatures. Advantages/disadvantages of these catalogs are discussed and their data quality is critically judged.
I strongly recommend to study this chapter 3 on catalogs first, because the same presentation structure is followed in the later SECTION III on observing programs.
SECTION II (33 pages) covers the Technical Aspects on observing galaxies.
Key technical instrumentation aspects are only summarized briefly (chap.4), but the Theory of Visual Observation (chap.5), together with practical recommendations on observing, star hopping and observing logs (chap.6) demonstrate the authors very broad experience in finding, identifying faint galaxies and documenting them.
SECTION III (110 pages) on "What to Observe? - The Objects" contains the largest, most valuable part of the book.
An instructive combination of "photo/textual" descriptions presents a large number of objects in the most "objective" way :
Not counting individual galaxies inside groups or clusters (though mentioned in the tables), a total of 500 objects are listed in data tables - following that same structure introduced in SECTION I. Each data table is immediately followed by a separate table with textual descriptions. Around 600 such descriptions are given, based on the visual appearance of each object with different instruments: 1. binocular (if possible),
2. medium aperture telescope(6-10"), 3. large telescope(13-20", sometimes larger).
All these observation descriptions in chapters 7 to 10 stem from renowned observers; e.g. Steve Gottlieb, Steve Coe, beside the authors.
Chapter 7 suggests a variety of Observing Programs, based on
a) M-, NGC/IC- or UGC- CATALOGS
b) Sky Areas and constellations
Chapter 8 suggests selection criteria which are dependent on the characteristics of the individual galaxy; i.e. by sorting them by their distance or by their appearance.
Chapter 9 concentrates on Groups and Clusters; i.e. by listing a) pairs and trios, b) small groups and chains, then c) clusters.
Chapter 10 finally suggests interesting targets "off the beaten path" or in the category of "ultimate challenge".
My reason for mentioning all these details is to demonstrate that this book is quite well organized - especially for all those readers with a minimal amount of patience and learning will.

There is only one unfortunate omission : Springer printed the 1.edition of this unique reference book without a page index !!!
However, after I emailed the author, he swiftly produced an INDEX OF ALL OBJECTS (xls), which can easily be downloaded
from the (Homepage Wolfgang Steinicke).

A Wealth of Information, Poorly Organized.......2007-04-17

This book is filled with a lot of really interesting information on galaxies. However, it is extremely disorganized. My copy of this book is now full of bookmarks to help me find information later. Why? This book has no index. Let me repeat that--this book has NO INDEX. This is an unforgivable sin for any reference book! Furthermore, the subtitle is "and how to observe them." There is not a clue about how to observe galaxies. Instead, the pictures of galaxies are taken through large professional telescopes that for the most part are not even identified. There are observer's descriptions for some galaxies, but most of these are through 20" and larger telescopes. Only a few descriptions are for telescope sizes you might be likely to own.

On the plus side, there are a number of pointers to more information sources, but often these are given in large, undifferentiated lists, instead of the authors making specific recommendations.

Some of the descriptions of galactic structure and evolution are extremely sparse. You won't find a clear definition of Seyfert galaxies, for example.

If you're looking for a definitive work on galaxies, this isn't it. But if you want to learn some interesting facts, you might find this book a fun read. You'll probably come away with some observing ideas as well, but stock up on bookmarks!

Me and My Place in Space (Dragonfly Books)

Average customer rating:

Okay, but inaccurate.
Me and My Place in Space
Great resource for home or classroom
Great non-fiction for young Children.
Wonderful for my 1 year old

Me and My Place in Space (Dragonfly Books)
Joan Sweeney
Manufacturer: Dragonfly Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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Similar Items:

Me on the Map (Dragonfly Books)
There's No Place Like Space: All About Our Solar System (Cat in the Hat's Lrning Libry)
What's Out There?: A Book about Space (All Aboard Books)
I Want to Be an Astronaut
Me and My Amazing Body

ASIN: 0517885905
Release Date: 1999-07-20

Book Description

Where is the earth? Where is the sun? Where are the stars?

Now in a Dragonfly edition, here is an out-of-this world introduction to the universe for children. With earth as a starting point, a young astronaut leads readers on a tour past each planet and on to the stars, answering simple questions about our solar system. In clear language, drawings, and diagrams, space unfolds before a child's eyes. Colorful illustrations, filled with fun and detail, give children a lot to look for on every page and a glossary helps reinforce new words and concepts. A terrific teaching tool, Me and My Place in Space is an easy and enjoyable way to introduce the concept of space to the very youngest astronomers.

Customer Reviews:

Okay, but inaccurate........2007-10-01

I liked "Me on the Map" MUCH better. I ordered the space book because the map book was very useful in explaining the concept of map representation to my four year old. This book simply wasn't as good. It is inaccurate, also, as it includes Pluto as a planet, though it is no longer considered to be one.

Me and My Place in Space.......2007-04-01

This book is great! Excellent teaching tool. Engaging for children.

Great resource for home or classroom.......2007-02-14

I bought this book to introduce a unit on Saturn for my third grade class. When I first scanned the book I thought maybe I'd made a mistake and bought something beneath their level. Not so! I read it aloud to them & they loved it. They all wanted to take it home to read again.

Great non-fiction for young Children........2006-10-16

Great illustrations, and informative non-fiction for preschoolers. I am a big beleiver in improving young children's vocabulary through non-fiction reading. This book series will help keep your youngsters attention while you talk to him/her about the world around us. A couple sentences per page. If you want to read another science series with more reading and more detail, but still great illustrations try the "Let's read and find out science" series including "Why Frogs are Wet" and many others.

Wonderful for my 1 year old.......2005-12-16

My one year old daugher and I read this book at least once a day. She loves the illustrations-like the space suit with pop beads for the oxygen line. It is not too wordy, so she stays engaged, yet provides all the basic information about our solar system and planets. She can now identify the pictures of the moon and the earth by name and knows that earth is where she lives. An animal lover, she also likes that the cat journeys into space. My daughter and I often look at the night sky, and she knows the ASL signs for moon and stars. I think that is why she loves this book so much despite her young age. This is a wonderful introduction to basic astronomy, and has spurred me to order more books on space for us to share.

NightWatch: A Practical Guide to Viewing the Universe

Average customer rating:

Best book for the budding astronomer.
NightWatch A practicle Guide to Viewing the Universe
A wonderful introduction to backyard astronomy
Excellent guide but the book has a more personal meaning to me.
buy this book before buying your first telescope

NightWatch: A Practical Guide to Viewing the Universe

Manufacturer: Firefly Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Spiral-bound

Astronomy | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

Astrophysics & Space Science | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

Star-Gazing | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

Reference | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Outdoors & Nature | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Professional | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Science | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Turn Left at Orion: A Hundred Night Sky Objects to See in a Small Telescope--and How to Find Them
The Backyard Astronomer's Guide
The Night Sky 30°-40° (Large; North Latitude)
Sky & Telescope's Pocket Sky Atlas
The Stars: A New Way to See Them

ASIN: 1552093026

Amazon.com

The third edition of Nightwatch continues its tradition of being the best handbook for the beginning 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 watchword 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, it's a field guide that pulls its own weight in the field. Author Timothy Ferris says, "Like a good night sky, Nightwatch is clear and wind-free. Try it and see for yourself." --Mary Ellen Curtin

Book Description

With 250,000 copies in print since its initial publication in 1983, NightWatch has become a standard reference guide for stargazers throughout North America.

The new Third Edition expands on that success with a completely revised and updated text, more than 100 new color photos and diagrams and 16 additional pages that cover such! new astronomical pursuits as computerized telescopes, reviews of new telescope designs and accessories, and astronomy on the Internet.

All charts, tables and diagrams have been updated and, in some cases, redesigned for easier use. Improved spacecraft measurements of the distances to the stars (recently released by the European Space Agency) are included in the charts, along with additional observing tips for stargazers using binoculars and telescopes. An expanded chapter on Astrophotography lists the best modern films and cameras for skyshooting.

The new NightWatch is faithful to the "ultra-simplified, no jargon" philosophy of the original, and at the same time, offers substantially more practical information for the novice and intermediate-level amateur astronomer. The Royal Astronomical Society of Canada called the first edition "the best of its kind"- the new Third Edition is better still. It is still an abundantly illustrated, wide-sized volume designed for easy reference during many starlit nights.

Customer Reviews:

Best book for the budding astronomer. .......2007-10-06

I have owned a previous version of Nightwatch and purchased the latest version for updated information on when to view the planets and star charts. For those looking to purchase their first telescope, there is essential information on how to choose and care for your first telescope. The amount of new material and much improved printing and binding were a wonderful plus. This Guide is the best place to start your adventure into astronomy. Highly recommended.

NightWatch A practicle Guide to Viewing the Universe.......2007-10-01

This is the best comprehensive guide to nightime "skylooking" that I have in my library. I have the previous edition and this is much improved and very readable. I have several sky charts, astronomy books and this is the best, hands down.. Thanks Terence Dickinnson.

A wonderful introduction to backyard astronomy.......2007-08-07

This is probably the best book out there for the beginner stargazer. It explains all about the different options for binoculars and telescopes (for instance, you may want to start out with "just" binoculars, and find you enjoy it more!)

Love the star charts, the illustrations, the writing...it's just great. Spiral-bound, we take it with us to every star party.

Excellent guide but the book has a more personal meaning to me........2007-05-24

I consider myself an amateur astronomer although the last time I actively kept an observation journal was nearly 40 years ago. I do follow all events astronomical. It boggles my mind at the discoveries that science has made in the last decade. Imagine, at last count, 277 exosolar planets!

This book was ordered by my father. I bought it and received another one. This book was half of the incident that changed my life. The one I received unexpectedly was the other half.

Anyway, this is a well-illustrated and well-written guide.

buy this book before buying your first telescope.......2007-04-30

I bought this book because of the great reviews amazon costumers were giving. Thanks amazon costumers, I'm glad I bought it! It gives such great information about chosing telescopes. People who have a small telescope (under 4 inches in aperture) may be a little peived about this book because the author doesn't talk very highly of small refractors bought in department stores. Not many authors do. I wish I bought this book first before buying any telescope. I say this in my review title because i highly stress it. I first bought a 70mm refractor when I knew absolutely NOTHING about telescopes (because I did no prior reading), and I ended up sending it back within a month because I started to learn more about them through websites and books. So I bought the spaceprobe 130mm (5.1 inch) by Orion, but the equatorial mount was not my favorite gadget to work with, but it's still a great tool, and it has great reviews, so I'm not going to totally trash it. This book recommends beginner scopes with great aperture and ease of use. He explains a variety of scopes, and what he considers a great buy. I sold my spaceprobe to my colleague and got a 6inch Newtonian Dob. It hasn't arrived yet, but I'm positive I made the right choice based on this book. He goes into eyepeices and everything you need to know about what to buy. Once you've read this book, you've done your homework, and you'll be more confident in buying the right items. If you're going to spend hundreds on a telescope plus accessories, make sure you're not wasting it on the wrong things. I love the glossy pages and colorful images. I highly recommend this book with "Left Turn at Orion". Buy them together if you're totally new at this. One will complement the other. If you have a small rafractor, you will love "Left Turn at Orion" because that is one of the few books that don't insult the small refractors, but tells you how to use them.

A Year in the Life of the Universe: A Seasonal Guide to Viewing the Cosmos

Average customer rating:

Stunningly Beautiful
A grand photographic reference
Super Book by a Top Amateur Astronomer
Incredible!!!!

A Year in the Life of the Universe: A Seasonal Guide to Viewing the Cosmos
Robert Gendler
Manufacturer: Voyageur Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Astronomy | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

Cosmology | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

Star-Gazing | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

Universe | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Science | Subjects | Books

Rocks & Minerals | Nature & Ecology | Science | Subjects | Books

Sky & Telescope's Pocket Sky Atlas
Deep-Sky Companions: Hidden Treasures (Deep-Sky Companions)
Celestial Sampler: 60 Small-Scope Tours for Starlit Nights (Stargazing)
Binocular Highlights: 99 Celestial Sights for Binocular Users (Sky & Telescope Stargazing)
The NewAstro Zone System for Astro Imaging

ASIN: 0760326428

Book Description

From our viewing platform on Earth, the night sky changes throughout the year. Autumn and spring are best for observing galaxies, winter is ideal for sighting nebulae and star clusters, and summer is the season of the Milky Way. A Year in the Life of the Universe, published in collaboration with Sky Telescope magazine, takes you on an intimate seasonal tour of these ever-changing heavens. Stellar photographs by renowned astrophotographer Robert Gendler help identify more than 120 deep-sky objects that stand out by virtue of their beauty, visual impact, and scientific interest, presenting the celestial objects in the order in which they appear through the seasons. This is not only a beautiful photo bookit is also a practical, hands-on guidebook for astronomy buffs at all levels, with coordinates, detailed captions, and wide-field sky charts to help stargazers young and old navigate the night sky.

Customer Reviews:

Stunningly Beautiful.......2007-04-02

When you look at such a spectacular set of photographs you have to be struck by the beauty of our universe. As the author says in the Preface, this book showcases the sky's most beautiful objects. Arranged in a way that the casual reader will enjoy. This is an assembledge of significant images of objects visible from from the Eat throughout the year. Many, perhaps even most of the images are from observations taken of items within the Milky Way. But there are also brilliant images of our local galaxy group and some more of galaxies and galaxy groups from much further away.

No less than the photographs are the explanations. While brief, here are matter of fact comments about our local group. There in a description of galaxy NGC 3079 (60 million light years away) there is a pair of dots labeled Q0957+562, a gravitationally lensed quasar ever discovered - 9.1 BILLION light years away.

I've taken a lot of pictures, but nothing like these. Dr. Gendler but in a different class than most of us, including a 20 inch telescope installed at an inky-dark, high-altitude site in New Mexico, and controlled over the Internet. But that's just the equipment. To go with it is a lifetime of skill.

This book is an absolutely delightful read for any amateur astronomer, or want to be.

A grand photographic reference.......2007-01-10

Beautifully done by a world class imager. During any season of the year the deep sky offers wonderous objects of beauty and wonder. Dr. Rob Gendler has captured the beauty of galaxies and nebula in a spectacular display of color and accompanies each image with useful descriptions.

Super Book by a Top Amateur Astronomer.......2007-01-10

This book, by Robert Gendler, one of the best known and most prolific amateur astrophotographers, is assembled mainly from his own images and incorporates some by other astrophotographers. It is a milestone in amateur astronomy. Many of us didn't know we were waiting for such a book, but when it appeared, I ordered it without hesitation. I'm not disappointed. Among other places, Gendler's images have appeared in Sky & Telescope, Astronomy, and on the Astronomy Picture of the Day web site. It's great to have them in book form both to enjoy personally as well as to share with those who are interested in the visible universe. [....]

Incredible!!!!.......2006-11-27

After I received this book, I downloaded quite a few of the author's images from [...] and had them framed for my home. I can't imagine anything as beautiful as our universe! Rob Gendler's incredible efforts are bringing an awesome appreciation of the universe to our planet. I'm ordering 6 now, and probably a lot more, as holiday gifts.

SEGMD

Average customer rating:

Universe (DK Eyewitness Books)
DK Publishing
Manufacturer: DK CHILDREN
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Astronomy (DK Eyewitness Books)
Ocean (DK Eyewitness Books)
Human Body (DK Eyewitness Books)
Weather (DK Eyewitness Books)
Volcanoes and Earthquakes (DK Eyewitness Books)

ASIN: 0789492385

Book Description

Discover the incredible secrets of the Universe, from its furthest galaxies to our own solar system. With over 50 million copies sold in 88 countries and in 36 languages, Eyewitness Books are truly the ultimate visual information encyclopedias for the 21st Century. Carrying on the tradition of integrating words and pictures, these three new titles in the Eyewitness series are timely editions to any library.

Stephen Hawking's A Brief History of Time: A Reader's Companion

Average customer rating:

SIMPLY SUPERB!!
Absolutely wonderful!
It made me think on higher levels about the universe...

Stephen Hawking's A Brief History of Time: A Reader's Companion
Stephen Hawking
Manufacturer: Bantam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Astronomy | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

Cosmology | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

Solar System | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

Universe | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

Cosmology | Physics | Science | Subjects | Books

Reference | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

A Brief History of Time
A Brief History of Time: From the Big Bang to Black Holes
The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief

ASIN: 0553077724
Release Date: 1992-05-01

Customer Reviews:

SIMPLY SUPERB!!.......2001-10-26

This is the BEST book I have ever read. I had never ever known astronomy in such a detail. I was able to impress my physics teacher by asking questions that brought even her in utter chaos and by answering some questions that were meant for 12th grader and above. You will start digesting astronomy after readin it!

Absolutely wonderful!.......1999-11-25

I'm only sixteen and before I read this book I knew very little about space. With this book I was even able to prove my chemistry teacher wrong on several occasions, one dealing with nuclear force. This book is excellent for anyone looking to expand their knowledge on how we came to be.

It made me think on higher levels about the universe..........1999-11-04

Stephen Hawking's a Brief History of Time: A Reader's Companion was a time stoppingly good book. It made me think on a higher level about the universe, black holes, and time. Much of this information, like the fact that black holes give off radiation, I had not yet begun to comprehend in the far reaches of my younge mind. Stephen Hawking, unlike most people of his brain power (if there are any people with brain power equal to his), made his words in a form that even the most common of Joes could understand every atom of what he was trying to say. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about time and how it effects the universe and its black holes. I hope everyone likes it as muck as I do. Thank you and, Stephen, keep up the good work.

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