Product Description

In Part 1, the book describes the very latest thinking on solar physics in (mostly non-mathematical) detail, incorporating the latest results from research concerning the structure and behaviour of the Sun. There is particular emphasis on the surface features visible from the Earth, and how these are the result of the extraordinary processes that are taking place within the Sun.

In Part 2, the book details the techniques for observing and imaging the Sun with commercially-available equipment. The many recent advances in optical equipment now allow amateur astronomers to observe phenomena that until recently could only be seen with the extremely expensive equipment available at universities and research observatories – notably H-alpha and Calcium-K telescopes.

This is a completely up-to-date solar observing book, while providing the science background necessary for an understanding of the observations with the latest equipment. It also features the most complete solar observing and imaging guide available.

Customer Reviews (1)

Wow, Look at that! Great, Cute, What is It? Boring, seen it before!!
Wow, Look at that! Great, Cute, What is It? Boring, seen it before!!

How often have you experienced the above sentiment when looking at a Painting, a Rock Sample, a Hot New Car's Engine or looking through a Telescope? Perceiving the Magnificence and Understanding the Significance of those Nightly Objects "after you have managed to locate them of course", or as in this case the one and only Visible Day Time Star "The Sun", is quiet important to truly appreciate their beauty and delightfully enjoying them.
Fine, we know the Sun is a star that uses Hydrogen Nuclear reactions to generate energy that makes life on this planet possible, we know about solar spots and flares and we heard many times not to look at the Sun directly and specially with a telescope as it will cause eye damage and eventually blindness even during a Solar Eclipse. You may have Googled the Sun and read some of interesting articles and seen a few lovely images."Our Sun is a normal main-sequence G2V star, one of more than 100 billion stars in our galaxy. .......etc."
This series of books, which I'm currently a proud owner of a few of them, will help put the zest back into your amateur astronomer passion and force you to look at astronomical delights in a whole new prospective. So, dust off your Telescope that cost you a few hundreds or thousands of dollars, the one next to that old Golf Set and Guitar and get to it. Let this book and others like it be your guide. The book starts with an introduction the "Sun" history and basic physics and structure without the boring math or unnecessary complexities. It next jumps into the Basics of Solar observing, SAFTY SAFTY SAFTY!!, Equipment, Filters, White Light and Monochromatic Observing and Photography with highlights of the significance and beauty of what you are looking at. By the end of this book, your understanding of what you are looking at; and equally important is how to best look at it, it will give names and show significance to those "Things" you see "photosphere", "chromosphere" etc. I highly recommend this book to any novice or amateur astronomer or even any one curious about the Sun, and for those experienced and seasoned astronomers, you may find this book and the whole series very informative and enjoyable.

HAPPY AND SAFE SOLAR VIEWING!!!
... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Excellent for Public Libraries
I liked both books for the following reasons:

The book is in general not "religious", meaning it did not attribute scientific progress or lack thereof to religion, particularly Islam. When discussed, secular factors, primarily sponsorship by the wealthy and powerful, were identified as the cause of scientific progress.

It contained illustrations with informative captions, sidebars introducing tangential lines of inquiry, and discussions of the subjects' ideas and their place in their intellectual milieu.

It has a glossary and a recommended reading list.

I got this from my public library. I encourage librarians to acquire these books.

The publisher recommends this for grades 5-8. I think it could benefit students at all levels, yet the writing is accessible to the younger age group the publisher recommends.

Enlightening biography
The Moslem scholar Al-Biruni was born in what is now Uzbekistan in 973 A.D.A devoted believer in Islam, al-Biruni made great advances in many areas, especially math, astronomy and the study of history.Unfortunately, much of al-Biruni's life was often at the mercy of his patrons--good and bad. The books in this series would be best used by middle-school to high-school age readers and researchers.Includes: Timeline, Glossary, For More Information, For Further Reading and Bibliography. ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description

In Seeing in the Dark, a poetic love letter to science and to the skies, Timothy Ferris invites us all to become stargazers. He recounts his own experiences as an enthralled lifelong amateur astronomer and reports from around the globe -- from England and Italy to the Florida Keys and the Chilean Andes -- on the revolution that's putting millions in touch with the night sky. In addition, Ferris offers an authoritative and engaging report on what's out there to be seen -- what Saturn, the Ring nebula, the Silver Coin galaxy, and the Virgo supercluster really are and how to find them. The appendix includes star charts, observing lists, and a guide on how to get involved in astronomy.

Ferris takes us inside a major revolution sweeping astronomy, as lone amateur astronomers, in global networks linked by the Internet, make important discoveries that are the envy of the professionals. His ability to describe the wonders of the universe is simply magical, and his enthusiasm for his subject is irresistible. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (23)

Fanstasic Read!
A Sunday evening drive through the cosmos with the top down. I LOVED this book.

80% Interesting - 20% boring
There are two major themes in this book, the activities of amateur astronomers as told in interviews, and a brief guide to the cosmos. I found the interviews fascinating, but they're interspersed with other chapters that seem to go on forever about details of astrophysics and what's happening in the stars. I guess you have to explain some of what these folks are looking at, but I found those sections boring. His portraits of real astronomers are very vivid however, although most get only a page or so.

Excellent Book on Space
I love this book.I've read a ton of books lately on the planets because of teaching a class on beginning astronomy for kids.This book presents the most interesting facts in the most interesting and compelling way.If I had not had this book to look at, my lessons would not have been as fun or exciting.The author writes beautifully, and has a nose for the intriguing. :)

A must for any stargazer!
Fantastic!This book is a perfect mixture of science and storytelling.This was educational and inspiring.I don't re-read many books, but this may be an exception.Loved it.

Good Overview of Astronomy
Many people, including myself, often marvel at the night sky to the point of seriously thinking of buying a telescope. The question that then arises is: What if I invest in a decent telescope, use it a few times to examine some of the celestial bodies, then eventually get bored for lack of knowing what to look at or to look for? This book attempts to help potential amateur astronomers dance around this sticking point. The author discusses the current activities of some professional but mainly amateur astronomers: what they look for, the equipment that they use, what they've found and what they continue to find. The book is well written and fun to read; it covers most areas of interest in astronomy and briefly describes what's out there. The book's only shortcoming is that it contains no figures, pictures or diagrams of any kind (other than star charts in the appendices); this is unfortunate since a few optical diagrams and pictures of the various items and people that are discussed would have complemented the text very nicely. Nevertheless, this is a great book that does much to encourage amateur astronomy. I heartily recommend it to anyone with even a passing interest in the night sky. ... Read more

Product Description
For more than a century European astronomers grappled with the mystery surrounding a suspected variation in latitude that affected their careful observations. Where the best minds in Europe had failed, an intellectual upstart from America eventually succeeded. In 1891, Seth Chandler, an actuary for an insurance company with no formal education in astronomy, built an inexpensive instrument that accurately detected the elusive variation of latitude. To compound the embarrassment of the Europeans--who discounted Americans as insignificant in the world of astronomical research--another American, Simon Newcomb, working at the U.S. Naval Observatory and using existing mathematical equations, validated Chandler's discovery.

Much more than a mere academic exercise, this solution to the problem, dubbed the "Chandler Wobble," had profound significance to astronomers of the day and played an important role later in space exploration and the eventual development of the Global Positioning System (GPS) that so revolutionized modern technology. The authors, scientists themselves, manage to unravel the mystery without the use of technical jargon and bewildering formulae, and recount both the historical events and the dramatic human aspects of the story. Private correspondence, documents, and photographs provided by Chandler's granddaughter give readers a glimpse of life within the family and of Chandler's relationships with the scientific community. It is an uplifting tale filled with the ironies of how an amateur astronomer helped America find credibility in the world of serious scientific research, a world the U.S. would eventually lead all the way to the moon. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

A Fine Story, but Stretched Too Thin
Some times a great story belongs in a book, and sometimes it just doesn't have the heft to sustain a full book and should be relegated an extended magazine article.This is one of the latter.

The story is interesting and worth knowing.The dedication of Seth Carlo Chandler to his avocation is inspiring, the theory behind the solution is elegant, and the political intrigue is evocative.But to stretch the story to booklength required a trivial prologue, superfluous biographical details for secondary characters, and technical details that were rather opaque to the lay audience, this writer included.

I'd still recommend the book to a friend with an interest in astronomy, but I'd rather recommend a streamlined 80-page version of the story.

An Early Review of Latitude
John R. Herman [...] , a retired geophysicist., 12/23/2002
For centuries astronomers have been concerned with mapping the stars and determining their motions across the sky. Their main purpose in the old days was to obtain information needed to cast accurate horoscopes for their sponsors, usually an emperor or a king. It soon became apparent that by comparing his observation of the position of the stars at a particular moment in time with a catalog of star positions, a navigator could fix his ship's latitude anywhere on the ocean. For a complete determination of location the longitude also had to be known, but the solution to this problem is described in the book "Longitude," by Dava Sobel. To provide an accurate star catalog to fix the latitude at any point, the astronomers of Europe spent years nightly observing the stars and recording their positions. Long term observations at a fixed location seemed to show that relative to the stars the latitude of the observer seemed to change with time. These variations were largely dismissed as measurement errors introduced by temperature and pressure effects on the observing instruments, yet they were observed at astronomical observatories throughout Europe in all seasons. The new book "Latitude" by Bill Carter and his astronomer daughter Merri Sue, gives a fascinating account of how an American amateur astronomer named Seth Chandler, Jr. showed that the variations are real and have a rational explanation. The book describes how Chandler painstakingly analyzed and re-analyzed mountains of astronomical data from English and German star observations, as well as those from the US Naval Obsrvatory in Washington DC. He argued that the Earth is not a rigid body because not only do the oceans move along with atmospheric highs and lows, but also the land itself is elastic. Thus, as the Earth rotates on its axis the crust slops around and disturbs the circular motion. The motion is further disturbed on a seasonal basis due to heavy winter snow covers in Siberia and North America and the foliage and moisture of summer. This introduces a complex wobbling of the axis causing the poles to shift in latitude relative to the position of the stars. He discovered there are several frequencies in the time-related variation which sometimes lead to a zero departure from the true latitude, a fact which for years had driven the European astronomers to distraction to the point where they refused to believe there was a true wobble. The Carters chronicle Chandler's struggles with the international astronomical community as well as some of his American colleagues who did not believe his results.They go to show how he overcame their opposition to be finally vindicated by being awarded the Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society of London for "his discussion of the variation of latitude...." This book also gives us a revealing look at the difficulties scientists have encountered in trying to get funding for important scientific work and to establish national laboratories in the United States, especially in the early years of the Republic. Many scientists will find curious parallels in today's struggle to maintain adequate funding for their projects, and the general public may gain some interesting insights into the interplay between science, government and politics. As our navigational and positioning needs have progressed from ship navigation to aircraft to spacecraft and then to ICBM's where pinpoint positioning is required, the necessity to account for the Chandler wobble in latitude variation has become critical. The Global Positioning System (GPS) provides positioning accuracy of a meter or two because it takes into account the Chandler wobble. "Latitude" has a lucid discussion of the development of the GPS, first under military screcy wraps but finally avalable to the general navigating public for their boats and Cadillacs. The book ends with explanatory notes on each chapter and a substantial bibliography for those who wish to further investigate the subject. It also has an excellent index -- for example, it is easy to find out who the Lazzaroni were. I highly recommend this excellent book to everyone who has ever wondered how the latitude of their location came to be defined, but it must be read with care to gain the full import of the story. The only criticism I could find in the whole book concerns a typographical error; on page 152 Edmund Halley's name is spelled incorrectly, but the index has it right.
Also recommended: Longitude by Dava Sobel

Leave writing to writers
This book fails badly in 4 categories:

1). The book's authors say, in essence, that if Europeans get credit for solving Longitude, Americans deserve to get credit for helping to understand latitide. This childish attitude ought to be left on the playground. They should prove their case from an unbiased start. It is obvious that the authors never considered any other perspective other than the America first one.
2). Unlike Longitude, there is no real story with Latitude. No prize, no interesting characters, no excitment.
3). Thetitle is a shameless rippoff of the very successful "Longitude". It seems that the authors deliberately picked the title with the hopes that people would mistakenly buy their book when they really wanted "Longitude". Google searches for one word brings up the other.
4). As other reviewers pointed out, the writing style is painfully ackward. Big publishers have manuscripts edited by professionals. It is obvious that this never happened here. I would like to submit some of the passages to the annual bad writing contest.

In summary, Latitude is not a good scientific or history book because it is highly biased towards an American perspective. It is not fun to read because of the remarkably poor writing style.

Save your time and money and get Longitude. Well written, accurate and there is actually an interesting story to tell.

A Review: Latitude
Latitude presents an issue in geodesy and astronomy that perplexed scientists, astronomers, and surveyors for years.Early surveys and measurements of latitude exhibited a certain amount of error; the real question was, how much error is acceptable and what are the causes of such error.Latitude discusses in great detail the history and science behind these errors and one aspect of error in particular - polar motion.

The authors of Latitude, a Father and Daughter combination, Bill and Merri Sue Carter both have a strong scientific background in astronomy and geodesy.With this understanding of their backgrounds I fully expected Latitude to delve deep into the science behind the phenomenon of variation in latitude; however, instead I found that they spent more time discussing history.The Carters did a remarkable job in depicting the history and lives of the scientists that made the discovery but they also went further and portrayed the lives of the scientists before them that shaped the way to making the discovery.The historical items discussed range from letters to parents while at sea, family photographs, locations of actual instruments used by scientists, to the homes where they resided.

In the opening the Carters grab your attention with fictional prologue about a commercial airliner having to make a no visibility emergency landing.This landing was to take place several years ago when GPS landing systems were not commonly installed in planes.This introduction serves many purposes.First, it demonstrates what the GPS technology provides to its users and how today we take the highly technical system (that takes into account a huge amount of factors) for granted.This GPS technology is shown to give within a meter accuracy of the location of a receiver and as the book later goes on to show for a long time such accuracy was difficult to achieve.Secondly, it captivates the reader.I think the authors could have done a better job of explaining why this introduction is particularly relevant to the purpose of the book, but it comes out eventually.

One topic of discussion that caught me by surprise was religion.Religion is discussed in different places throughout the book, but the entire first half chapter on Newcomb deals with his conflict with religionIt does appear clear that the authors seem to share the beliefs of Newcomb on the subject by the way the topic is discussed.There exists an enormous amount of interest in this topic that would spark emotions across the spectrum and the Carters present a pretty good case in the brief time it is discussed.This particular topic, while widely disputed by the masses of the public, would potentially be an interesting book and if published would undoubtedly spark the interest of a wider populace than that of Latitude.

During the course of the book the Carters show how Chandler was able to determine the shifting of latitude caused by the polar "wobble."It goes on to discuss how Newcomb assists in explaining to the scientific community how the expected value of a 10 month period for the shift to go full circle could actually be the 14 month period detected by Chandler.The authors point out that Chandler most likely had no clue that the expected period for the shift was 10 months and may contribute to why nobody was able to accurately detect a validated variation of latitude before him.It is an interesting point on how even the smartest people can be blinded by expectations of truth as opposed to looking at the evidence and facts behind research and hard data.

The only distraction I found while reading the book was that in a book of about 200 pages the discovery (the main point of the book) was not discussed until about page 120.For a historian this would not be a big deal; however, as a person interested primarily in the science behind the earth, I found myself anxious to get further along into the discovery of the phenomenon and on occasion asked myself: is this (topic) noteworthy enough to delay getting to the point?

Throughout the entire book I found no real negative issues with the book Latitude.While the authors will probably never receive a literary award for their style of writing, they did a great job taking into account the historical perspective of the accounts leading to the discovery of the variation of latitude caused by polar motion.The book also does a good job in discussing the science behind the discovery and how complicated all the effects and factors make this subject.

And here's why your GPS works
We have learned how Global Positioning Systems affect our lives in astonishing ways, from directing smart bombs onto thugs in Iraq to turning Texas hunters into space shuttle accident investigators.
GPS has hundreds of other uses, too, including keeping airliners on course, but none of it would be possible without an understanding of the variation in latitude, and there's a story behind that.
That latitude varies, with respect to the distant stars, was suspected by the middle of the 18th century, but the measurements to prove it were almost impossibly delicate. Some of the finest scientific minds of the age considered it, including Leonhard Euler, but the actual solution did not come about until the 1890s, finally nailed down by Seth Chandler, a typical example of a New England Yankee tinkerer.
Chandler was better educated than most boys in the 1850s, going to high school in Boston, but he never attended college.
At age 15, he was hired by the leading American mathematician of the day, Benjamin Peirce, to be a "computer." That is, he ground out equations for astronomical summaries, work that today is done electronically. In those days, such solutions were done by mere stubbornness with pencil and paper.
The Carters, father and daughter, are well qualified to tell this recondite story. Bill Carter is a former chief of the geosciences laboratory at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Merri Sue Carter is an astronomer at the National Earth Orientation Service of the Naval Observatory.
Together they manage to make understandable some very complicated geometry, and almost -- but not quite -- impart some of the thrill of reading a murder mystery into the hunt for variation of latitude.
Drama there was, but mostly of a rather rarefied kind.
It is not a simple story.
European scientists on the hunt for proof of variation decided to set up observatories on opposite sides of the globe, and they chose Berlin and Waikiki. But though the Waikiki observatory was built, Chandler beat Europe's best to the answer, using marvelously sensitive instruments of his own design, and a feel for the wobble of the Earth that perhaps has never been surpassed.
Chandler, scanning his pages of numbers, discovered that the variation of latitude has more than one component.
In fact, he came to believe that Earth has three subtle wobbles that impart a complex behavior to its axis (and, consequently, to the apparent latitude, as measured against the fixed stars).
With better instruments and vastly greater resources, modern scientists have confirmed two of Chandler's wobbles. The third is so subtle that even today, researchers are not sure it exists. If it does, evidence may become available by around 2010.
For a few bucks, you can buy a cellular phone with GPS as one of a dozen features. There's a whole lot more to that feature than most of us imagine.
... Read more

Product Description

A Spectroscopic Atlas of the Stars: A Pocket Field Guide is a standard reference book for all amateur astronomers interested in practical spectroscopy or spectrography. For the first time in one place, it identifies more than 70 (northern hemisphere) bright stars that are suitable observational targets for both amateurs and astronomy students.

Finder charts are provided for locating these sometimes-familiar stars. Data for each star includes labelled stellar spectra, a spectral profile with spectral lines identified. These are conveniently laid out on a single page, opposite tables of spectroscopic properties, and lines and wavelengths identified.

This is the first Spectral Atlas designed for amateur astronomers. It is equally relevant to college undergraduates, being intended to familiarize astronomers of any age and level of knowledge with labelled stellar spectra and their different properties. It contains much information about stars which is hard to find or inaccessible to most people.

Product Description

This book is for two groups of people: those who want to study the remote planets with amateur astronomical equipment, and those who are just interested in learning about our knowledge of the remote planets.

The Remote Planets, and How to Observe them is unique in that it gives a completely up-to-date summary of our current knowledge of the remote planets, and also explains how amateur astronomers can contribute to our knowledge of the remote planets. Readers are given some inspiring examples of people who, with modest commercially-made equipment, have made important contributions to our scientific knowledge.

The observational section goes into great detail, including optical and CCD photometry, occultation measurements, imaging (including stacking and enhancement techniques) and polarization measurements.

There are finder charts (from 2010 to 2026), complete with two sets of star-magnitudes in an appendix (one set of magnitudes are for photoelectric photometry and the other set is for visual photometry)

Customer Reviews (3)

Detailed information on the outer planets
This book has a lot of interesting and detailed information on the outer planets and would be perfect for an advanced amateur astronomer who wants to do his own research and observations. An armchair astronomer or beginning enthusiast might have trouble understanding some of the technical information in this book and may decide to skip over some of the graphs and equations. Dr. Schmude has a very direct and no-nonsense style of writing that packs a lot of technical information and data into each chapter. A reader who wants a coffee table style book with basic information and large photographs should look elsewhere. I enjoyed the book because it was a challenge to understand all of the information and I actually learned how to do planetary research with basic equipment.

Last Stop For the Grant Tour Of Our Solar System !!
Sadly; exploring both Uranus and Neptune including their Moons at this stage in time have fallen from humanities interest to explore due to economic reasons or whatever excuses someone somewhere conjures up. What we have about them was basically obtained from Voyager 2 flyby in its Grand Tour of the Solar System. The Magnificent Moons around them such as Miranda and Triton which is geologically active are amazing; yet sadly we will never learn anything more in the near future; and for many of us we may pass on to the whatever lies beyond before we learn more; my guess is we have to be satisfied with "Artists Impressions" of what these places look like. Pluto is a bit lucky as the "New Horizons" mission is underway to explore that region of space, perhaps not all is lost.
This book may help awaken your the interest in space exploration and maybe create a new group of amateur and professional astronomers who will stir up public interest to send space probes to those two planets in line with Galileo and Cassini.
Catch a glimpse of those two Planets, and see if you can find the "DOT" of light called Pluto. This book has all you need and more; unfortunately that's all there is for now about those planets; not enough for fill more than a few pages!!!

Excellent book on the last planetary bodies in the Solar System
Dr. Richard Schmude gives wonderful and indepth information on Uranus, Neptune and Pluto. I had Dr. Schmude as a professor for Astronomy, and he brings the same knowledge and enthusiasim to this book as he did in the class room. ... Read more

Product Description
Written by an experienced and well-known lunar observer, this is a hands-on primer for the aspiring observer of the Moon. Whether you are a novice or are already experienced in practical astronomy you will find plenty in this book to help you raise your game to the next level and beyond. In this thoroughly updated Second Edition, the author provides extensive practical advice and sophisticated background knowledge of the Moon and of lunar observation. It incorporates the latest developments in lunar imaging techniques, including digital photography, CCD imaging, and webcam observing, and essential advice on collimating all common types of telescope. Learn what scientists have discovered about our Moon, and what mysteries remain still to be solved. Find out how you can take part in the efforts to solve these mysteries, as well as enjoying the Moon's spectacular magnificence for yourself! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

More a reference than a read
North's very attractive book struck me less as a "good read" than as a useful reference for the amateur astronomer.The half of the book devoted to an "A-Z" of lunar landscapes in particular is quite good for this purpose -- if you've been out viewing the moon and are curious to know more about a particular feature, both the text and photographs are of value.I agree with a previous reviewer that this would have been better as two books. The overview chapters are well written but not of much value to the advanced astronomer; the information on CCDs, software etc. is likely to age pretty quickly. The info on transient lunar phenomena is interesting but not of much use unless you have a big 'scope.Still, as a reference book for lunar features I haven't seen much else that compares with it.

Not the best Moon book!
It is difficult to know what to say about this book. The author has invested much time in preparing it, and Cambridge has done an excellent job of reproducing the many fine drawings and photographs included. Yet it leaves me surprisingly flat; I suspect this is a book which will sit on my shelf rarely opened.
The book is strangely lopsided. Its longest and best section, fully half the book, is a set of detailed descriptions of forty-eight selected regions of the Moon, selected for their topographic variety and interest. Each region is illustrated by photographs and drawings under various illuminations, and North provides descriptive text and an at-the-eyepiece tutorial. The drawings are typical of the British school of lunar drawing: meticulous pen and ink drawings which are striking to look at, but so stylized as to bear little resemblance to what one sees through the eyepiece.
This massive descriptive section is preceded by seven short chapters to provide the reader, whom North typifies as an "interested amateur astronomer who is yet to become a lunar specialist," with the background necessary to begin observations of the Moon. After an introductory chapter, there are sections on the history of lunar observation, equipment and visual observation, photography, electronic imaging, the physical nature of the Moon, and reference sources. Following the large descriptive chapter, there is a chapter on transient lunar phenomena, obviously a subject dear to North's heart. Much of this material is superficial, but it is interlaced repeatedly with rather technical sections, almost as if the author wished to show off his scientific credentials.
When I initially started to read the book, I gravitated to the chapter on reference sources. Clearly North's favourite source is Lunar Sourcebook-a User's Guide to the Moon. Unfortunately this is currently out-of-print. North lists seven books and maps taken from Sky Publishing's web site, which includes such standards as Antonin Rükl's Atlas of the Moon, and then makes an extraordinary statement: "I must admit that I have no personal experience of the adequacy, or otherwise, of any of these items." In other words, he has not bothered to consult a large part of the standard reference works for lunar observers! This was when I seriously began to doubt the quality of the research underlying the rest of the book.
Finally, there is the question of North's writing style. This is what I call the "chatty British eccentric" style, typified by the writing of Patrick Moore and Gerald Durrell. While charming to some in small doses, it definitely becomes tiresome in a long book. Then there is his constant whining about the page limitations imposed on him by his publisher, which he repeatedly uses as an excuse to flog his other book and just about anything else published by Cambridge. It took a major effort of will for me to wade through all this.
So what is an amateur astronomer interested in the Moon to do? My favourite book on the Moon, Rükl's Atlas mentioned above, is currently out-of-print, but due to be reprinted by Sky soon. It is what I always keep at hand while observing the Moon, and is well worth seeking out on the used market. I can't in all honesty recommend North's book to either a beginner or a more advanced student of the Moon.

Solid, But Far Too Compressed
North is a respected person in the amateur lunar community. Given that, I can't help but wish this book could have been somehow better.

North starts out by giving a good account of the Moon itself, dealing with such concepts as gravity, tides, phases, libration, lunar coordinates, and occultations. He then goes forward to give a short account of pioneering lunar selenography. Then he goes onward with chapters dealing with drawing the Moon through a telescope and photographing the Moon with both cameras and CCDs. All of these chapters, while good, could have been more in depth, I think.

A (very) short chapter on the Moon as it is studied from the desktop is included. This so barely scratches the surface the chapter is easy to miss.

The largest portion of the book is a chapter (over 100 pages long) on selected lunar landscapes. This is a great part of the book and North does a great job with it. It seems the only part of the book that isn't cut short due to space considerations, but here more could possibly been done.

Finally, there is a short, but good chapter on Transient Lunar Phenomena, the subject that North has been working on for some years.

In the end, the most annoying part of the book for me was North saying again and again and AGAIN that "much more could be said about this, but I'm already over the page allotment that my publisher set."In the end, due to this, "Observing the Moon" is largely an average book...that has two GREAT books struggling to get out of it.

Want a first book on the Moon?You can start with this, but it will only whet your appetite for more...which may not be a bad thing.

Mr. North, I look forward to you working on the next version of this book. However, for the next version, if possible, split it into the two great books that are struggling to get out of the book you've written: one book that is just Chapter 8 ("Selected Lunar Landscapes") and another book that is all the other chapters. ... Read more

Product Description

This book is about observing dramatic and often bizarre cosmic events. Observation of gamma ray bursts, cataclysmic variable star outbursts, distant supernovae, and even active galactic nuclei might be thought to be far beyond the range of amateur observers – but this is not the case. Recent technical developments in CCD equipment, powerful PCs, new observing and processing techniques, and professional satellite monitoring systems have opened a range of high-value niche areas of scientific astronomy to amateurs.

Cataclysmic Cosmic Events and How to Observe them explains what these events are, what we know of their physics, and how amateur astronomers can observe them.

For example, it might be thought that events as distant as gamma ray bursts (GRB) and active galaxies could not possibly be observed by amateur astronomers - but gamma ray bursts have been recorded using simple cameras with telephoto lenses. These incredibly powerful events fade dramatically, and once an orbiting satellite detects a GRB it is primarily a question of response time – so it is easily possible for amateur astronomers to be the first to respond.

There are a dozen active galaxies which are easily visible in amateur telescopes visually, let alone with CCD equipment. In this era of CCDs and automated telescopes, amateur astronomers are reaching deeper than most professional astronomers were able to in the film-based era of the 1980s. The Internet allows rapid emailing of alerts, finder charts and large image files: this simply was not technically possible even 15 years ago. Monitoring cataclysmic variables is an increasingly popular aspect of amateur astronomy, with many visual observers checking dozens of these objects every clear night.

Closer to home, amateurs are observing high-energy outbursts on the Sun. using the latest generation of H-alpha telescopes and filters and webcams. More and more of these outbursts will occur as we move towards the next sunspot maximum (in 2011) – possibly more than at any time since 1958. This will be an increasingly important field of amateur astronomy.

Here is an exciting set of observational challenges related to some of the most spectacular events in astronomy today. It bridges the gap between the professionals, and the keen backyard amateurs wanting to contribute professional results.

Customer Reviews (1)

The "Final Frontier" of Amateur Astronomy .... and beyond !
For millennia, the universe was explained in the simple terms of a flat Earth setting on a turtle's back, being the centre of the universe and some fables about gods and goddesses, demons and monsters; The Sun, Moon, Planets and Stars had their own mythological stories and mysticism. But somewhere along the line, science entered the scene and changed all that and the Universe took a whole new dimension. Instead of mysterious demons and monsters we now have a vast universe that is beyond imagination; cataclysmic events that supersede in their destructive power the wildest imagination and black-hole monsters that can literally devour light. Every step towards unravelling the secrets of the universe unveils even more secrets and enigmas.
This book goes through our Galaxy and beyond to explain those "CATACLYSMIC" events that are mind boggling. This book may not be for everyone, observing these events may not be easy, but this maybe the "Final Frontier" of Amateur Astronomy.

What a Wonderful and Magnificent Universe!! See for your self !!
... Read more

Product Description

Terms such as "expanding Universe", "big bang", and "initial singularity", are nowadays part of our common language. The idea that the Universe we observe today originated from an enormous explosion (big bang) is now well known and widely accepted, at all levels, in modern popular culture. But what happens to the Universe before the big bang? And would it make any sense at all to ask such a question? In fact, recent progress in theoretical physics, and in particular in String Theory, suggests answers to the above questions, providing us with mathematical tools able in principle to reconstruct the history of the Universe even for times before the big bang.

In the emerging cosmological scenario the Universe, at the epoch of the big bang, instead of being a "new born baby" was actually a rather "aged" creature in the middle of its possibly infinitely enduring evolution. The aim of this book is to convey this picture in non-technical language accessibile also to non-specialists. The author, himself a leading cosmologist, draws attention to ongoing and future observations that might reveal relics of an era before the big bang.

Customer Reviews (3)

Enjoy yourself reading a well-written book on Cosmology!
"The Universe before the Big Bang: cosmology and string theory" gives an informative popular description of modern cosmology together with the application of String Theory to this fascinating area of research. The first part gives a broad description of General Relativity and the Standard Cosmological Model; thereafter the author takes a detailed look at the strengths and weaknesses of this cosmological model. The inflationary model and the basics of string theory are then introduced, whereby the author succeeds in engendering a pleasant tension that culminates in the description of quantum cosmology and latest theoretical ideas in cosmology. But the book is not only theoretical: Where appropriate, e.g. in the chapter on gravitational waves, the reader is given interesting insight into Earth- and space-based experiments, nicely revealing the links between physical theories and their potential validation.

Hard to believe, and unlike other popular books on this topic, there are no equations in this book; this, together with the presence of cartoons and useful diagrams, gives the nonspecialist easy access to exciting cutting-edge science, from String Theory to Inflation and Brane Universes. Occasional historical excursions into the evolution of cosmological models add to the pleasure of reading this book.

Avoiding "singularity", but.. be warned.
New cosmological solutions (models for the Universe that were not contemplated by general relativity) are suggested by physicist Gabriele Veneziano in collaboration with the author. Therefore, just to simplify, we read the Big Bang took place, but it did not involved a moment of infinite density, and inflation took place before not after Big Bang. Such conclusion can be obtained by quantum loop approach. But here we have the hazarded guesses by using symmetries of quantum strings - time did not have a a beginning and will not have an end. Such scenario is called "symmetry of time reversal" where dilation field plays the role. Mentioned is as well "ekpyriotic" model based on strings (for details check excellent: "Endless Universe" by Steinhardt and Turok where they did much better job explaining riddles of standard inflationary model vs. string models).

Fascinating topics indeed. Unfortunately I tend to agree with the first reviewer (quote): "this is not a book written in non-technical language as the publisher claims". It is more than popular dissertation beingcloser to scientific presentation, where just a few plottings and illustrations are difficult to understand. I often struggled reading verbal descriptions of math equations (for example: "An expansion of the partition function in a series of higher-genus world sheets thus becomes an expansion in powers of the exponential of the dilation, exp Æ"). I would clearly prefer math formulas (when not too complicated) rather than "textural" approach. Author chose rather cumbersome way to explain differences between Einstein'sand string geometry describing and picturing evolution of the spacial radius R and horizon radius c/H for a model of Universe (nothing to mention that concepts of both: spacial and horizon radius, are hard to grasp). Same relates to graphs picturing frequency and energy density of gravitational background radiation, where log scale is introduced, but text refers to straight numbers - confusing for inexperienced reader.
Lack of glossary of terms is hugely disappointing. Buy this book only if you are a die-hard cosmology follower. Otherwise I strongly recommend easier, greatly illustrated (in colors) and compact article from Scientific American magazine: "Was the big bang really the beginning of time?" by Gabriele Veneziano.
Anyway, lots depends on Planck space mission. It may or may not confirm/reject quantum string models, even wraparound models. Time will tell.

The Big Bang was not the origin of time
This is a fascinating book showing the possibility that the Big Bang looses "its rather mystical role as the beginning of everything, to become a more modest beginning of the current phase of the Universe ", as the author claims in the Conclusion.
With an introduction to String Theory,its duality symmetry and its dilation field, Gasperini portrays a pre Big Bang scenario which avoids the singularity of the Big Bang.Although this is a mathematical theory, it could be sustained experimentally in the next 20 years when better gravitational wave devices (the interferometer formed by three LISA satellites inan equilateral triangle with a side of 5 million km, for example) are constructed, as the spectrum of a cosmic background of gravitons predicted by this theory is different from the classical inflationary theories.Other possible experimental verifications are discussed, among them the author claims that the still unknown seed of the cosmological magnetic fields could be explained with his theory. A further possibility is that the dilation field is a plausible candidate to explain dark energy.
However, this is not a book written in non-technical language as the publisher claims. You probably need at least a degree in physics to follow most of its arguments. This is the reason I rate it only with three stars.
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Product Description
This revolutionary new book is written for practical amateur astronomers who not only want to observe, but want to know the details of exactly what they are looking at. The Moon is the most commonly observed of all astronomical objects. This is the first book to deal equally with the Moon itself - its formation, geology, and history - as well as the practical aspects of observation. The concept of the book - and of the series - is to present an up-to-date detailed description of the Moon, including its origins, history, and geology (part one); and then (part two) to consider how best to observe and record it successfully using commercially-available equipment. The Moon and How to Observe it is a mine of information for all levels of amateur observers, from the beginner to the experienced ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Good for observing, missing some useful info
This book is a good, basic intro to observing the Moon. But it could have been so much better.

Part I gives an intro to the Moon's structure, origins and -- for lack of a better term -- geology. However, the writer is clearly out of his element here, particularly in the discussion of the Moon's origin. He uses technical terms that are inaccurate -- the one point where he talks about some particular lunar lavas being "ductile" sticks in my mind. A co-author -- or a good, knowledgeable editor -- would help here. The discussions of libration and eclipses are adequate.

Part II is where the book shines. A lot of time has obviously been spent at the eyepiece, viewing the Moon, and this section on observing really shows that. However, even here, we can get fairly pedantic; especially when the author credits himself for photographs, and continues to do so, over and over again.

The book is really lacking in two things:

1) There are no data tables of any kind. Any introduction to a lunar coordinate system in the text, accompanied by a listing of major features and their locations in an appendix, would be very helpful. Just a table of features and days past new when they are best viewed would be a big improvement.
2) As far as this book is concerned, the far side of the Moon does not exist. I do understand that this is supposed to be an observing guide, and we can't look at it from Earth. But the book includes discussions of the moons of other planets, comets and asteroids, and other topics far less relevant. The fact that the far side doesn't even appear in the Index will tell you something about how much this is glossed over.

As an amateur astronomer who is mainly a deep-sky observer, the Moon is mostly a target of my scorn. The Moon makes the sky too bright to see the faint objects that I normally look at. I bought this book because I thought it would give me a greater appreciation for something that is normally "just in the way." To some extent, it has helped; and for that I give it 4 stars. But if I had it to do over again, I would search for a better reference than this.

I'm Romantic about the Moon; but as an Amateur Astronomer I Love Moonless Nights!! Well; until I got this book ...
No matter who you talk to, its always roughly a similar story, the first object to look at when you get your Telescope out of the box is the moon, its easy to find and quiet fascinating. Within few weeks or even days it becomes a nuisance when viewing other deep sky objects and planets; besides other light pollution and limitations. You look at the moon, you see craters and dark lava, all looks the same; one crater is like the other. It became more interesting when I got the Moon Maps and Moon Phase Maps and the Lunar 100 List to spice things up and most recently the LCROSS space mission and Apollo 11 40th anniversary which I witnessed at the age of 4 in 1969 to get me revive my interest in the moon. Then I purchased this book and the moon started taking on a whole new dimension. The Moon is fascinating and is full of history from its creation to the most recent events those natural and man made. I'm no longer looking at Craters, Faults, and Edges and Rimae the same any more but rather I see what I did not see before. This book is your Moon Polarizer Filter; it brings things into Focus and makes you appreciate that Shinny Object that was once "Theoretically" a part of our planet Earth. The lunar features have a story to tell and this book helps you understand their language.

Happy Moon Lighting!!!

[...]

lacks coordinates
I agree with previous reviewer. It is a nice book with a lot of nice photographs easy to read for a new comer. But the absence of coordinates for the described lunar features makes difficult the connection with a detailed lunar atlas such as found at lunar and Planetary Institute http://www.lpi.usra.edu/ or published by the National Geographic Society. Most photographs are oriented south up north down and other in the reverse direction. You have to find out.

Great Moon Guide
For those amateur astronomers or any interested in the Moon, this is the book for you. Its lack of jargon only professional use is its obvious selling point, but also its get plenty of information use for amateur observation of the Moon. ... Read more

Product Description

Most amateur astronomers – and many of those with similar interests but who are not currently practising observers – have only a sketchy understanding of space flight. This book provides an introduction to its mechanics. The beauty of this book, written by an engineer who is also an accomplished science writer, is that it covers the subject comprehensively, and yet is almost entirely descriptive and non-mathematical. It deals with all aspects of space flight, from how to leave the Earth (including the design of the rocket, mission planning, navigation and communication), to life in space and the effects of weightlessness. The book also includes sections describing how an amateur can track satellites and understand their orbital parameters.

Customer Reviews (3)

Good information, poorly presented/formatted
Dr. Rogers clearly knows her stuff, but you'll have a hard time learning it from her because the book is presented in prose format rather than employing any instructional design techniques -- no bullets, no bolding of key terms, and the graphics are very pixellated. So you essentially have, save for an occasional table or graphic, a sea of text without much visual relief. There is a glossary in the back as well as an index; I will give her credit for that. Plus, she is from the UK, so American readers will get distracted a bit by the British spellings and phrasing/usage. I am a technical writer who wants to learn more about the aerospace field, but I've had this book about a year now, am not quite halfway through it, and have no motivation to pick it up to finish it. There is good information here, but I just don't have the energy to force myself through that much highlighting...

Very easy read
Great book! I purchased this for my son last week and he has yet to put it down. So far it seems easy to follow and very detailed. Enjoy!

It IS only rocket science!
A great, easy read that is full of information but broken down so the casual reader can truly understand what goes into launches, orbits, and rocket design. A bonus chapter on new ideas for the future of space. A great, helpful read and certainly a wonderful reference tool! ... Read more

Product Description

Amateur astronomers – particularly deep-sky observers – are always on the lookout for new observing challenges. The Herschel Objects, and How to Observe Them offers the exciting opportunity of retracing the steps of the greatest visual observer and celestial explorer that ever lived. This is a practical guide to seeing the most impressive of Herschel’s star clusters, nebulae and galaxies.

There has never been – and as of the time of submitting this proposal there still isn’t – an observer’s book devoted to the Herschel objects. The US-based Astronomical League has for several years sponsored a "Herschel Club", reflecting the interest amateur astronomers have in this important but less widely known listing. The Herschel Objects, and How to Observe Them covers more than 600 of the brightest of the objects that Herschel saw, with detailed descriptions and images of 150 to 200 of the very best for viewing with amateur telescopes.

Customer Reviews (1)

great
great product.... as an amateur astronomer is good to have a nice guide to everything thats important ... Read more

Product Description

The purpose of the book is a dual one: to detail the nature and results of Tunguska investigations in the former USSR and present-day CIS, and to destroy two long-standing myths still held in the West. The first concerns alleged “final solutions” that have ostensibly been found in Russia or elsewhere. The second concerns the mistaken belief that there has been little or no progress in understanding the nature of the Tunguska phenomenon. All this is treated by the author in a scholarly and responsible manner. Although the book does present certain unusual findings of Russian and Ukrainian scholars, it is important to stress that this is not a sensational book; it is, rather, a serious exposition of the results of rational investigations into a difficult scientific problem. We are demonstrating the true complexity of the problem that is now entering its second century of existence. Simple meteoritic models cannot explain all the characteristics of this complicated event, and therefore certain so-called “unconventional hypotheses” about the nature of the Tunguska explosion are to be considered as well.

Customer Reviews (9)

Tunguska
Dr. Rubtsov is clearly well versed in the sciences, a necessary foundation for one who chooses to look into occurances such as the Tunguska explosion which occurred in 1908.
He systematically eliminates the possibility that this explosion was the result of a meteor crash, and introduces the idea that there were elements that were nuclear in nature.
When these facts are combined with the very low angle of approach, and the apparent changes in the flight path, it seems one can only conclude that some kind of intelligence was associated with this incident.
All of which is very interesting to contemplate.

Outstanding, well thought out, solid science.
This is, simply put, a great book. It delves into one of the great mysteries of the 20th century.

There are those of us who, for decades, have been heard or read about the strange explosion in Siberia in 1908 and what might have caused it. Theories abound. Those of us living in the west might have formed the notion that the mystery is solved. Well it's not. If you never read another book about the Tunguska event, you MUST read this one.

In my opinion this is, far and away, the best book I've encountered that explains how science actually operates. The author has taken considerable effort to explain the information gleaned from 80 years of research on the event at Tunguska and he carefully and with considerable skill lays out the information in a way that any lay person will understand. By the time you finish this book you will have been exposed to the "hard data" that has been acquired by numerous scientific expeditions to the site, you will understand the various theories that have been proposed and the strengths and weaknesses of those theories. Most importantly this is NOT a book about the authors pet theory; enough of those have been written. He deals with the data honestly and allows the reader to make up his own mind about any possible "final answers".

This book puts real science in the hands of lay people. Once the reader has both a good understanding of the scale of this event (for example, the explosion was the equivalent to 3000 of the Hiroshima fission devices) and some appreciation for the scientific evidence discovered at the site, he will likely come away with an understanding of what makes this event puzzling and awe inspiring.

Outstanding history of Tunguska research !
This book reads like a mystery, unfolding new discoveries in each chapter.
Most Americans have no idea of the breadth of research conducted over the last 100 years on Tunguska.
This translation does justice to all who worked on this phenomenon.
I have no quibble with the book, but I am now more unhappy with the various specials on TV, such as the History Channel.These specials do not delve into all the evidence presented here and are in fact, misleading.
I would like to see a new TV special based on this outstanding book !
I recommend this book highly to anyone interested in the scientific process, especially.

The Best Book On Tunguska Mystery
This is the best book on the Tunguska mystery.It is very well written with lots of references, so you know the author has done a lot of research on the topic.It is a scholarly work but it would be enjoyable by anyone (non-specialist) interested in the topic, or, more broadly, in "(un)natural mysteries" or "(un)natural disasters".I highly recommend it.

too detailed for good reading
Vladimir Rubtsov himself writes on p.302 about the knowledge of the western world on the Tunguska phenomenon: "Too many well-established facts have been forgotten, too much information is ignored, lots of important publications remain unknown in the West". The author sets out to correct this fact and - boy - he does not leave out any detail!

It has to be said that the book makes an excellent encyclopedia for people deeply involved in the Tunguska discussion. The author uses great care to portray all researchers, their lives, their organizations and political struggles amongst the Russian research groups that influence the funding as well as the interpretation of scientific results.
For me - being a geologist with interests in planetary science as well as astronomy - the book did not make for good reading. I was often bored and close to falling asleep.

Fact is that I learnt a lot about the Tunguska phenomenon (which I had never heard of before buying the book). Fact is also, that I gained my new knowledge from the first half, and final chapter of the book, since I could not get myself to read all of it.
Too detailed for my taste. Too detailed for yours?! ... Read more

Product Description
Foreword by David Koch of NASA's Kepler Mission

Isaac Newton said that if he had seen farther than others, it was because he was standing on the shoulders of giants: Nicolaus Copernicus, Tycho Brahe, Galileo Galilei, and Johannes Kepler. James A. Connor focuses on one of those giants in his fascinating and largely untold story of the "Protestant Galileo," Johannes Kepler. Set against the backdrop of the witchcraft trial of his mother, Kepler's Witch vividly brings to life the tidal forces of the Reformation and Counter-Reformation, submerging us into these turbulent times, revealing not only the surprisingly spiritual nature of early modern science, but Kepler's role as a neglected hero of conscience.

The doorway into Kepler's life and times begins with the sensational witchcraft trial of his elderly mother, Katharina, an eccentric woman who, like Kepler, was too smart for the world she lived in. The story is filled with crooked judges, sadistic bailiffs, and nasty neighbors bent on the destruction of this single, half-mad old woman. Using never-before translated transcripts of the trial, Connor explains that witches in the seventeenth century were the terrorists of their day. Tragically, thousands of people -- mostly women -- had gone to the stake by the time of Katharina Kepler's trial.

Johannes Kepler's life thus became a pilgrimage, a spiritual journey into the modern world through disease and horrible injustice on the eve of Europe's terrible and bloody Thirty Years' War. Kepler was concerned with more than scientific discoveries and achievement -- he fought for peace and reconciliation between the Christian churches, even when it nearly cost him his life. Exiled twice by Catholic princes and excommunicated by his fellow Lutherans, he was unbowed in his scientific and moral vision.

Besides the witchcraft trial records and testimonies, Connor has translated many of Kepler's diary entries and correspondence into English for the first time. With a great respect for the history of these times and the life of this man, Connor's unforgettable story illuminates Kepler, a man of science, as well as Kepler, a man of uncommon faith and courage. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

Kepler's Witch
The last biography of Kepler I read was Koestler's _The Watershed_ and while it was fascinating it did not give me the background in the theology and the history of the period that Connor's book did.The strongest point of _Kepler's Witch_ is the insight into the religious motives behind Kepler's work and the difficulty Kepler had with the Lutheran religious authorities.Connor believes it was, in part, his refusal to take sides on the increasingly polarized religious positions of the Lutherans and Roman Catholics leading up to the Thirty Years War that led to the prosecution of his mother for witchcraft.

Kepler lived in difficult times.Connor evokes this setting well.Amidst political and theological intrigue, diseases that killed half his children before adulthood, open warfare that forced him to move from city to city, and perpetual financial hardship he still believed in the harmony of the cosmos and that led him to his scientific discoveries.

The other reviewers are correct though that the structure of the book is sometimes annoying.Each chapter opens with a long translation of a letter by Kepler.This is good.However in the chapter that follows we get the history leading up to and including events in the letter, so Connor often quotes parts of the letter back as if it was the first time the reader has heard of the events.Likewise the chapters cover chronologically overlapping material, so Connor sometime repeats verbatim descriptions of the events recounted in an earlier chapter though the context is different.The effect is jarring -- like watching a movie and you realize you are hearing the same dialogue twice.These were not major flaws, but one wonders if an editor ought to intervened and smoothed this out.

Overall, the book does work despite some minor repetitiveness.It gave me a much better understanding of the times Kepler lived in and that alone makes the book essential reading.

Holy Geometry
In addition to being one of history's most influential scientists, Johannes Kepler was also a man of faith, and that is mostly the focus of this religiously focused biography. When Kepler was revolutionizing astronomy and mathematics, he also had to navigate through times of great religious strife in Europe. Here James Connor focuses on the challenges faced by Kepler as a devout Lutheran in a land of Catholics, while fighting to maintain his influence and connections during the upheavals of the Reformation and the Counter-Reformation. An associated story here (though you might think it was the main story because of the book's title) was the trial of Kepler's mother for witchcraft, and we learn more about how trumped-up and unjust charges of diabolical arts were used during those times to get rid of uppity or unpopular women. James Connor does a good all-around job of describing the political and religious history of the times in which Kepler lived.

However, there are problems with the construction of this book, as Connor's pacing and coverage are very awkward. Connor's writing style, in which he applies different levels of importance to different events, results in historical coverage that is out of chronological order and occasionally repetitive. When Connor goes into historical explanations, Kepler himself disappears from sizeable chunks of the book, while the story of his mother's witchcraft trial feels tacked on and is not successfully integrated with the larger narrative. Meanwhile, Connor writes this book from a religious point of view, which brings a fresh new light to Kepler's life story, and Connor himself has a good eye for science. However, Connor's attempts to bring out the religious influences on Kepler's scientific achievements seem forced and even reactionary. To his credit, Connor is definitely not anti-science, but in this book it seems like he couldn't stop himself from writing for anti-intellectual religious adherents, leading to an awkward mix of faith and science. This damages the effectiveness of this particular biography of Johannes Kepler, who was both a theologian and a scientist, but was more noteworthy for the latter. [~doomsdayer520~]

A small world, but a big cosmos.
The critic who says Conner is telling two stories at once is right: this is a "life and times" biography.That is, the author finds the life of Johannes Kepler and the polarized, tumultuous, superstitious, expanding world he lived in equally fascinating.He made both subjects interesting for me, too.And unlike some readers, I think he joined them in a well-written, sometimes impish, sometimes melancholy, and always intelligent story.

Conner spices the narrative pot with pungent observations and quotes: "(Kepler's mother) was a little mad, but only a little, which was far more dangerous than being (like her rival) an abortionist and prostitute." "Kepler argued that astronomy is natural to humanity, as natural as singing is to songbirds."
"The harmonies were arranged in phalanxes of ever more complicated patterns coalescing into a great cosmic symphony, a music so profound that it harrowed the heart and set fire to the soul."Kepler: "'It hurts my heart that these three great blocs have ripped at the truth so terribly that I am left collecting it piece by piece, wherever I can find them . . . God already has rewarded our warring Germany with lamentation.'"

Kepler was born a Lutheran and a "catholic" Christian, and remained faithful all his life.Yet the Lutheran church excommunicated him, and the Catholics chased his family from town to town.The 16th Century being the time for witch trials as well as science (see Stark, For the Glory of God, for helpful ideas about how the various goings on in Kepler's time related to Christianity), Kepler's mother was tried as a witch, while he set science on a course to the stars.Conner tells both stories well and I think connects them well too.

It is obvious Conner likes and respects his subject.Kepler was a scientific genius, and more, a kind and sensible Christian in a world where religious professionals forgot the virtue their Lord said was the soul of the Law and the Prophets."My conscience commands me to love an enemy and not harm him . . . I ought to be an example of moderation and mildness for my enemy . . . then at last may God send us the dear desired peace."Growing up in a rather harsh and loveless home, a settled family life collateral damage to every new fad in social perversity, he managed to love God and man, and cultivate a cheerful curiosity at the world and our mysterious fellow-travelers that dance across the night sky.AsChesterton said of another Medieval figure (Francis?), Kepler lived in a small world, but a big cosmos.

Where's the narrative thread?
I learned a lot of information about Kepler, Kepler's family, the thirty-years war, and the counter-reformation. The writer's prose was very readable; however, the book lacked cohesion. The book had very little information concerning with Kepler developing his scientific theories and his search for harmony. The author jumped off on bunny trails for scores of pages without mentioning Kepler. He would write about the thirty years war and the political machinations that led up to it. He would then return to the witch trial of Kepler's mother. He would then breifly spend a little time on Kepler developing his theories and how it relates to his faith. The book seemed repetitious at times. Maybe bacause the witch trial went on for so long, but the book returns again and again to that same topic and how worried and frantic Kepler was.

I had a hard time finishing it. The book was a hard read. At the end, I had a hard time placingall the pieces together. The topic was fascinating and the author did provide some interesting tidbits, but the narrative thread was hard to follow.

A modern tale 400 years ago
This book is about intolerance, religious intolerance and how it led inevitably to war and small town petty intolerance and how it led to smear campaigns culminating in the witch trial of Kepler's mother.It's about good old boy networks and injustice.It's also a Hollywood movie script where a person with overwhelming odds against him does great things, but not without lots of personal tragedies all around him.It's also good history as I didn't know much about the 30 yr. war or the relationship of some scientific giants like Copernicus, Brahe, Kepler, Galileo and Newton. ... Read more

Product Description
Recounts Simon Newcomb's climb from a penniless immigrant to the most renowned American astronomer of the 19th century, with never before published details of his family and professional lives, including his friendship with Congressman, and later President, James A. Garfield. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Non-fiction
As observed by another reviewer, the authors make up a lot of stuff such as "on opening a letter from Chandler alone in his study, Newcomb shifted his weight in his seat to find a comfortable spot".

Were the authors there to witness Newcomb shift his weight? I don't think so.

This type of nonsense makes everything else in the book seem less credible. When else did they make stuff up? This is the stule of elementary school biographys - not serious scholarly works.

As in their dreadful book "Latitude", there is a heavy dose of pro-American propaganda in this book which also makes its accuracy doubtful.

No question that Simon Newcomb was a gifted man, but he deserves better than this fictional novel.

Solid Workmanlike Effort
This is a book almost without flaws, a solid workmanlike effort, but somehow I was slightly disappointed.I knew who Simon Newcomb was and was aware of his contributions to the development of timescales and positional astronomy.

I read the Carters' previous book, "Latitude" and was completely smitten.This book lacks the compelling narrative style of that volume.Maybe I had set my hopes too high.

The book is a biography, very much in the traditional sense.However, rather than a chronological catalog of events, the chapters are a series of articles about major milestones in the life of Simon Newcomb, arranged in chronological order.There is, of course, some overlap but I found this approach both clever and very satisfying.

The authors are manifestly technically literate but the technical content is very, very low.Tastes vary, but I personally would have liked more.

The bad bits:

I would have enjoyed the book infinitely (ok, a lot) more if there were illustrations and photographs!Not one.Not even a photograph of the subject.[...] Just a B&W reproduction of a death notice, listing Newcomb's honors and associations, hardly different than plain text.

The layout is unfortunate.In several places long citations are inserted, enclosed by only a single pair of quotation marks.At least begin each paragraph of a citation with quotes, ok?I would have preferred "blockquote" style so I could easily tell where a citation began and ended without hunting for a teeny pair of goose tracks.

The authors also indulge in the habit of attributing thoughts, motives and actions to people that they could not possibly have known.(E.g., how, on opening a letter from Chandler alone in his study, Newcomb shifted his weight in his seat to find a comfortable spot.) The "third person omniscient" style is probably ok in a book aimed at high school students, but not in a serious biography. Anyway, it put me off.

Bottom line:Good read, could have been a lot better. A longer book might have been better, it transcends concise and borders on laconic in places. I definitely will buy the Carters' next book. You "should buy" this one.

Simon Newcomb
Simon Newcomb, by Bill Carter and Merri Sue Carter is the biography of a scientist who was born in 1835 and died in 1909.Simon Newcomb is a man of historical significance and the subject of his life and his achievements is a story that needed to be told.The Carters do a masterful job in doing so.As distinguished members in the same core scientific community as Newcomb, they are able to measure Newcomb's scientific achievements, present it well and give credit where credit is due.In Newcomb's later years, he spent "much time and energy writing popularized scientific articles, explaining complex concepts and results in terms that the public could understand and appreciate".Close to a century after his passing, the Carters give him their time and energy in honoring his life and scientific contributions.

"America's Unofficial Astronomer Royal", from the title page we see this statement and it is something worthy of exploration.I believe that in Newcomb's mind he was and through his actions you can see that it was something that he dearly wanted.Although openly taking on "the mantel of `Unofficial Astronomer Royal'", there was one thing that eluded him -the fact that he was never able to hold the title "Superintendent, U.S. Naval Observatory". The Carters depict his character so vividly that you can imagine his extreme angst never having captured this title, especially, since the opportunity was almost his for the taking until the assassination of his good friend, President Garfield.

In attempting to know why Newcomb behaved the way he did and accomplished the things that he accomplished, it is important to know the intricate details of his life.The Carters give us ample insight as to how and why he achieved so much.His youth, his father, and his relationships with men of science were constant catalysts for his desire to do more.In regards to his father, we see that he was a man that was immensely jealous of his son and belittled much of his activities and works.For Simon, he responded to this by encapsulating himself in work.Which is not too unusual, since the arguably, second most important American astronomer of this time, Seth Carlo Chandler, was incited by an intellectual rebellion against his father's wishes as well.What also fueled Newcomb to become "America's Unofficial Astronomer Royal" must have been his relationship with Airy.In this book, Airy is described as an unapproachable and uncompromising man.I believe that Newcomb was in some way in awe of Airy.The fact that he was not shunned away from Airy like others, leads me to believe that Newcomb was not openly critical of Airy and was most likely intimidated by the "Official Astronomer Royal".

What I think is most powerful in this book is its ability to show how Simon Newcomb came to be.All things considered, I believe he was a man with a strong vision.As "America's Unofficial Astronomer", he was able to execute this role to perfection.He was fully aware of what his science needed and he knew the best route to get there.A shinning example of this was his goal in measuring the distance of the earth to the sun.In doing so, he believed that a massive employment of American observers and instruments to view the transit of Venus would not be advisable for the determination of the astronomical unit.Instead he championed the idea that improving the estimate of the velocity of light would lead them to the best measure.So, learning that Albert Michelson was involved in improving upon this measure with his velocity of light experiments, Newcomb offered his assistance and I infer, his federal monetary allotment as well.As a result of their work, they were able to determine the distance from the earth to the sun about "100 times more accurately than the value obtained from the transit of Venus observations".

This book tells the story of Simon Newcomb, describes the scientific principles and techniques that were introduced, gives a distinct look at the relationships between the top scientists of the day, and manages to intertwine a political history in the process.Simon Newcomb was a person that was able to assess any given situation and make improvements to many different types of science - a bonafide polymath.He even went so far as to apply his scientific knowledge to flight, and in doing so may have come up with the idea of the blimp or "Zeppelins" as they were called at that time.I believe that Newcomb thought that there was truly nothing beyond his grasp and that his imagination and skill served science well.Although I believe that his contributions to science are vast and great, I also see him as a larger than life dynamo of his day, which is something that may be only realized by reading Simon Newcomb, by Bill Carter and Merri Sue Carter.I recommend this book to all readers.

Simon Newcomb: Astronomer Extraordinaire
Simon Newcomb is not well known to the general population but he should be.He was one of the most influential astronomers of the Nineteenth Century both in the US and Europe.This absorbing account of his life takes us from his early youth under an ineffective father through an indentured medical apprenticeship to his emergence as a world famous scientist.The authors, Bill and Merri Sue Carter, cover both his triumphs and his travails, and show the whole man, as Ben Franklin might have said, "warts and all."
In his youth Simon excelled in mathematics but was largely self-taught until he escaped his servitude in Canada and immigrated to the US, where he graduated from Harvard summa cum laude in two years, even while working at the Nautical Almanac Office.While still a resident graduate student at Harvard, Simon traveled to the wilds of Manitoba west of Lake Winnipeg to observe a total solar eclipse.In the decades that followed, he made many fundamental contributions to astronomy, including overseeing the construction of the workd's largest refractor telescope, which was used by a colleague at the U.S. Naval Observatory to discover the moons of Mars.He measured the speed of light wih Michelson, and used the result to determine the astronomical unit far more accurately than those values derived from the observations of the transits of Venus in 1874 and 1882.Later he refined the orbital elements of our Moon, and made his mark on the international scene at the Paris Conference in May 1896 where his set of solar system constants was accepted by the participants (Germany, France, England and the United states).Newcomb had a long, and sometimes antagonistic relationship with Seth Carlo Chandler, Jr., who was credited with discovering the true complexity of the variation of latitude (see "Latitude, How American Astronomers Solved the Mystery of Variaton," by the same authors).It was Newcomb who reconciled the apparent conflict between the theory and the observed variation of latitude.
Newcomb's interests stretched beyond astronomy.When his friend President James Garfield lay dying in the heat of a Washington summer, he not only devised a method to cool the room even while the doors and windows remained open, but also arranged for Alexander Graham Bell to use his induction balance to remotely probe the location of the assassin's bullet lodged in the President's body.
A short review such as this cannot do justice to the richness of this biography.It is a facinating story, and must be read by the general public as well as by scientists the world over.
John R. Herman, retired geophysicist, author of "The Metamorphosis of a Geophysicist". ... Read more

Product Description
In 1609 Galileo first used his telescope to kick start the science of observational astronomy - an event that proved to be of enormous historic, scientific, and cultural importance. Galileo and 400 Years of Telescopic Astronomy will feature the life and achievements of Galileo, around which has pivoted the story of four centuries of telescopic astronomy. The book will detail how astronomy has progressed through four centuries and contain glimpses of future space research and astronomy goals. Uniquely, interwoven with the text will be a range of practical projects for backyard astronomers in which to participate, projects that serve to illustrate many of Galileo's scientific discoveries. ... Read more

Product Description

Nebulae are the places where the stars are born. For amateur astronomers, the many different kinds of nebulae vary from "easy" targets that can be seen with modest equipment under mediocre skies, to more obscure "challenging" objects that require experienced observers, more powerful telescopes and excellent observation conditions.

The concept of this book - and of the series - is to present an up-to-date detailed description and categorisation of nebulae, and then to instruct the reader in the best ways to successfully observe and record the large range of astronomical objects that fall under the general heading of "nebulae".

Nebulae and How to Observe Them is a comprehensive mine of information for all levels of amateur observers, from the beginner to the experienced.

The Astronomers' Observing Guides are designed for practical amateur astronomers who not only want to observe, but want to know the details of exactly what they are looking at ASTRONOMERS’ OBSERVING GUIDES provide up-to-date information for amateur astronomers who want to know all about what it is they are observing. This is the basis of the first part of the book. The second part details observing techniques for practical astronomers, working with a range of different instruments.

Customer Reviews (4)

A pleasure to use and read
From the very first look I was extremely impressed with this book. The book begins with a good review of equipment (telescopes, eyepieces, filters and usage), observing skills, site selection and a discussion of various types of nebulae.The main part of the book is a description of a selection of nebulae, ordered by season.There is a sensible black and white photograph accompanying each object. The photo shows rather more than you might see through the average amateur scope, but does not raise expectations by showing some technicolor wonder taken through a large telescope.For the most part the pictures are of good quality, some of them of superb quality, but a handful (eg M76) don't make the grade.The descriptions are good with lots of tips on improving what you can see, written in a nice easy style without being too chattyThe book concludes with an appendix containing many more objects than those discussed in detail (around 450 by my estimate), including shorthand descriptions in the Dreyer mode (F, S, R gbM,*9 nf for faint, small, round, gradually brighter towards the middle, star of mag 9 north following--there is a key at the bottom of each page, but with practice it becomes easy to understand)

Beginners guide to Nebulae
This book, is an excellant introduction or beginners guide to the study of nebulae.Without going into the intricate details, it presents the basics needed to understand the physical processes that enable us to observe nebulae.I recommend this book for the novice.

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

A Good Guide
Having spent many years at the eyepiece of a telescope and having used more than a few observing guides it is nice to find one I can recommend.Steve Coe is a longtime visual observer well known in Southern Arizona, and his experience shows in this observing guide.Written in a friendly and approachable style, the guide seems more like conversation from a friend sitting at the next telescope than a formal guidebook.

Steve does not attempt to write a complete guide, more a 'best of' selection that covers not only well know objects, but many lesser know objects that deserve more attention and are worth a visit with your telescope.

I will be including this guide in my kit for use at the telescope, what else can you say.

Andrew ... Read more

Product Description

Astrophysics is a subject that is often - with some justification - regarded as extremely difficult, requiring at least degree-level mathematics as a prerequisite to its understanding. Consequently, many amateur astronomers just don't bother, and miss out on the fascinating fundamentals of the subject, and often on an understanding of exactly what they are observing.

Mike Inglis' quantitative approach to astrophysics cuts through all the incomprehensible mathematics, and explains all aspects of astrophysics in simple terms.

A unique feature of this book is the way that example objects for practical observation are given at every stage, so that practical astronomers can go and look at the objected or objects under discussion, using only commercial amateur equipment.

Customer Reviews (8)

Good but marred by many errors
The book promises to present a treatment of astrophysics which can be understood at a reasonably deep level while keeping the mathematics in the background. To a large extent, the author succeeds in doing this. The main text has almost no mathematics, while for those who wish to go a little deeper into the subject matter, there are boxed paragraphs which explain the topic in more detail.All in all, this is a good book to read, but unfortunately there are many typographical mistakes, which can in some cases confuse the reader. For instance, in box 1.3 on p8, the word "distance" in the first line of the third paragraph from the end should read "luminosity". In Table 1.2 on p9, the very last entry in the right hand column should be 100,000,000 and not 10,000,000.On p19, the statement that temperature is proportional to temperature is incorrect.It is, as the author states a few lines above, proportional to the fourth power of temperature, which is not the same thing.Clearly the author is trying to simplify matters for the non-mathematical reader, but this is not license to make incorrect statements.Many of the coordinates given for various objects are incorrect.An observer using a goto telescope and the author's coordinates to point to the famous double-double in Lyra would end up with the telescope pointing deep into the southern hemisphere.Same comment about 61 Cygni, NGC 891 etc, etc.
If the author is contemplating a second edition, it should be thoroughly proof-read before publication. I would also suggest that footnotes, rather than end of chapter notes would be less disruptive when reading the book.

It is a pity that a book of such promise looks to have been produced in a rush.I still have no hesitation in recommending it, but the reader should not necessarily accept everything in it as correct.

Simple, brief and enjoyable.
The Universe is full of Wonders which many of us may never be aware of, comprehend or fully appreciate. For many, the scientific methods and tools used to learn and understand the Universe seem to be out of the grasp. Unfortunately, even dedicated Amateur Astronomers are susceptible to this myth as many may believe that these scientific discoveries and methods belong to a special kind of people in science institutes and collages. This book comes to prove that it's possible to learn how to unravel and understand some of the universe's hidden treasures and mysteries without literally go out on a limb.
You start by understanding the Measurements of Star Magnitudes, Luminosity, and Temperature and even get a grasp on the most important tool used by Astronomers the popular tool HR Diagram. Know how to classify stars and understand their formation and demise. Learn how to appreciate the beauty of Clusters, Nebulas and the power of Supernova's and Black holes. I have to admit, there is a bit of math in there, you can easily follow its logic and apply it to real life examples and get the results that previously looked like Gobbledygook belonging to the realm of Mad Scientists. Its not easy reading, you do need to read it carefully, and reread it again and again to gain the level of understanding required to appreciate its contents. There are many books out there on Astronomy, some are quiet rich in content and literally quiet heavy, but this one is simple, brief and enjoyable.

Astrophysics IS easy!
I used to love day-dreaming about space when I was a kid. This book makes me feel that sense of wonder and amazement again - and I can understand most of it! I spent a day at the planetarium in New York, and I felt like I could deliver my own lecture to the audience. And the best thing is - I bought this for my son, and we share our interest in and awe for the universe.

Intended to help the amateur astronomer take a step into the physics of astronomy
This is a great little book. Whenever I give a talk on my astrophysics research (in high energy cosmic rays and neutrinos) to the amateur astronomers, I mention this book as a good step for expanding their knowledge of the science underlying their hobby. Professional and amateur astronomy are a long distance apart, though many scientists got interested in science first from looking at the skies. This book helps bridge the gap somewhat.

Got your telescope?Your binoculars?Your two eyes?Well, point them UP
Astrophysics (or at least a general introduction to it) really IS easy with this friendly book geared toward amateur astronomers.An introduction to the heavens, cobbled together with science and telescope viewing tips, doesn't sound much like a romantic outing but believe me, halfway through the book you'll begin lusting for a telescope.The author's enthusiasm is infectious. The text proceeds incrementally, and basic concepts are repeated often, so you'll be dropping terms like "Cepheid variable", "Roche lobe" and "type II supernova" at the breakfast table before you know it.

A word, though, about the Kindle addition.ANY text like this comes with pictures, diagrams, etc---and the Kindle (at least the small one) just isn't the right medium for them.I found myself frustrated often as I pressed sys, wormed the cursor over pictures, then sat very still trying to enlarge.It's not the Kindle's fault--I knew it'd be a problem, and now I don't have this great book on paper.Next time I'll remember to confine my Kindle purchaces strictly to novels. ... Read more